Wanted: Streisand Fan With a Million Bucks

How many tickets--and at what price--will the MGM Grand in Las Vegas have to sell to cover the $13 million reportedly being paid to Barbra Streisand for New Year’s weekend shows?

Oh, about two dozen--if they were all priced like the top seats.

Yes, for the ultimate, high-roller Streisand fan, there will be a two-ticket package for Babs’ Y2K concerts that runs a cool $1 million, a source close to the event says.

Of course, for that many chips you’d get a few extras.

In addition to plum seats, the offer is expected to feature accommodations at a new “mansion” being built on the MGM grounds, meals prepared specially by world-class chefs tied to the MGM (Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Legasse among them), spa services and other luxuries.

MGM Grand publicist Shelley Mansholt would only confirm that negotiations for the concerts are nearing conclusion and would not detail plans surrounding the shows.

Streisand manager Martin Erlichman says he has not heard about the $1-million package, and he said Streisand would have to approve any such offer.

Odds are the offer is crafted primarily as a publicity hook for the hotel-casino, regardless of whether anyone actually buys it.

“It will certainly get them some attention,” says Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of concert trade magazine Pollstar. “I’ve never heard of anything like that. But with someone like Streisand, there may well be a devoted, wealthy fan who would consider it worth it to see in the new millennium that way.”

In any case, with regular tickets expected to top $2,500, the Streisand shows will likely be the biggest-grossing New Year’s event in Las Vegas, where competition will be intense.

Other shows expected are Elton John and Tina Turner teaming Dec. 30 at the Thomas & Mack Arena and Dec. 31 at Caesar’s Palace, Andrea Bocelli playing at the Bellagio, Bette Midler at Mandalay Bay’s arena, Rod Stewart at the Rio and Harry Connick Jr. at the Mirage. A $4,000 package is already being advertised for the Stewart show, with accommodations and meals in addition to tickets.