Virgin Hotels Las Vegas opens and more entertainment makes its way back
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There’s a lot to take in at the recently opened Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, not only with the gaming floor, restaurants and hotel, but also a unique assortment of costumed characters, musicians and painters ready to put on a show for visitors.
The scene at the resort casino property, located at the former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino off the Strip, is what might happen if Burning Man met the New York City subway and all of its performers, according to Richard “Boz” Bosworth. It’s a sample of the resort’s approach to entertainment, but the full menu is coming soon.
Bosworth, CEO for Virgin Hotels Las Vegas owner JC Hospitality, says there’s still much to open and there will be pockets of entertainment everywhere, including a two-story day club filled with dance music, an event lawn and the complex’s theater that will host big-name acts and thousands of fans. But Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is like lots of other properties throughout the city in that it’s waiting for restrictions to ease before cranking up the entertainment.
Entertainment venues in Nevada are allowed to have gatherings of up to 250 people or 50% capacity, whichever is less, as of the guidance given by the state March 15. They have to submit their plans for approval through Nevada’s Department of Business and Industry, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Some Las Vegas shows have been returning for small-scale audiences. “Absinthe” returned to Caesar’s Palace on March 17, and the Australian Bee Gees Show, David Copperfield, Terry Fator and the Jabbawockeez returned to MGM properties in March.
Before those shows, others, including burlesque show “Fantasy” and comedian Carrot Top returned to Luxor Hotel & Casino in February.
The “Atomic Saloon” show, described in a news release as a “raunchy romp through the Wild, Wild West as it never was,” will return to The Venetian May 5 for the first time since it paused last year. It features acrobatic stunts and comedy from a cast dressed as cowboys, showgirls, nuns and lawmen.
“Magic Mike Live” will head to the Strip and debut inside the new Magic Mike Theater at Sahara Las Vegas starting on Aug. 27. The venue will feature a cocktail lounge and a poolside VIP meet-and-greet experience.
But while comedians, magicians and revue shows are reemerging, the A-list musical headliners that typically bring in thousands of fans have not yet returned.
Renovations have been completed on the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas — formerly known as The Joint when the property was the Hard Rock — with new VIP seating; new seating on the second floor and mezzanine levels; and all bars have been revamped. There’s also a new bar that replaces a second floor meet-and-greet area that’s done in an art deco style reminiscent of South Beach, Miami, in the ’20s.
Bosworth said it’s too early to tell when it might open up for performances.
He said that a lot of it will depend not only the artists themselves feeling comfortable with traveling and performing in front of crowds, but also on the state loosening regulations to allow a greater cap on audiences.
“We’re certainly hoping that those state regulations will loosen over the next 30-45 days,” he said.
The theater is not the only place that visitors to the property will eventually be able to catch performances and enjoy music.
Bosworth said when all entertainment options are open, there will be times the property is reminiscent of a miniature music festival.
For example, the resort boasts an event lawn that’s currently open to private events and for visitors to lounge, but it will eventually be able to host a crowd of about 1,800 people for concerts.
The event lawn is connected to a conference center as well as a promenade that leads to a pool area where there will also be musical performances.
There will also be Elia, a two-story day club inspired by Mykonos that will feature electronic dance music. That’s slated for a spring opening, according to Bosworth.
“What we’re trying to do here is develop an entertainment experience that’s much more than just a theater,” Bosworth said. “It’s really an ecosystem of entertainment.”
