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The top spectacles on the Strip 2006
Valaer Murray February 20, 2007
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Not everyone can spend their entire vacation at the craps table, so when you're not in one of Vegas' Hottest Card Rooms, you'll probably be seated inside one of the resorts' huge entertainment complexes. Caesar's Colosseum, the Mandalay Bay Events Center and the MGM Grand Garden Arena are all examples of the glitzy venues that host long-running Broadway productions, the ever-popular Cirque du Soleil shows, and various performers like Celine Dion and Danny Gans, who pull in the crowds night after night. Called Broadway West, Las Vegas is where the most successful musicals come to roost, and it has also become ground zero for new and exciting shows from stars like Prince, Elton John and Jerry Seinfeld.
While old standbys like Cirque du Soleil's 'Mystere,' which opened in 1993, and the 'Copacabana' man himself, Barry Manilow, form the backbone of Vegas entertainment, more recent hits like 'The Producers' replenish the pool of talent. So not only are now-classic Vegas shows such as "Jubilee!" still top-sellers, but newcomers in the vein of the Pussycat Dolls also have crowds clamoring for tickets. According to the most recent report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 71 percent of visitors see shows on which they spend an average of $106 -- signs of a booming industry.
Eager to attract box-office smashes and big name artists, the large casino resorts like the Bellagio and the Mirage often custom build special theaters for shows. In June, the Venetian unveiled a $40 million theater for a special production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's perennial favorite, "Phantom - a Las Vegas Spectacular." And indeed it is. Cut down to 95 minutes, the show includes enough mind-numbing special effects to dazzle the least Broadway-literate show goers. The Palms is also planning a new state-of-the art theater called The Pearl, which will open on April 21 with a kick-off concert by Gwen Stefani. More...
See our slideshow of The 10 Hottest Vegas Tickets.
SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand.
Concierge Manager Jessica Ragin joined SKYLOFTS in 2005 after working for two years as a concierge at MGM Grand's VIP Lounge.
BEST RESTAURANT
Firefly.
BEST GIFT FOR A SPOUSE
For men: A professional shave at The Art of Shaving, at Mandalay Place.
BEST GOLF COURSE
Shadow Creek.
BEST DAY TRIP
Raft the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon.
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