Also happening at the Vegas courthouse...

One floor below OJville, today marks the seventh day of testimony in the trial of Tamares Group v Elad over the use of the name Plaza Hotel. Elad owns the New York City version of the Plaza and has plans to build a $5 billion Plaza on the former site of the New Frontier across from Wynn Las Vegas. Tamares owns the Plaza Hotel-Casino in downtown Las Vegas, which has gone by that name for 37 years.

So far all the good news has gone to Elad. Tamares had three complaints and two of them have been tossed. The judge threw out one, that Elad had engaged in deceptive business practices, before the trial started. Yesterday, she also tossed Tamares' claims for punitive damages. The jury will still get to decide the central question: Who gets to use the name in Vegas.

Expect a verdict late next week. Oh, and a spokesman for Elad insisted to me that they will start building on the property in spring 2010. I'll believe that when I see it and even then, I may not believe it.