Not so hot: Las Vegans don’t rank among Maxim’s Hometown Hotties

When it comes to beautiful women in Las Vegas, we’re not exactly dealing with a drought. Water is scarce in our city, appreciation for the arts, perhaps, soft, nap-worthy fields of grass, definitely, but attractive ladies? We got ’em in droves.

Which is why I was a little confused when an online search for Nevada-based finalists in this year’s Maxim Hometown Hotties competition returned this piece of advice from the famed men’s magazine:

There are zero results for your search. Lower your standards and try again.

Lower my standards? That’s not what Vegas is about. How could it be that a city where “models” serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks wouldn’t be able to supply at least one suitable candidate for Hometown Hotties distinction? I mean, seriously, just look around.

Yet, last week Maxim imported its 10 Hometown Hotties finalists for a few days of parties, photo shoots and appearances. From bottles at XS to poolside partying at the Hard Rock and a sponsored celebration at Wasted Space attended by Paris Hilton and Carey Hart, the Hotties spent the weekend touring Las Vegas, meeting fans and pitching themselves to take over the crown from 2008 winner April Rose.

They were gorgeous, of course, but so were the bartenders, servers and go-go dancers keeping their cocktails fresh and their fans dancing. In Las Vegas, the Hotties fit in more than they stood out. Were it not for their matching Maxim logo tank tops on Saturday night, the ladies could have passed for a group of regular clubgoers, hitting the town dolled up for a night out.

Finalist Suzanne Teresa downplayed the hotness factor in determining which hometown girl will get to claim the top spot, though she couldn't pinpoint what else would help her win.

“It’s a lot more than just being hot,” the 28-year-old from Vancouver Island, British Columbia offered. “All these 10 girls are all really gorgeous. … I don’t know what it’s going to take to win…a lot of votes. I’ve got Canada behind me, so I’m really lucky.”

In the preliminary rounds of competition, Canada apparently got out the vote. Only one of the 13 Nevadans who entered the contest wracked up enough votes to move into higher rounds: Las Vegas-based model Sarah made it into the semifinals, but the blonde couldn’t crack the top 10 and further her modeling career in the process.

Teresa, however, is hoping more for a place in the Maxim masthead than a spread in the magazine. A beauty and glamour photographer, she said she’d like to shoot Hometown Hotties 2010 for the magazine.

As for outgoing Hottie April Rose, she’ll be turning media maven, as well. The Chicagoan is heading for a gig as the sideline reporter for the Lingerie Football League this season.

“Serious news,” she laughed, as she reported on the Saturday night party for Maxim TV.

If she lasts covering the glamorous gridiron maybe we’ll be seeing Rose in Las Vegas again. After all, with so many beautiful women working around town, Las Vegas should be able to field a football team, even if we can’t score a Hometown Hottie.