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twitterGarth Brooks coming to Encore Theater for extended stay
Published Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 | 1:06 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 | 10:07 a.m.
UPDATED STORY: Garth Brooks’ deal at Encore: One-man show, five years, all tickets $125
Garth Brooks confirmed this morning what many had been speculating for months.
The country music star announced during a Nashville news conference that he would be coming out of retirement with an extended stay at the Encore Theater.
Steve Wynn announced Wednesday that he would be holding a press conference today on new entertainment plans at the Encore Theater. Then Brooks teased on his own Web site “something exciting is coming Thursday, Oct. 15."
Brooks retired in 2000 to spend more time with his children but has occasionally popped up at awards shows and charity events. The singer did a limited engagement at Encore in June.
Wynn’s entertainment venue, the Encore Theater, has remained largely empty with the exception of a few temporary acts since resident performer Danny Gans died in May.
Aside from Brooks, Beyonce, Whoopi Goldberg and Larry King have also taken the stage at the Encore Theater but a permanent fixture has been a “work in progress,” Wynn said during his company's July second quarter earnings call.
Wynn also said in July that while Gans' “tickets made money but not much,” the show brought visitors into Wynn and Encore restaurants and the casino floor. Wynn called the loss of Gans as a performer at Encore “not a cataclysmic event by any means” from a business perspective, “but a personal loss.”
Wynn will announce more details on Brooks’ shows during a news conference at 2 p.m. today.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Discussion: 45 comments so far…
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What a "nice way" to put the loss of Danny Gans. Couldn't find a better way to place your words Steve? Whenever someone dies - it's a HUGE loss..
Yeah...when that Hitler fella passed away...that was a huge loss. Or when that Saddam guy was executed...big loss.
Steve Wynn is a class guy the only person he cares about is himself. The announcement will confirm that Garth Brooks will be the permanent entertainment in the Encore theater. The delay was that Garth wanted to have "reasonable" prices for the show.
Jeez, he just keeps putting his foot in his mouth! Must Steve Wynn always be this insensitive? Again, I LOVE his resorts... But I don't always get his politics and his sometimes inhumane attitude.
In Steve's defense, the article says he made these remarks during an earnings call meant to be heard by investors and stockbrokers. It's in Steve's and his shareholders' best interest to put the best face on the situation as possible while still telling the truth.
Incidentally, what's happening with the investigation into the doctors who wrote Danny Gans' prescriptions for drugstore Heroin and other substances?
Could it be that powerful locals are being protected? They've already gotten to the bottom of Michael Jackson's doctor(s), but yet nothing more on Danny Gans. It's pretty obvious that a deal was cut with Gans' family to keep a lot of the details hush-hush, but I would bet there are some "doctors to the stars" locally who are scared to death that the next celeb to die is going to be on their own patients.
Also, how about another story the Sun has buried: that really expensive car that got stolen from Red Rock's parking garage and burned in the desert. Why haven't we heard who the car belonged to and the fishy circumstances about its theft. Who owned the car, Sun, and why do you continue to sit on this information?
It is quite obvious that Danny Gans was taking an enormous amount of "pain' killers.And it is apparent that it was covered up,but that was his life. As for Steve Wynn he is like all the top execs (Trump,Loveman, Adelson) who have forgotten what it is to live from paycheck to paycheck.The car that was stolen from RED ROCK was Harry Reid's car. He was at the RED ROCK as a guest of the Fertitas. End of story!
S.Wynn is, and always has been, an insensitive egomaniac. Period! Nice way to talk about the dead; and, when he was alive Wynn couldn't say enough great things about Danny Gans. Steve Wynn is a lucky man...
Danny Gans was one of, if not the best, variety acts I have ever seen! I was AMAZED at that man's talent and energy.
$teve Wynn, you are a putz! I hope the new act(s) fail. Now, about the only good show left in town is Terry Fator at the Mirage. And that's NOWHERE near the quality of Mr. Gans' performance.
Bring back the feather shows!!!
i wonder if a full out coutry entertainer will draw the kind of clientele that the wynn properties seem to prefer. they certainly want the upscale and don't seem to offer much else to those of us a little lower on the ladder.
Is Cookie Jarr still around? Better yet bring back Melinda the 1st lady of magic oh ya, bring with her Rich little.
Cook E. Jarr -- the man!!
