By HEATHER MILLER

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Local News - NIAGARA FALLS – Joe Millionaire Evan Marriott couldn’t find a date in the Honeymoon City last night.

Still single and on tour, the construction worker turned reality TV star planned to dine with up to seven women at Casino Niagara.

But when the winners of the “Meet the Joe Millionaire Sweepstakes” were drawn from a ballot box, no one came forward to claim their hunky prize.

As if responding to his philosophy that “men will never understand women, so there’s no point trying,” throngs of adoring females begged for Marriott’s autograph even as he was stood up by his chosen few.

Marriott said he didn’t hit it off with any of the 20 women he wined and dined on the show Joe Millionaire and never had a real romantic relationship with Zora, the “winner” he presented with a diamond ring.

Still, he doesn’t mind being set up on dates.

His only two dates since the show have been set-ups and he was open to possibilities at Monday’s event in Niagara Falls.

“I think when you look for love, you never find it. It’s when you’re not looking that you’ll find it. Like at this dinner, there could be a single girl there, you never know,” Marriott said before the big draw.

Neither Marriott, nor any of the ladies gathered to see him at Oakes Garden, were so lucky.

Of the four contestants picked from the ballot box – each of whom entered for a chance to bring six friends along for a dinner with Marriott – none made their claim in the allotted 15 minutes.

Even as the last faithful fans begged security guards for a little time with the star, casino officials determined no winner for the contest could be decided.

And if they begrudged the contest results, no one seemed disappointed with their brief encounter with Marriott.

“He’s hot. He’s even hotter in person,” said Victoria Grimmitt, a Niagara-on- the-Lake resident who shouted out her desire to give Marriott a guided tour of the area.

“I think he’s very genuine. I think he’s a down to earth guy and I wouldn’t mind meeting him,” added San Diego resident Karen Williams.