Bruno Mars returns to Las Vegas residency in July
It looks like pop-music superstar Bruno Mars will be the first headliner to relaunch residencies on the Strip when he appears at the Park Theater at Park MGM over the July Fourth weekend. Mars will perform July 3, 4, 9, 10, 23 and 24. Tickets, which go on sale 7 a.m. Hawaii time Friday, start at $99.50. Go to ticketmaster.com.
If all goes according to plan, Mars will bump Usher from the first spot; Usher is scheduled to open at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on July 16.
Increased capacity: Beginning this week, capacity levels will be raised to 80% from 50% in Las Vegas’ casinos, restaurants and bars. Additionally, social-distancing requirements will be cut in half to 3 feet from 6 feet, adult entertainment venues will be allowed to fully reopen, and restaurants will be permitted to book parties of 12, double the previous limit.
The plan calls for limits to be lifted completely (except for large events, which will have somewhat tighter restrictions) when 60% of Clark County’s 1.8 million residents have been vaccinated at least once and COVID-19 positivity levels remain below specified marks. June 1 is the projected target for a return to 100% capacity. As of now, it’s still required that masks be worn in almost all indoor venues.
Buffets allowed: In addition to the above changes, buffets are allowed to return with the traditional self-serve format. So far no new openings have been announced, and still only two casinos — South Point and Cosmopolitan — have operating buffets, both with a staff-served format.
Jackpots, too: Megabucks was hit last week at South Point for $10.5 million. It was the first Megabucks jackpot since December. Interestingly, a $2.1 million jackpot was hit the day before on a Monopoly Millionaire machine at the Cosmopolitan. Hmm, South Point and Cosmo, the same two casinos with Las Vegas’ only buffets.
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Question: How long has this column run?
Answer: This question was held for this specific week. Why? Because, crazy as it sounds, this is column No. 1,300. At one per week (yep, there’s never been a miss), that’s 25 years. Thanks for reading!
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