Real estate entrepreneur Fonfa dies at 68
ANDREW Fonfa, a wellknown Las Vegas real estate entrepreneur, died of a heart attack Wednesday afternoon while visiting Southern California with his wife, Jodi. He was 68.
Fonfa’s sister-in-law, Renee Hale-drase, confirmed Thursday afternoon that
Fonfa had died after falling ill Wednesday in Pismo Beach, California. Fonfa was known to have had heart issues and diabetes. Hale-drase said Fonfa suffered a heart attack Wednesday afternoon, and about two hours later, Jodi Fonfa sent word to the family that he had passed.
Fonfa had reportedly been careful not to leave his home since March 8, being especially cautious during the COVID shutdown.
Jodi Fonfa on Thursday still was with the couple’s children, Haley and Evan, in Southern California. In a text Thursday afternoon she said, “Andrew has been the love of my life since I was 22 years old. He was the most devoted and loving husband, father, brother, uncle, son and friend. Andy was a renaissance man, a world of knowledge that is endless and will live on forever.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said in a statement: “With the passing of Andy Fonfa, a world of innovation and excitement in Las Vegas is sadly gone. Behind the risk-taker was a wonderful guy, a proud dad, loving husband and very loyal friend. Challenging business ventures were always at the forefront for him, and Las Vegas has been the beneficiary. To Jodi, Haley, Evan and the family, our sincerest condolences.”
Andrew Fonfa owned the Allure high-rise and was a developer in the Lucky Dragon hotel-casino, both just off the Strip on Sahara Avenue. Fonfa and partner Bill Weidner opened the property, in the shadow of Allure, in November 2016.
The 203-room hotel, which was the first ground-up resort to open in Las Vegas since the Great Recession, catered to an Asian market and was conceived as the boutique hotel for Allure investors and residents. The property struggled almost from the outset, closing its casinos and restaurants in January 2018.
After filing for bankruptcy that February, the hotel tower shut down the following October. Within weeks, lenders foreclosed on the property. Don Ahern of Ahern Rentals construction-equipment firm then purchased the property, which now is the site of the Ahern Hotel.
About a decade ago, Fonfa said he was considering a boutique gay resort, to be called The Q. He instead switched off for a Macau-style casino that became Lucky Dragon. He said he chose 203 rooms instead of the original plan for 204 because the number four is bad luck in Chinese culture.
Fonfa was acutely aware of the Chinese embrace of gambling. “In most cultures, gambling is seen as not good or evil,” Fonfa said in December 2016. “But for the Chinese, it’s entertainment, and every day could be your lucky day.”
The Fonfa family has withstood several challenges over the past two years. Their son,
Brett Isaac Fonfa, died in March 2018 at age 26.
Jodi Fonfa has most recently been active in the community as the director of the Miss Nevada Organization for three years ending in 2017.
A new entertainment world
With live entertainment venues remaining dark, Resorts World Las Vegas has created waves with a theater under construction.
The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas is set to open in the summer of 2021, announced by the resort and its joint partner, AEG Presents. Word of the 5,000-seat venue was reported in this column back in December. Resorts World Las Vegas President Scott Sibella and Concerts West President and CEO John Meglen confirmed the plans Thursday in Billboard magazine.
AEG’S Concerts West will exclusively program the new venue, which will be used for concerts, conventions, residency shows and sporting events.
“We wanted to find the right partner who globally has the operations and programming experience,” Sibella told Billboard. “We hit it off right from the beginning. It was the perfect marriage, because with (Resorts World) being new to Las Vegas, and AEG really knowing this city well when it comes to entertainment both in booking touring acts and residencies.”
The venue is designed by
Scéno Plus of Montreal, which headed up the original design of The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and also the venue’s refresh last year. Scéno also created the “Mystere” theater at Treasure Island and the “O” theater at Bellagio, the first two Cirque du Soleil theaters on the Strip.
The horseshoe-shaped theater’s signature is a 65-foot chandelier. No seat is more than 150 feet away from the stage, which stands 64 feet deep by 196 feet wide and covers 13,550 square feet.
AEG, of course, has a long history with Celine Dion dating to her original “A New Day …” residency at The Colosseum. Dion has a home in Las Vegas and had been on a world tour when COVID-19 shut down Las Vegas entertainment. At the time, it was expected Dion would not make any decisions about a Las Vegas residency until after that tour ended in 2021. COVID-19 has forced a review of that tour and her plans on the Strip.
Sibella also has an extensive history with star entertainers on the Strip, dating to his days as president of The Mirage and Luxor. Late last year, Sibella reportedly had been interested in signing such stars as Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks; Brooks headlined a pair of private events for Sibella in his days at The Mirage.
Meglen, an industry leader, says the residency experience has “gotten stale.”
“I want this to be the place that every artist in town says, ‘Why am I not playing there?’” the veteran live entertainment exec says. “Artists need the proper tools, and the same with their crews. It’s not about just sticking the artist in the greatest room. It’s about making sure their entire organization (also) thinks it’s the greatest place they’ve ever been.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram.
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