Just about a month ago we told you about an activist investor looking to shake things up at Caesars Entertainment. There have been plenty of rumors since this was mentioned but nothing worth taking too seriously. Well, this week there was some news about a potential shakeup with the national casino operator from a typically reliable resource.
Caesars Merger Rumors
While much of the casino industry was getting back into the swing of things at work, it seems as though there was one person hustling on the sneaky side. Tilman Fertitta, owner of Golden Nugget, Landry’s restaurants, and the Houston Rockets seems to have proposed a merger with Caesars Entertainment.
Here’s the Caesars merger plan according to Bloomberg: “Under the plan proposed by Fertitta, who would become chairman and chief executive officer of the combined company, Caesars would sell the land and buildings associated with Landry’s and Golden Nugget to a real-estate investment trust, said one of the people. Caesars would use some of that cash to repurchase its own shares, with Fertitta emerging as the largest single owner, the person said.”
Anchors at CNBC don’t seem to think this merger is realistic right now. However, an analyst says that casino mergers are happening because casino stocks are undervalued. While this rumored deal might not happen there could be others sniffing around Caesars Entertainment.
Caesars is sort of a mess right now. After a dismal 2nd quarter earnings call there was an investors meeting that was chock full of information but nothing especially riveting. The casino operator has been offering deep discounts and complimentary hotel rooms for the fourth quarter just to get people in the door.
Entertainment at Caesars Las Vegas properties is bailing left and right. Over the next year, they’ll be losing a lot of their resident entertainment with Celine Dion, Elton John, and the Backstreet Boys leaving Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood, respectfully, next year. Donny and Marie just announced they’re leaving Flamingo next year and Legends In Concert is relocating to the Tropicana next year.
All of this is on top of Jennifer Lopez, Lionel Richie, and Britney Spears all leaving Planet Hollywood. Caesars Palace did announce something about a seven-foot tall clown coming to Caesars Palace. So there’s that.
There are also rumors about Rio All-Suite Hotel being sold, imploded, or something else.
I’m not sure what all of this means but there’s definitely something happening at Caesars. Expect fireworks when Caesars reports quarterly earnings in a couple of weeks.
Speaking Of Britney Spears…
It feels like there have been rumors about Britney Spears taking her Las Vegas residency to Park MGM since before she finished her shows at Planet Hollywood. In fact, I’m pretty sure it was during a trade show exactly a year ago this week that I was told the deal was done by someone who would be working on the show.
Well, this week Britney Spears finally confirmed a new residency for the Park Theater at Park MGM in 2019. Britney: Domination opens on February 13, 2019. The last of her 32 shows are scheduled for August 17. Single tickets start at $87 plus fees and there are a bunch of different packages similar to the “Piece of Me” shows. You can find more details at Ticketmaster. You can read the buzzword-filled press release here.
Red Plate at Cosmopolitan and Ghost Donkey Now Open
I was lucky enough to be invited to try Red Plate, the new fine dining Chinese restaurant, at Cosmopolitan this week. The restaurant occupies the space on the third floor once used for D.O.G.C. The restaurant says they specialize in roasted meats, dim sum, and hot plates. From what I tasted, they ain’t lying! The roasted meats were the highlight of my meal.
The roast duck and pork were amazing. The pig was good too but those two were easily my favorite. The filet mignon dish was a close second as far as the food goes. Where Red Plate really shined was the service. Every person that works at the restaurant is knowledgeable about the food and the culture. They were particularly patient with a guest that doesn’t eat this cuisine often.
I can’t stop thinking about the roast duck. Even though I don’t eat this kind of food often, there might be a return trip sooner than later.
Before dinner at Red Plate, my friend and I did a quick lap around the Block 16 Food Hall looking for Ghost Donkey. We didn’t see it on the first visit so we returned after dinner and asked for help. Ghost Donkey is a small bar behind an exit door next to Hattie B’s Chicken. The mezcal and tequila bar is small and reminded me of a bar I’d find in downtown New York City.
I later learned that the original Ghost Donkey is on Bleeker Street in New York City. The vibe of the bar is perfect for the Cosmopolitan. I had my first mezcal drink and didn’t even mind that I was drinking through a paper straw. This is a great addition to the Cosmopolitan.
After our mezcal drinks, we headed downstairs to the first level of the Chandelier Bar. We planned for a short video poker session but the drink tickets were flowing and there was no stopping the fun. Overall, it was another great night at the Cosmopolitan. This seems to happen every time my visits end at the Chandelier Bar.
Quick Hits
Here are a few more dispatched from Las Vegas that you might be interested in.
- The MGM Festival Grounds across the street from SLS Las Vegas are back in action. Read more here.
- Bellagio turned 20 this week! Circus Circus turned 50 this week! You can read a surprisingly interesting article about Circus here.
- Tickets for the Pac 12 Men’s and Women’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in 2019 are on sale now. Read more here.
- It looks like Manny Pacquiao will be fighting in Las Vegas in January 2019. Read more here.
- NoMad at Park MGM is officially open. Read more here.
- Ice Skating returns to the Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan on November 21. Read more here.
- Last but not least there’s a new bridge coming to the Vegas Strip. Expect some more traffic around Park MGM.
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