Mega Dollars For Residency Entertainers In Sin City
There are lots of reasons to visit Las Vegas.
Some of the top ones are the pursuit of hedonism, the chance to check out some of the best nightlife on the planet, checking out big-name shows and the eternal quest for riches on the casino floor. Or, at the very least, scoring a few free drinks while you try to win those riches.
Plenty of people want a piece of everything on that list – getting rich playing roulette and blackjack, grabbing a table at Omnia nightclub with a complimentary bottle of Grey Goose, then maybe catching Celine Dion at Caesars Palace the next evening to help soothe the hangover.
While most in Vegas for bachelor parties and all out debauchery would gladly skip the last part, going to a Celine Dion or Siegfried & Roy Show show has become as much of a ‘must-do’ activity as rolling a hard eight or watching the iconic Bellagio Fountain Display.
And, while you may feel these acts are a little outmoded, the money tells a very different story. These artists who are taking up residency in Vegas, many of whom are no longer the fixtures in the charts or on television they once were, are commanding the sort of money that could run the economy of a small country.
Astronomical money earned by casino acts as revealed by Betway
In a fascinating breakdown of the huge numbers involved, Betway Casino has produced an article outlining the top-earning acts in Vegas. It covers the earnings of everyone from Siegfried & Roy and Elvis Presley right through to modern ‘divas’ like Britney Spears and Mariah Carey. Did you know, for example, that magician David Copperfield has earned more than $850,000,000 through appearing in Sin City shows? To put that into perspective, it would take a football player earning the average NFL salary more than 425 seasons to match that figure.
It is likely that the prospect of appearing on the main stage of Coachella or Glastonbury would be ahead of a residency at the MGM Grand in the dreams of budding rock and pops stars. However, while there is nothing new about the Vegas residency, there are signs in the music industry that it could become more common.
Streaming and download sales do not provide the same generating of money that vinyl, tapes and CDs did in their heyday. While there are anomalies like Adele’s recent mega-contract, the era of the big album deal seems done. Increasingly, there is a focus on live performances in order for performers to earn that “rock-star” lifestyle.
It takes a special type of act to make it in Vegas
Of course, the Vegas residency is not suited for every type of act. The burlesque style of someone like Cher is more attuned to the atmosphere of Sin City than, say, the hard rock sounds of Metallica.
What becomes most apparent however, is that these acts are rarely the one who are driving their respective industries forward. Even someone like David Copperfield – whose shows are nevertheless spectacular –f eels somewhat dated when compared to modern ‘street’magicians like David Blane and Dynamo.
But if we are to gauge current success by hard cash, it may just be that the old pros are having the last laugh. Dion, who earns more than $500,000 per show, may not be your first thought for biggest star in the world today, but she is on one of the biggest winning streaks in the history of this gambler’s paradise.
Leave a Reply