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Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com
B.B. King performs at B.B. King’s Blues Club at The Mirage on Aug. 17, 2010.
Published Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 | 10:39 a.m.
Updated Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 | 11:31 a.m.
B.B. King's Blues Club in The Mirage on March 13, 2010.
Sun Coverage
Map of The Mirage Hotel and Casino
The Mirage Hotel and Casino
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas
Add B.B. King's Blues Club to the list of bankrupt Las Vegas restaurants and nightclubs.
The owner of the restaurant and live music club at the Mirage hotel-casino filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in Memphis on Wednesday in a bid to restructure $3.764 million in debt and other liabilities.
A message for comment on the bankruptcy was left with the owner, Beale Street Blues Company Las Vegas LLC.
The Las Vegas club and restaurant is part of a Memphis-based group of B.B. King's clubs named for the music legend. The other B.B. King's -- which are not part of the bankruptcy -- are in Memphis, Nashville, Orlando and West Palm Beach, Fla.
The initial bankruptcy filing didn't specify why the Las Vegas club filed for bankruptcy, but noted its assets of $2.57 million are less than its liabilities.
The chief liability of $2.5 million is owed to parent company Beale Street Blues Co., though it's unclear from the filing if this is for a loan or for an investment.
Other creditors include the landlord: MGM Resorts International's Mirage hotel-casino. The Mirage's claim of $585,000 is listed as "contingent/disputed," indicating there may be disputes between the club and the hotel-casino.
MGM Resorts International said in a statement: “This is a matter being discussed between our legal counsel and theirs and therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment publicly.” B.B. King's lease at the Mirage runs through November 2014, the bankruptcy filing says.
Creditors include contractors and food and beverage suppliers owed various amounts, the state of Nevada owed some $80,000 in sales and entertainment taxes, the Culinary Union welfare fund owed $34,000, public relations agency PR Plus owed $22,000 and First Alliance Bank in Memphis owed about $233,000.
Creditors also include businesses that provide advertising services. Three of those are sister companies of the Las Vegas Sun: Las Vegas Weekly is owed $6,130, Vegas Magazine Partners is owed $4,130 and VEGAS.com is owed $500.
The Las Vegas club and restaurant said its assets include some $1.5 million in leasehold improvements.
The Las Vegas club, which opened in 2009, generated sales of $8.636 million in 2010 and $1.178 million so far this year, the filing said.
The filing is the latest in a series of setbacks for Las Vegas restaurants and clubs during the recession.
Rumjungle at Mandalay Bay, Prive at Planet Hollywood and Hawaiian Tropic Zone and Trader Vic's at the Miracle Mile Shops/Planet Hollywood have all closed; while Beso restaurant/Eve nightclub at CityCenter and Krave at the Miracle Mile Shops/Planet Hollywood remain open during their bankruptcies.
Also, in 2009 Wolfgang Puck's Chinois restaurant at the Forum Shops at Caesars closed, forcing the closure of the Poetry nightclub upstairs from Chinois.
B.B. King...
"Recessionary Blues", the new album!
We're just getting warmed up folks. There will be many more.
Keep pounding those nails into the coffin!
Good riddance. I went there on Thanksgiving night two years ago around 10pm with some family that was in town. Just wanted to sit down and have a couple of beers and they wanted a cover charge. There was nobody in the place.
"Blues" caters to a small segment of the population. Most of them prefer R&B instead of 'all Blues.' Vegas tourists seek Fun things do to than sipping strawberry daquiri in a Blues Bar. Yes, B.B. King's concerts are always a sell out. The namesake club never stood a chance in Vegas-may be a free-standing venue but not in a ritzy Casino as Mirage.
I would not come to the Vegas area if I was a person of color. Metro, the courts, the heavy handed raids on pot people, shootings...etc. Death of the French Tourist
People should understand that prostitution and drugs are legal or decriminalized in much of the developed world. The Nascar demographic, and fanny pack retirees are tapped out, the rich yuppies can go elsewhere in the world to party. We are washed up.
Bad location, way too dark. This place would do better as a fancy restaurant or something.
Most of the best places to go and eat have some type of view of the strip, or pool. If you dont have windows, its most likely a failure.
Sad to hear about the bankruptcy. When we were in the Mirage on Monday night, it sounded like their music was quite alive.
It looks to me, in terms of what is in the story, that the principal reason for the filing of the bankruptcy was the unpaid rent. Under Bankruptcy Code amendments enacted to protect shopping mall landlords, but coincidentally helping casinos which are landlords, unless the bankrupt tenant pays the back rent quickly, assumes the lease, and continues to pay the scheduled rent, the pro-commercial landlord amendments push the bankrupt tenant out the door relatively quickly. I'm talking a few months, not years.
The Chapter 11 debtor's debts to parent companies, while listed as described above, are irrelevant because generally they are paid last in a Chapter 11.
