Caesars Partners With Live Nation To Renovate The Colosseum

Colosseum
facebook.com/caesarscolosseum
– Colosseum
at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas

The birthplace of the Las Vegas residency is getting an upgrade and a new partner, as Caesars Entertainment announced April 10 its plans to renovate

The venue will close after the last shows of Reba, Brooks & Dunn July 6 for the addition of a new sound system, moving light fixtures, a high-def LED video wall, and capacity for more seating arrangements. It is expected to re-open in the fall.

“We’re thrilled to make the best entertainment experiences in Las Vegas even better by enhancing The Colosseum at Caesars Palace with its innovative design and unique elements,” Jason Gastwirth, president of entertainment for Caesars Entertainment said in a statement. “The timing of these enhancements couldn’t be better as Caesars Entertainment and Live Nation now partner to program The Colosseum with a commitment to bring world-class performers to this refreshed, iconic entertainment venue. The best seat in Las Vegas just got better.”

The new seating configurations will allow for VIP banquettes with bottle service and a GA setup on the main floor.

Caesars Entertainment will now officially add The Colosseum to its portfolio of more than 50 venues operated in five countries. The venue was constructed for Celine Dion’s original Vegas residency by Concerts West and was operated by AEG for years.

“If you think about it, the first two deals we did when Concerts West got bought by AEG, the first one we did was the Celine Dion deal (building the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for the purpose of staging Dion’s residency) and then we went out and acquired Goldenvoice,” Concerts West CEO John Meglen told Pollstar in 2017

It was designed specifically for Dion by Cirque du Soleil director Franco Dragone and the diva will wrap up her latest residency at the venue June 8.

Of course, since Queen Celine’s initial run many artists have held court at The Colosseum, including Mariah Carey, Jerry Seinfeld, Daryl Hall & John Oates and Van Morrison in 2019 alone.

Caesars Entertainment underwent an executive shakeup in March when three new board members were chosen by billionaire Carl Icahn, who recently increased his stake in the company to 15 percent and has indicated he wants to sell the company. Caesars Entertainment Corp. CEO and President Mark Frissora last year announced his intention to step down from his position, which he leaves at the end of the month after four years served.

Caesars was also at the center of a potential tourism crisis when 12,000 unionized Las Vegas workers threatened to strike in 2018, but a new contract was approved in June.