Amid pandemic, local resorts are still reluctant to schedule major acts
After nearly a year of canceled live events due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s hard not to crave the normalcy of singing along with a well-known artist during a concert, laughing at a comedian’s jokes or catching a theatrical production.
Casinos have long been places to take in those forms of entertainment, and as coronavirus cases decline and vaccinations increase, entertainment will likely resume in those spaces (and in some places it already has). But how soon large-scale events return to the casinos depends on what happens with the pandemic.
As Las Vegas Strip properties such as Luxor Hotel and Casino bring back limited-capacity shows, most of Southern California’s tribal casinos are still working on plans. Most have not announced the return of big-name entertainment, but others have regularly modified target dates for the return of shows and concerts.
Some casinos that previously held ticketed shows, such as Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa; Spotlight 29 Casino; and Casino Pauma, did not list any upcoming concerts on their websites as of the time of publication. Harrah’s Resort Southern California’s website has two shows listed: comedian Tom Segura on June 12 and Bill Burr with a date still to be determined.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino plans to bring back this month its smallerscale outdoor entertainment such as its Rock Yard tribute concerts and country and Latin nights.
The tribute act series at the Rock Yard will return March 12, country nights March 16, and Noches de Fuego Latin nights March 17.
All of those shows were being staged outdoors until early December (a month later than they typically run), when a number of factors prompted Fantasy Springs to put the concerts on hold, including increasingly cold weather, a surge in coronavirus cases, a state stay-at-home order and the need to refurbish the stage and book bands.
“We used this time to regroup and take care of the nuts and bolts of the operation here,” Public Relations Manager Michael Felci said. “We’re excited to get started.”
However, Fantasy Springs has postponed its larger Special Events Center concerts to the fall, with the first scheduled act being Chicago on Sept. 11.
Officials there are hoping the concerts can proceed as scheduled if coronavirus cases continue to trend downward.
Fantasy Springs is cautiously optimistic that the concerts will happen in the fall, according to Felci. However, he said it was too early to share specific details about how the shows might be set up or what the capacity levels might look like.
But the complex will have safety measures in place when that time comes.
“All the same things that are happening in the casino will happen entering any show,” Mandi Witkower, director of advertising of Fantasy Springs, said of the planned Special Events Center concerts. She said temperature checks would be conducted and people would have to wear masks and socially distance.
Pechanga Resort Casino, which in October announced the cancellation of concerts through this month, was still analyzing conditions, according to a statement provided by the resort.
“We continue to put the health and safety of our guests and team members first, as we have throughout this pandemic,” the statement said. “Our leadership is continually assessing the most up to date recommendations and guidelines set by science and medical professionals. We announced back in October 2020 that all concerts through March 2021 would be canceled. As that time draws closer, Pechanga’s leadership will once again determine whether hosting shows is feasible.”
Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, known for its performance venue The Show, has its earliest perfomance scheduled for April with Beatles tribute The Fab Four followed by comedian Gabriel
Iglesias and medium Tyler Henry in May. Iglesias’ and Henry’s websites confirm their scheduled appearances at the casino. However, throughout the past year, Agua Caliente has quietly pulled scheduled shows off its website, sometimes within weeks of the planned events. Representatives for the resort did not respond to a request for comment.
One casino that’s brought back both smaller and large-scale entertainment events has been Pala Casino Spa Resort, which unveiled a number of concert series at its Starlight Theater. More recently it’s held a variety of tribute shows indoors at its Events Center. Some upcoming shows listed on its website include Jimmy Buffet tribute Mark Wood & the Parrot Head Band tonight, the Chicago Tribute Experience on March 12 and The Police Experience on March 20.
Beyond Southern California
In Las Vegas, entertainment has been an on-again, off-again kind of affair with very limited capacity at individual events.
In October and November, properties began producing some shows again. MGM brought back David Copperfield at MGM Grand, Jabbawockeez at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Carrot Top at Luxor. Audiences were capped at 250 guests, with 6 feet of space between parties and 25 feet from performers onstage.
However, by late November many of those shows were postponed again after Gov. Steve Sisolak limited public gathering size from 250 to 50, but a recent decision to increase public gathering size to 100 people has spurred Las Vegas venues to bring back shows again.
Female revue show Fantasy returned to Luxor on Feb. 19 with social distancing measures in place, as did comedian Carrot Top. David Copperfield is expected to return this month and Jabbawockeez will return “soon,” according to the website for MGM Grand.
More information about shows and events can be found at visitlasvegas.com.