I saw Garth 4 or 5 years ago at an event with Buck Owens. Buck was playing his red, white & blue telecaster at a show, unveiling bronze statues of country stars, including Garth. Garth was not scheduled to play. Buck handed the guitar to Garth and asked him to play some songs. Garth played and sang, much to the delight of those of us in attendance. It was at this event where he got down on his knee and proposed to Tricia. We'll be going to a Garth show at the Wynn! Way to go Steve Wynn!
i wonder ... I don't get it either, Wynn does not cater to the Garth Brooks type crowd, I am sure the show will be a hit, but its not the type crowd that Wynn caters too. I am sure Wynn had to bite his tongue during the negotiations of ticket prices, the Le Reve show is a great show but the tickets are very pricy.
Yeah, I'm wondering the same thing. I'm sure Garth Brooks will breathe some new life into the Wynn-Encore compound, but I have a hard time seeing all the country fans going early for dinner at Switch or staying late to party at XS. Maybe I'm engaging in too much stereotype, but this seems like an odd deal for a place that doesn't scream "COUNTRY!"
Now Garth has some friends in high places!
First off Amanda Finnegan I would like to know when Garth brooks said it would be an "extended stay at the Encore Theater" I'm pretty sure he did not say the when and where this morning.
Second I like Garth, I like Wynn.....however I can't see Wynn being the place that the Garth crowd would be at before or after a concert.
Pretty sure that cowboy hats, boots and bud's are not the crowd Wynn would like. (Can you see going into switch in your wrangles, boots and hat?)
Not to mention you would have no chance to get into XS or TRYST in the above mentioned clothes.
Is there plans to change XS or TRYST to a country night club....yeh haw break out the mechancial bull Steve.
Yeah ! bring back that sexy chick Melinda!!!
Anyone see a pattern here? Remember when Wynn brought kenny Rogers back from the Holiday Inn circuit ? Well.. Kenny had big friends in entertainment, which he was able to bring into the Nugget downtown. Looks like Wynn really believes in that term Encore!!
Don't worry about Garth not attracting people who spend money. He was at Central Park 10 years ago that attracted about 1/2 mil people i would say quite a few are spenders. To Lasvegasops if u think Terry Fator is the best we have try to see Ron Lucas who is a ventriloquist also and puts on a great show with out the high prices. He used to be at the Rio.
cowboy hat,nascar t-shirt, boot and jean wearing clientele staying at the Wynn.Sorry to generalize,but country music fans are really a different genre altogether,and they do not pay 275-400.00 a night for a hotel room.
harrahs,imperial,and flamingo YES,,but not Wynn,Encore,Palazzo or Venetian
Very odd fit for Encore, but there's no way this should be seen as anything but great news for Las Vegas.
What we need more than anything right now are unique reasons for people to visit us. Garth Brooks will give a rather sizable demographic group that reason to book a Vegas trip (because you won't be able to see him anywhere else, at least not for five years).
CNN is carrying the press conference live right now. That's definitely a good omen for how much attention this will draw, and how much business Brooks will be able to attract.
He'll hardly bring us back by himself, but a nice boost to the destination.
What an old dog act. why not bring back the 4 tops?
bldblu, and others.
I am one of those stereotyped "Country / Nascar" people you speak of. You are right, If I can afford Garth tickets (Meaning 150.00 max.) I will most likely not be staying at the Wynn. We are the Imperial Palace type. Stay cheap and travel about town from there. We would never be seen in one of those trendy nightlife clubs, more likely Toby Keith's at Harrahs. We will not dine at a high priced fancy restaurant at the casino, I like Memphis BBQ on Rainbow, but also enjoy Ruth Chris (hardly cheap). My Pontiac would not get front of the line valet preference, I'm a self parker. Oh, in a non stereotypical way, I am not a beer drinker (or any alchol), so I can drive anywhere without that worry. But YES, we will go see Garth, then head to Toby's. Steve, I'm waiting for a deal, how about $100.00 weeknight rooms if you buy Garth tickets.
Who the h#$% is Cook-E-Jar?
People paying $275-$400/night for a room? Not so much lately...I've been getting offers for "buy 1, get 1", "buy 2, get 2", "1 free weeknight", "2 free weekend nights with Amex Plat" from Wynn all year-and I've never stayed there. Plenty of deals to be had!
Brooks has sold more than 120 million albums. He has a wide fan base. This will bring more visitors and much needed tourist dollars to the Las Vegas area. This is not only good for Wynn but good for the other hotels, restaurants & stores as well. We should have more great news like this.
I'm not much of a country music fan, but it seems that everybody is assuming that country music fans are broke, lost their trucks, and lost their dogs like the cowboys in the songs.
A lot of country music fans from what I've noticed are pretty well off and can afford to go to high-end shows and high-end restaurants here in Vegas.
I do concur that XS and Tryst are probably not the kind of places you'll find a country music fan in first, but when in Rome...