They should have opened their club downtown on Fremont East and would not owe all that rent to their casino landlord now. That is what put them under. An independent music club can never survive on the Strip. Get right and move on down.
mred,
I was wondering why you live in Las Vegas or do you?
You spout a lot of hatred for this city and often have your facts wrong.
If you really hate Vegas the way you post why are you here?
Vegas is far from done and will be prospering long after you are gone.
Y'know, there used to be small jazz lounges all over Vegas. You could buy a drink at a reasonable price, listen to some good music and be on your way. Back east, well, in the southeast we had juke joints with great blues, two bit beers and pig's feet (okay, never tried one).
It's a shame King's has closed. The blues is an acquired taste. But I'm a fan...and a fan of King, who worked his way up in an admirable, to say nothing of very tough fashion.
Vegas has tried just about everything, but going back to what it was...I know that'd be difficult to do considering all the dough these resorts have spent and their level of debt. But I miss it anyway.
I want us to pull through this and I assume everyone who posts here wants the same.
@VEGASLEE -- I agree with you about MRED...
@MRED, are you unemployed and thats why you hate Vegas? Do you spend money at any of the places you seem to know "so" much about?
Just wondering...
LOVE BB and LOVE the Blues... they had great music at BB Kings but on my first visit when I sampled the food I knew they were doomed. It was pretend soul food. Most blues joints have rough times under any circumstances... and it's hard to imagine the bean counters actually thought the numbers would work with rent being so expensive inside a casino.
And MRed...You're like Morarity in Kelly's Heros. "Always with the negative vibes, Moriarity, always with the negative vibes!"
The Mirage was probably not the best fit for this place. When I have stayed at the Mirage, I have noticed families and business travelers. Not the kind of crowd that goes out late and listens to jazz or has a late meal.
Walked by there once or twice and wanted to check it out but the entrance was very unappealing, it looked like a redneck bar in the deep South!
My wife and I had lunch at B.B.King's in August.
The recorded music was so loud, we had to stuff
napkin paper in our ears to stop the pain. The food was okay, nothing to rave about. We laughed as we left. Next time, we'd be sure to bring earplugs. A diner is somewhere you want to be comfortable, not blasted out of your seats with monster sound. We complained to the waitress, but she apparently couldn't do anything about it.
WTF? Beso, now B.B. Kings? Seems like MGM Resorts International is cursed?!
vegaslee, go easy on mred, he's still upset about the other major article in the Sun today. He's probably never been to the club in this article.
We ate there in late 2009 (last visit to Las Vegas) and loved it. The live blues band we saw was excellent, the food was good and affordable, the service was first rate. I hope the club survives. We are planning a trip in May and hope to spend some time (and money) there. B.B. Kings is recommended by me for a fine dining and entertainment experience.
Here's another case of "fame" taking the place of knowledge. Crappy food & annoying noise don't make for a conducive atmosphere in a restaurant. But I question how one "loses" money on a take of over 8 million in receipts in a year? Who was BB paying to watch labor & food costs? Must have been a Dumbocrat! Oh, well, BB can have a nice conversation with Eva as they wait in the bankruptcy line.
Might just be a sign that people can't afford all these high priced eating joints. Go back to the coffee shops and see the people come and spend some money. Mirage doesn't even have an 'average priced' place to eat - even their Deli charges ridiculous prices for a sandwich. They need to check out the Orleans coffee shop and see what a great job the Orleans does in providing their customers with a variety of eating establishments that don't assault your wallet. Good Riddance, BB King - now bring back the coffee shop.
"the heavy handed raids on pot people"
ya, how DARE the police enforce the laws, huh?
get a life.
Vegaslee:
I was listening to talk radio today and they where talking about the world expert on Las Vegas Mred. Of course it was all in secret code so only he could understand it ;) More tinfoil please.
"Must have been a Dumbocrat". What an intelligent remark, Mr. "Facts". Care to explain why you chose to inject your own particularly dumb political insight into a situation which has nothing whatsoever to do with politics?
Oh, ...that's sad news. Seems to me like "The Thrill isGone" ...:):)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqAuuIDU2...
Awaiting to read something more positive about the Blues section. Btw, what and where is that Santana guy actually playing, ... I mean, you know, that Carlos guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJzqOi2Ab...
Regards
Chuck
I broke out laughing when I read murryburns' post. He says there used to be little jazz lounges all over Vegas (sort of like those lounges in the TV show "Mike Hammer" with Stacy Keach). What killed them? Changing tastes and the fact that nobody can afford to go to expensive clubs anymore. Do you want to know what kind of "club" is hot now? Go to the nearest Starbucks and check out all of those customers staring at their computers using the free Wi-fi. That's what's HOT now--coffee bars with free Wi-Fi. What the #$%&#! was Eva thinking? She must have a lot of friends who are aspiring screenwriters who spend hours at coffee bars typing on their computers.
man from uncle is right.
And there should be more coffee bars. We stayed at MGM G. and there were 2 starbucks. The one in the casino always had a long line and very limited hours. Put more coffee bars in (especially at city center) and you will win.