House of Blues expanding to Las Vegas

Wednesday, April 29, 1998 | 9:42 a.m.

The $950-million, 3,700-room resort is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 1999 at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip.

The joint venture between the Los Angeles-based House of Blues Entertainment, Inc. and Las Vegas-based Circus Circus was announced at a news conference here.

Entertainers James Brown, Natalie Cole and Jim Belushi were among those attending.

The Las Vegas venue will accommodate 2,000 people and a 600-seat restaurant located just off the resort's casino. Additionally, an entire floor of the 43-story resort will be dedicated to House of Blues-themed guest rooms and the top floor of the hotel will feature an area dedicated to blues music memorabilia.

Greg Trojan, president and chief operating officer of House of Blues Entertainment Inc., said in a prepared statement that the partnership would "position House of Blues at Mandalay Bay as the premier Las Vegas destination."

Glenn Schaeffer, president and chief financial officer of Circus Circus, said the partnership between the two companies "will set another standard for entertainment in Las Vegas."

Mandalay Bay will also include a 12,000-seat sports and entertainment complex, a 1,500-seat showroom and an 11-acre tropical water environment.