I would say this to the holders of the velvet-ropes at those clubs: Don't assume that because they're wearing jeans, boots, and a 10-gallon hat that you're dealing with a $1 beer kind of person.
They might surprise you with how deep their pockets are and how much influence they have over things like you keeping your job if you turn them away with some 'attitude'...
You never know who you're dealing with in Las Vegas. It's kind of like poker where strong means weak and weak means strong...
If you're dressed to the nines all the time, then you're probably broke and trying to look like you have cash.
If you're dressed kind of normal and you don't really care what you look like because you're rich, then you're rich. I'm just saying...
Signing Garth at Encore is an act of DESPERATION to attract middle America to Wynn's high end resorts....The motif at Encore is Oriental-themed to attrach high-end Chinese customers (heavy on the red and gold and chinese decor abound)...I didn't know that Chinese liked Country-Western, lol.....Steve Wynn will sink a slow death at his properties like what happened to him at Bellagio/TI/Mirage. His debt is more than the value of the Wynn Las Vegas properties and now that he dumped his wife of 40 years, he will have nothing. The slow recovering economy will destory the high-end hotels in Las Vegas in 2010,2011 and 2012.
TAG-
YES! When it comes to the bottom line (LITERALLY!), Vegas needs more customers. And while you're right that Garth alone can't bring Vegas back from the brink of collapse, hopefully a combination of his show opening, City Center opening, and a bunch of other new attractions will bring in all those new (and returning!) customers.
lvdjlv-
Good point. We shouldn't be engaging in too much stereotyping. I should know, as I know better.
And actually from what I recall, Tryst, Blush, and XS allow jeans just as long as they're designer and not ripped. And since I doubt people paying $125 a pop for a Garth Brooks concert would go looking that sloppy, they should be able to get in. And hey, maybe one of the clubs should do a "country night" to fit the occasion. And since none of the Wynn clubs have yet opened "gay nights" like more and more of the other Strip clubs are doing, maybe they can tap into a very special niche with a "gay country night" at XS.
I'd want to go to that. :-p
OK OK ! Wynn shouldn't have dumped Elaine, he pretty much is the guy everyone blames for the corporate disfiguring of this city, But... the guy is going blind, his hotels are losing money, and he is trying to save this city any way he can. Lets give him a chance and see what happens. Everyone deserves a fresh start...
Bakersfield-
"Steve, I'm waiting for a deal, how about $100.00 weeknight rooms if you buy Garth tickets."
That might be pushing it, but maybe you can find something around there if you know where to look. While I was in the process of buying my condo in Green Valley, I booked a suite at Encore that averaged out to about $120 per night. Try sites like Expedia and Travelocity that find the cheapest rates and offer discounts for booking airfare and hotel rooms together.
And btw, Society Cafe at Encore isn't that expensive. For about $60, you can have a nice lunch or dinner for two in a more casual (but still elegant) environment. Oh, and the food really is quite tasty!
... Am-I-GLAD I'm NOT reviewing opening nights ANYMORE for "Billboard Magazine" in VEGAS!!! B-O-R-I-N-G!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWWWW STEVE!!! Just wait till some of the cowboys come out!God sometimes I love to sit and just watch this town impload!!!Not that all cowboys are bad,but get a little juice in um,and watch um go....its a good time!!!
"IM HERE FOR A GOOD TIME,NOT A LONG TIME"
Garth Brooks puts on a helluva show. And a lot of people that aren't rednecks like him. That's why he's second only to the Beatles in album sales in America.
I think it'll bring some business into Vegas and Encore. I hope Wynn found a way to generate some jobs out of this locally as well and Brooks doesn't just truck in his entire crew from out of state.
How bout Mickey Finn? Rob Hanna?
Garth is a BIG ARENA type performer, The theater he will be performing in is the old Spamelot theater, which is a very intimate setting. I wonder how the rich folks will react to have Garth Brooks running and jumping around all in their faces? will the women spill their $12 glass of wine spill all over their cocktail dresses ? will they break their opera glasses ? I can imagine them going into Sinatra's or Botero's with wine stains, or beer stains all over themselves !!! HA !!
How funny all the "those dumb cowboy" remarks from Las Vegans. I expect Garth to put on a stellar music show, c'mon he "retired" 10 years ago? The dude is too old to jump around like the old days. Besides,he has sold more than 113 millon units; 686,000,000 albums? I may not be an industry expert, but he seems like a good choice. How many records have you sold...just kiddin'
...correct the album count 68,051,000
I think he should have hired Justin Timberlake and Co.