LAS VEGAS (CelebrityAccess) — AEG Presents and Concerts West announced plans to mark their 20th anniversary in Las Vegas with a series of live events in 2023.
While high profile residencies have become de rigueur for Las Vegas in recent years, AEG Presents and Concerts West pioneered the concept in the modern era when they brought Canadian recording artist Celine Dion to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
The residency, which started in 2003, became the most successful run in the city’s history, with Dion performing 1,141 shows for well over 4.5 million fans over 16 years.
Concerts West oversaw bookings and operations at The Colosseum from 2003 through 2019, expanding the list of resident artists, starting with Elton John and including Cher, Bette Midler, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Reba and Brooks & Dunn, Rod Stewart and others.
In 2009, Concerts West / AEG Presents launched their first rock residency when they brought Santana to The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, for 71 performances at the venue through 2011. Santana was soon followed by extended rock engagements featuring artists such as Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe.
More recently, AEG Presents brought their residency model to the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, with marquee artists such as Lionel Richie, Bryan Adams and Sebastian Maniscalco helping to put the venue on Billboard’s annual list of highest-grossing venues in the world in its category.
In 2021, Concerts West / AEG Presents became the exclusive booker and operator of the Resorts World Theatre and launched residencies by artists such as Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and David Blaine. The deal appears to have born fruit and in 2022, Resorts World Theatre was named the highest-grossing venue in the world for a capacity of 5,000 or less in Billboard’s year-end boxscore charts.
“We’re so grateful to have been such a part of the long history of entertainment in this remarkable city,” said John Meglen, President and Co-CEO of Concerts West. “We’re thankful to all of the Artists who have trusted us to help them build such an important part of their performing careers, and we are proud of all of our employees who have helped us achieve this…many of them from the very first day, twenty years ago.”
“It’s an honor to be part of a team who plays such an integral role in growing and maintaining the title that Las Vegas is known for – the Entertainment Capital of the World,” added Bobby Reynolds, Senior Vice President at AEG Presents Las Vegas. “Programming our venues with globally-recognized talents that attract live entertainment fans from around the world is what our business is all about, and we look forward to what’s ahead in the next 20 years and beyond.”
