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Lounge Singers Lose Out to Other Forms of Entertainment28 September 2000LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Sept. 28, 2000 – As reported by The Associated Press: ”Four decades ago the billboard-sized marquees lining the Strip sported names like Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Elvis in bold black familiar letters. ”…There's a new face on entertainment in Sin City. Illusionists [Lance] Burton and [Steve] Wyrick and singing impressionist [Danny] Gans are modern headliners, replacing the one form of entertainment that has been as synonymous with this city as neon and gambling - the lounge singer. ”…Lounge singers are losing their intimate showrooms that each night seated hundreds of customers. Now arenas hold thousands and play host to Ricky Martin or Cher for a performance or two. ”Other singers have lost their stages to opulent villas that would have made the flamboyant Liberace blush, as casinos try to maximize floor space and attract high-rollers. ”…Not all the showrooms are history. The Aladdin is designing a 1,200-seat venue and the newly opened off-Strip Suncoast opened its 500-seat showroom with a retro tables-and-booths venue in the tradition of the recently closed rooms. On the east side of town, construction continues on an annex to Sam's Town - Sam's Town Live, a combination nightclub and showroom with 1,100 seats. ”Some casino developers have chosen slots over the lounge singer. But Lippia, who has headlined at the Rio, thinks that in these days of theme park casinos the way the resorts can distinguish themselves is through their entertainment offerings. ”…`There is a demand for more variety in entertainment because there is a much broader spectrum of visitors than when casinos were primarily catering to gamblers,’ said Shannon Bybee, executive director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' International Gaming Institute…” |