Las Vegas may forever be the province of The King, but, at least for a while, Prince will be holding court.

The iconoclastic performer, whose ever-changing self-descriptions are exceeded only by his shifting musical styles, has set up shop at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in a surprising way.

Although some headliners have settled into long-term engagements — Celine Dion, Elton John and Barry Manilow, for instance — more contemporary big-time acts such as Prince have been content to pull into town for a few days, appear at a concert venue, and then move along.

Earlier this month, however, Prince began what is being characterized as a "multimonth, limited engagement" — a description that's ambiguously appropriate for the enigmatic pop music star.

For planning purposes, here's what it means.

At least for the next few weeks — and possibly beyond — Prince will be playing in a sparsely renovated nightclub at the Rio on Friday and Saturday nights.

On Wednesday nights, the club, called 3121, will feature familiar acts such as Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan, and new ones favored by Prince. Thursday nights is Latin Libido night, with salsa, merengue, reggae and rap.

For Prince's shows, tickets start at $125. There's also a dinner package for $312.10, not including tax and tip, but more on that later. Admission on Wednesday and Thursday nights is $31.21.

If you notice a numerology trend, that's another Prince thing. One story on Prince-inspired Web sites identifies the number 3121 as an address at a Los Angeles home where the performer used to give private concerts. Another explanation is that the four digits add up to seven and have a spiritual significance.

The four numbers do form the name of a recent Prince album, the new performance space (the nightspot formerly known as Club Rio), and an adjacent restaurant, 3121 Jazz Cuisine.

As for the $312.10 dinner package, it includes dinner at the restaurant where Prince's chef, Lena Morgan, runs the kitchen; comfy table seating for the Prince concert; and your choice of a bottle of wine or other alcoholic beverage. The 3121 Jazz Cuisine features tasty entrees, including filet mignon, lamb chops and Chilean sea bass, from $29 to $48. There's also a six-course tasting menu for $125, without wine.

Prince's midnight shows are a departure from the normal Vegas starting time of 8:30 to 9 p.m., and they're a half-hour longer than the customary 90 minutes. Playing in a 900-seat theater that's industrial in ambience and painted purple, and accompanied by a small ensemble and two dancers (the Twins), Prince gave the fans who showed up for the first shows a generous helping of new songs and fan favorites, including "Purple Rain."

On the Rio Web site shortly after he opened, Prince's performance dates were listed through the weekend of Dec. 8, but observers think he'll stay at least through the lucrative New Year's holiday and perhaps into early winter, when Vegas has some of its biggest conventions. Information and reservations: (702) 777-7776.

EAT SWELL, BRING MONEY

Celebrity restaurants: It has stopped being a question of whether any Las Vegas dining room will receive a Mobil five-star designation, but rather how many, and which ones will get the honor. This year, the prestigious designation went to two Vegas restaurants: Alex at Wynn Las Vegas and Joel Robuchon at the Mansion in MGM Grand. Only 16 restaurants in the country earned Mobil's top distinction.

Alex is Alessandro Stratta, whom casino owner Steve Wynn lured from the Mirage, where Stratta headed the Mobil five-star winner Renoir.

Sampling the haute cuisine at this year's winners is a pricey indulgence.

At Alex, two tasting menus are offered: seven courses for $165 (a wine pairing raises the tab to $295), and three courses for $120 (wine not included). On the seven-course menu are sweet corn custard with osetra caviar and brioche crouton; roasted monkfish with caramelized fennel and orange-burgundy sauce; and braised short ribs accompanied by potato gnocchi. The three-course menu offers a variety of appetizers, main courses and desserts.

Joel Robuchon, named for its legendary "chef of the century" (anointed by a French dining guide), has both tasting menus and an a la carte selection. The most extravagant challenge is a 16-course marathon that's priced at $360 (before wine, tips and tax). For that, you get langoustine ravioli, smoked and seared tuna, scallops in ginger bouillon with baby leeks, and grilled Kobe beef.

For the less ambitious, there's a Robuchon six-course tasting menu for $225. The a la carte menu has appetizers ranging from $65 for scallops to $135 for caviar, entrees from $75 for turbot to $160 for French hen with roasted foie gras, and assorted desserts for $18.