Composer proposing to build an LV resort

Tuesday, April 20, 1999 | 12:05 p.m.

The composer of Broadway musicals like Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita made his announcement after paying Universal Studios $75 million to buy out the Hollywood company's 30 percent interest in his company, Really Useful Holdings.

The Telegraph of London newspaper reported that Lloyd Webber has long wanted to build a resort in Las Vegas, but has been blocked by Universal. Lloyd Webber gave up effective control of Really Useful Holdings a decade ago when he sold the minority interest. That deal left him feeling "like an idiot," the Telegraph reported.

Plans for a Las Vegas resort are "well advanced," reported the Telegraph. Architectural models have been prepared and a piece of land identified.

"I am now in a very good position to go forward with it," Lloyd Webber told the Telegraph. "It might be an impossible dream but now at last I can spend some money on it, and get some architects working on it."

The resort would have three large auditoriums showing "round the clock" Lloyd Webber musicals, reported the Telegraph. Lloyd Webber's deal with Universal is slated to close June 23.

The Lloyd Webber resort -- which is still in the conceptual stages and far from certain -- would join a growing chorus of Las Vegas properties featuring Broadway-style musicals. The New York-New York hotel-casino offers Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance, the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino offers the musical Chicago, and Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn has been looking at bringing Broadway musicals to his Strip resorts.