MUSIC:

Tickets sell out for Garth Brooks shows in Las Vegas

Wynn Web site flooded with requests for tickets to see legendary country music star

Steve Marcus

Entertainer Garth Brooks stands by Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn as they announce a deal during a news conference in the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel-casino Thursday, October 15, 2009. The arrangement will bring Brooks out of retirement for a series of special performances in the theater.

By Amanda Finnegan (contact)

Published Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 | 11:59 a.m.

Updated Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 | 3:01 p.m.

Garth Brooks to perform at Wynn

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

One who knew Garth Brooks before fame says he’s still the same (10-19-2009)
Garth Brooks coming to Encore Theater for extended stay (10-15-2009)
Garth Brooks’ deal at Encore: One-man show, five years, all tickets $125 (10-15-2009)
Wynn, Brooks seeking encore of ‘98 shows at T&M (10-14-2009)

Tickets for Garth Brooks' first five weekend shows at Wynn Las Vegas sold out just hours after they went on sale at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Wynn Las Vegas said tickets sold out by 1 p.m. Saturday and the resort’s Web site and phones were inundated with traffic for concert tickets. During the course of the day, Wynn Las Vegas’ box office Web site received more than 5.4 million page views. The resort took more that 140,000 calls for tickets and had 40,000 people waiting for tickets in the online queue at any given moment.

But fans still might be able to get their hands on tickets. Returned or unclaimed tickets will be released to a stand-by line that will form at the Wynn box office on show days.

Wynn said they will be announcing additional concert dates soon. Tickets will still be priced at $125 and are limited to six tickets per order.

Brooks will begin his first performances on Dec. 11 at the Encore Theater. Confirmed dates include Dec. 11-13, Jan. 1-3 and 22-24, Feb. 12-14 and 26-28.

The country music star announced he would be coming out of retirement for an extended stay at Encore with Wynn Resorts Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn during press conference at the Encore Theater Oct. 15.

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.

Wynn box office

Discussion: 14 comments so far…

By silver13

10/24/09 at 1:31 p.m.

Suggest removal

This is what will begin the shift of tourism travel back to Vegas, bring sought after stars to perform here. It feels like ages since we've had any major new headliners...Steve Wynn (love him or hate him) is once again leading us back to prosperity.
By chazbean

10/24/09 at 1:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

I don't like to be a naysayer but Garth performing 4-6 times a month is not going to end this DEPRESSION.We need jobs, not these $8-15 hr ones, but higher paying jobs ( Nurses,Doctors,construction,computer personnel,accountants etc
By gold1020

10/24/09 at 2:16 p.m.

Suggest removal

3.7 Million hits???? I seriously doubt they had anywhere near that many hits.
By mred

10/24/09 at 2:17 p.m.

Suggest removal

LET'S SAVE VEGAS WITH THOSE DOUGHBOY DOLLARS
By rejco100

10/24/09 at 3:03 p.m.

Suggest removal

You mean "stumbling & reeking of stale 211 beer" Ms. Lohan was not enough to bring them back. What about that porn star who stays in a lot of hotels...that Paris Hilton girl? No?
I know, those three classy blonde girls that were Registered Nurses for that senile Playboy senior citizen guy...what were their names..you know...one does Little Bo-Peep children plays in Las Vegas....Oh well.
By makeendsmeet

10/24/09 at 3:21 p.m.

Suggest removal

All politics aside,the reason we are in this recession/depression is because we OVER BUILT,we SATURATED the retail sector,and haven't INVENTED anything major in 15+ years.For example the internet or cell phones.WE SATURATED THE ECONOMY!!!
By Planetearthcalling

10/24/09 at 5:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

Casino owners relying on paid hollywood glitter queens, rap stars and tattoo artists to fill their hotel rooms and casino floors just hasn't worked out so well. The kind of people who follow hollywood glitter queens around the country have little if any money to spend when they arrive, so they just cause a lot of trouble instead.

Garth Brooks will attract the kind of people who have the means necessary to rent hotel rooms and spend some money on the casino floors.

Thanks Steve Wynn for taking the lead in this important matter.
By Krases

10/24/09 at 6:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

This will do nicely until the Frank Sinatra clone comes of age.
By judgesmales

10/25/09 at 1:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

It's unlike me to be positive about most/any aspects of Las Vegas' future, but this can only help.

$125 per ticket, multiplied by however many tickets sold is a lot of money that wouldn't be coming into town if Wynn had dragged his feet about filling the showroom.

Especially because Celine isn't in town anymore, Garth is bringing in a lot of visitors who would not have come otherwise. Even if they gamble on a budget or don't spend much, that's a lot of room nights filled. Who could be against that?
By P7Adair

10/25/09 at 4:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

Great move on Wynn's part...
By bldblu

10/25/09 at 3:34 p.m.

Suggest removal

This is simply called NOVELTY,and like CityCenter,will also die down after initial interest

I live next to the M,and drive by there everyday,and parking ramp,both inside,and top casino entrance,dramatic drop off from july until now

peace out
By bhamburg

10/25/09 at 3:46 p.m.

Suggest removal

The morning before last I was up at 7:30am, poised and ready to nab some online tickets to a legend- Garth Brooks!! Once they went up for sale, I groggily sat at my computer, clicking and waiting for the better part of an hour. Finally, I had gotten through! While I originally planned on buying 6 , I only had enough cash for 5 (I overlooked that tickets after the fees are $143, and not $125). So- I buy 5 tickets for a nice $715 hit on my account. Either way though, me and four other buds were set to go to opening night of Garth Brooks' comeback concert! Then today, I received a call:

It was a lady from the Wynn. She tells me that, due to the scalping problems they're having, I'm going to be required to give her the 4 names of the people going with me. She also said that if I didn't tell her right then and there, my tickets would be canceled, and I would be returned $125 per ticket ( leaving me $90 in the hole).

Now, at this point I have a good idea of who is coming with me. However, since I was forced to buy the tickets just yesterday, and because I had no idea if I would even be lucky enough to get them or not, I don't know who is going for sure. If I gave her the names of people I think are going, then it will be only valid for that person, and I'll lose a ticket if he/she ends up unavailable on December 11th.

So- I tell this lady that this is unacceptable to me, and she puts me on with a supervisor. I tell the guy my story, and I say this ex post facto rule they've applied isn't going to fly. This method they're using to combat scalpers was never revealed on the website when I bought the tickets, or at the recent press conference. He explained that this rule was implemented and agreed upon by Steve Wynn and Garth Brooks, and there was nothing he could do. I told him that I don't have the names of the people, and he said 'I suggest you call back and give them soon'.

Now- on the terms and conditions, it says that Wynn has the right to cancel any tickets at their sole discretion- for $125 face value refund. But how can they expect all the buyers of these tickets to know who they're bringing the day after purchase, and still nearly 2 months from the show? Think about how many sets of couples tickets were purchased by a guy hoping to find an out-of-his-league country girl to take before the deadline of December 11th!

While the Wynn has the rights to cancel my tickets, to deny me entry to a show which I worked very hard to book, and to leave me $90 in the hole- I really hope they don't :(
By pgctg141

10/26/09 at 8:41 a.m.

Suggest removal

Too bad Brooks has no talent
By boomeranddalejr

10/26/09 at 9:16 a.m.

Suggest removal

this is a joke i think that bhamburg has wrote - any one else had this problem?? I tried to call - no luck - i will wait for a year after everyone has gone and then go... what a joke!!! if this problem was real - dont u think that more people would have called ?? Think someone is pulling your leg....