Since the last 12 months probably feel more like an eternity, it may be difficult to recall what was going on a year ago right now. On March 1, 2020, officials in Washington state confirmed a man in his 70s had become the second death due to COVID-19 in the United States; the national toll would climb to six the next day. Nevada state officials would not confirm its first case of the virus for four more days.
The Las Vegas Strip was infamously shut down by state orders on March 18, after the NBA and NHL had suspended their game schedules, many local conventions and entertainment events had been postponed or cancelled, and Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts and the Cosmopolitan had closed their Las Vegas casino resorts. A year later, that unprecedented action still seems shocking.
Before it all happened, the Las Vegas tourism and entertainment machine was moving fast and looking forward to an exciting spring season and a blockbuster year to be highlighted by the debut of the Raiders and the NFL at the new Allegiant Stadium. Before pro football was set to take over the town, the new venue would be christened by a concert from country music superstar Garth Brooks. In just a few weeks, March 13 will mark the one-year anniversary of the day Brooks sold out the 65,000-seat stadium in just 75 minutes; that concert has been rescheduled for this summer on July 10.
Naomi Smalls and Asia O’Hara entertain at “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live.”
There were many other smaller developments pushing the Vegas entertainment scene forward a year ago. One of the most successful shows in the history of the Strip, Cirque du Soleil’s “O” had just shifted to a nightly schedule for the first time in 21 years, selling more tickets than ever before. Also at Bellagio, the Mayfair Supper Club was building buzz as a versatile new nightlife option, and just across the street at the Flamingo, the energetic “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live” was becoming a hot ticket.
New headlining musical residencies were set to launch, in April from Kelly Clarkson at Planet Hollywood’s Zappos Theater and in May from Sting at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum. The Jonas Brothers were kicking off a huge tour with a nine-show limited engagement at Park MGM’s Park Theater in April.
Technology-inspired new production shows were about to debut on the Strip in the spring of 2020. “iLuminate Presents: Happy Hour” was supposed to arrive at the Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood in late March, combining dance with interactive tech, and people were talking about “An Evening With Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Concert,” set to open in April in the same Flamingo Showroom with “Drag Race.”
Twelve long months ago, 2020 was shaping up to be one of the most diversified and compelling years in Vegas entertainment in quite a while. Today, we are where we are, but there are many reasons to feel optimistic about the scene. There are currently around two dozen shows and comedy clubs operating on or around the Strip and almost all of the productions that originally resumed performances in the fall when allowed by state mandates are on stage now or have announced plans to return after a winter surge in infection rates caused tighter restrictions and smaller audience caps.
One of the most significant shows still waiting to return is the Jabbawockeez dance and music spectacular at MGM Grand, which ironically debuted a new version of the show dubbed “Timeless” in early March last year before the shutdown. The Jabbawockeez came back in November, moving the show to the massive Grand Garden Arena in order to host socially distanced audiences, but closed again through the winter and has not yet announced plans for another comeback.
On March 15, COVID restrictions are expected to change again, allowing gatherings and events with 250 people or 50% of venue capacity. That adjustment will bring the return of “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace on March 17, “MJ Live” at the Strat and Terry Fator at New York-New York on March 18 and David Copperfield at MGM Grand on March 21. The grand opening of the relocated “Magic Mike Live” revue at the Sahara is currently slated for March 26, and shows like “V – The Ultimate Variety Show” and “All Shook Up” could return to the V Theater at the Miracle Mile Shops in mid-March as well.
And there’s still nothing more exciting in Las Vegas than the opening of a brand-new casino resort, which will happen on March 25 when Virgin Hotels Las Vegas finally arrives just east of the Strip, a complete reimagining of the former Hard Rock Hotel property.
Wait, check that. What could be more exciting than Vegas Golden Knights fans returning to the Fortress to see their team play for the first time since March 3, 2020? That will happen tonight when the Knights host Minnesota at T-Mobile Arena. It won’t be the packed house fans recall from the pre-pandemic period, but it might be the brightest light at the end of this tunnel so far.
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