Los Bukis Residency A Testament To Latin Music’s Influence In Casino Market

Adele, Garth Brooks, Lady Gaga, Shania Twain and Bruno Mars are just a handful of popular artists who have established residencies at Las Vegas casino venues this year. Having such superstars performing often on the Las Vegas Strip isn’t uncommon for Sin City, but one act in particular did bring something new to the table.

Los Bukis, one of the most influential bands to come out of Mexico, made their way to Vegas this year, and it wasn’t just a one-night stop in between shows. They set up shop at Dolby Live at Park MGM for “Los Bukis: La Residencia” in May and made history doing so, becoming the first all-Spanish-language residency on the Vegas Strip.

It was a watershed moment for everyone involved, from the artists to the casino to Live Nation, which promoted the event, and the residency is a testament to the power and influence of Latin music in all facets of the live entertainment industry.

“It definitely opens the doors and broadens the boundaries of what we can do,” Sid Greenfeig, Live Nation’s senior vice president of concerts in Las Vegas, tells Pollstar. “Latin music and Latin culture have become part of the mainstream in life and Vegas.”

The idea of a Vegas residency with the Mexican grupero percolated in Greenfeig’s mind after seeing Los Bukis sell out two concerts at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, three years ago. The band grossed $13.83 million across both nights, according to Pollstar’s Boxoffice, and when the band made its way to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium in 2022, Greenfeig met with Live Nation’s global touring team and MGM Resorts about a Los Bukis residency.

“This is a genre that has been a big focus for us in the market throughout the years,” Greenfeig says. “We do a ton of business, so why not? And when I say why not, I don’t mean it in a shrug-your-shoulders kind of way. We felt like this was the time [for an all-Spanish-language residency], and it was right.”

Latin music has gained much traction in mainstream culture and is one of the fastest-growing genres in the U.S. with streaming figures up 24.1% last year, according to a report from Luminate. Latinos are also essential to the country as consumers with a total economic output of $3.2 trillion in 2021, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative.

Promoters and venues are very much aware of the financial impact of the Latino community, and a residency with a band like Los Bukis may only be the beginning of what’s to come.

“We’re open to it,” Greenfeig says about possibly doing more Spanish-language residencies. “I think other Latin artists as well as many other artists want to have their name associated with [Vegas residencies]. This has been an unbelievable experience. I’ve taken a lot of pride in [‘Los Bukis: La Residencia’] because I’ve seen that come to fruition.”

Vegas properties aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits of Latin comedy and music acts. Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, a Southern California destination that has hosted stars like Ed Sheeran, Missy Elliott and Andrea Bocelli, has catered to Spanish-speaking audiences since opening its approximately 3,000-cap theater in Highland, California.

Drew Dixon, Yaamava’s vice president of entertainment, said that with the venue being in San Bernardino County, the Latino market is “incredibly important,” and the different elements and cultures within Latin music allow him to book shows not only for specific communities but also the general public as the subgenres continue to rise in popularity on streaming and social media platforms.

“We have a very eclectic calendar when it comes to Latin music, and I try to do a good job of mixing demographics to at least give people an option of something that might appeal to the comfortability they had in either the way they were raised, the music that they listened to around their household or that that they listened to at family gatherings.”

Yaamava’ Theater will have Ricky Martin, Alejandro Fernández and Grupo Firme this year, Latin acts that are known to fill up venues of all sizes, and they can offer something arenas and stadiums can’t: a chance to see them in an intimate setting — an experience that even big-time artists appreciate.

And booking Latin music acts doesn’t just apply to Yaamava’ Theater. Dixon says the casino property has 2,000 bookings annually across all venues, including Rock & Brews and Tukut Lounge.

“We really want to be beyond what people think of in a casino setting,” Dixon says. “We want to be something that becomes a play that is monumental on their tour routing, where they go, ‘I specifically want to come to that venue because they treat me well, my fans have a great experience and it’s a wonderful day whenever I play there.’”

That positivity is essential for casino execs, and it is why they are fully on board with the Latin music movement and the rise of subgenres such as música Mexicana and reggaeton.

“Everyone’s leaving happy, and they’re dancing and having a good time,” Dixon says. “That energy just flows in the casino and spreads to everyone in the casino, whether you’re at the show or not, and it’s electric to be a part of it.”