The Latest on Las Vegas Shows

Live entertainment is being hit hard across town, with a number of venues being closed along with announcements their shows and entertainers will have to find new opportunities.

Among the venues closing are Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace, the Chippendales Theater at Rio and Anthony Cools Experience Theater at Paris, “X Rocks” at Bally’s  as well as the Bronx Wanderers and “John Caparulo’s Mad Cap Comedy” at Harrah’s.

That means acts like Wayne Newton, “Chippendales,” the  hypnotist Anthony Cools and shows like “Friends, The Musical Parody” and “Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man” are without a home, but still with plenty of talent.

“Chippendales,” has closed at Rio after making it their home for years.

The changes don’t stop there, however, as  numerous live bands and lounge acts are going away, too.

We’ve heard rumors, but only rumors, that other entertainment venues will feel the effects of this new direction; including the end of bands and elimination of the stage at Carnaval Court outside Harrah’s, along with the stage inside O’Sheas at Linq casino.

The cuts in live entertainment seem to track with statements by Caesars Entertainment that the company’s focus is returning to gambling, as opposed to restaurants and entertainment. Restaurants are struggling all over the city as they can not get enough employees back to work.

Caesars Entertainment is taking the “entertainment” out of “Entertainment,” a huge shift given gambling revenues have continued to decline over the past few years.