Rod Stewart spars with Vegas casino

Rock star Rod Stewart and gambling giant Harrah’s Entertainment are headed to federal court next week in Las Vegas in a $2-million dispute over a canceled casino concert.

Stewart’s lawyer said Friday that he intends to call the raspy-voiced British singer and Harrah’s Chairman Gary Loveman as witnesses in the civil trial scheduled to begin Tuesday. The Harrah’s-owned Rio hotel-casino accuses Stewart of breach of contract, contending he has no right to keep $2 million for a canceled Dec. 30, 2000, show.

Stewart’s lawyer, Louis “Skip” Miller of Los Angeles, said the show was canceled after Stewart underwent thyroid cancer surgery in May 2000. “His voice didn’t recover in time,” Miller said. “He’s now fully recovered and he’s willing and able to perform the concert. They won’t let him.”

Harrah’s spokesman David Strow said the company would not comment on a pending case.

In court documents, the Rio said that it hired Stewart to perform as part of a New Year’s Eve weekend and “the parties agreed to rescheduling only in narrow, specified circumstances not present here.”