Wayne Newton opens estate to public tours
Opulent Las Vegas estate is filled with penguins, horses and memories
Before lastmonth, not many visitors ever got to see past the tall, white and gold gates of Wayne Newton’s giant, walled estate. Starting with 5 acres in 1966, it has become a legendary piece of Las Vegas property that only the famous typically saw, save for an appearance on MTV Cribs. But now, Casa de Shenandoah, which Newton translates to mean “home of beauty,” has opened its gates to public tours.
And for that, we say danke schöen to Newton for letting us into his home.
The new tour of the property begins across the street at the visitor center, with a 15-minute video to brush up on all things Mr. Las Vegas. Guests then board a shuttle to enter the compound through the opulent gates. “Opulent” is a word that will pop up frequently throughout the approximately two-hour experience, whether it’s inside the pri- vate jet, meandering down the aisle of cars from Newton’s prized collection, or on the grounds themselves: 52 acres that includes the Aramus Arabian horse stable, complete with a swimming pool for the horses.
LIFE ON DISPLAY
For Newton and his family, welcoming the public into Casa de Shenandoah was a decision that took some time to fall into place.
“Well, obviously it’s a little bit of a
mixed bag,” Newton, 73, says. “At times the thought of it is a little frightening,” but he says he heeded the advice of his wife and his late mother, “at the risk of being corny, that the happiest you can be in life is when you can share those things that you love the most with others.”
The hundreds of pieces of memorabilia and photos on display in the museum and mansion all were chosen by Newton and his family.
Visitors see letters from presidents (Newton and Ronald Reagan were close), notes and pictures from his many trips entertaining troops abroad, and several of his custom, elaborately embellished Nudie Suits.
Newton says choosing which parts of his life he wanted to share and which he wanted to keep to himself wasn’t daunting.
“I think that was probably fairly easy to the extent that I don’t have a lot of secrets,” Newton says. “I have lived in a fishbowl since I was 4 years old.”
ANIMALS ABOUND
Throughout the compound you’ll see wild peacocks and hens, sometimes with their plumage up, roaming freely. New- ton’s love of animals — especially horses — is famous; he has built one of the world’s top Arabian horse herds. The tour includes the option of watching the horses take a dip in their specially designed pool and perform for a few minutes in the outdoor arena.
“My two loves in life were music and horses, and I couldn’t tell you which I loved more,” Newton laughs. “I can tell you which afforded the other.”
From there, you’ll visit the exotic animals, which include a friendly Capuchin monkey named Boo, wallabies direct from Australia and several types of birds. Yes, those are penguins, and yes, they’re OK in the desert. They’re South African penguins and like the heat — so much so that one, Charlie, who had to be brought inside the mansion during one of Las Vegas’ rare snowstorms, lived there for a short time because she refused to leave.
The mansion is the last stop on the tour, depending on your package. Water in the Bellagio-like fountains near the front jumps and dances, and tall gold doors frame the entrance to the Newton manor. While it is all, yes, opulent, the house, for all its trappings and gold and chandeliers, still feels like a home rather than amuseum.
And yes, you might even spot Newton at Casa de Shenandoah when you visit. “I will be here on a daily basis, and they’ll see me out riding in the arena, and they’ll probably see me swimming out in the pool with the penguins and giving Boo a bath.”
As to whether some visitors might be treated to an impromptu, live performance by Mr. Las Vegas himself? “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Newton says, but “one thing I’ve learned in life is never say never.”