Brooks puts buzz into Wynn resorts
It didn't take long for the Garth Brooks' five-year Las Vegas deal to make an impact at Steve Wynn's resorts.
Web site traffic jumped 14 times over what is considered normal at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. And MultiVu, the company that provided the TV broadcast, has data that indicates the news conference generated a total of 474 broadcast airings on Thursday alone, with an audience of 31.1 million viewers.
"It was insane," said Jennifer Dunne, vice president of public relations and advertising at Wynn Las Vegas.
"We are making great efforts to ensure that we will be prepared for what will surely be unprecedented call volume" when tickets go on sale Saturday at 8 a.m.
Brooks will launch his comeback Dec. 11 at Wynn Las Vegas.
During the news conference, Wynn compared Brooks' fan appeal to that of the legendary Rat Pack, who "sucked the air out of the universe" when they took the stage.
A total of 29 camera crews attended the news conference, Dunne said.
Based on early indications, the announcement has ignited Garth mania.
Alison Bonaguro, a writer for the Country Music Television Web site (CMT.com), welcomed the return of Brooks in rapturous tones.
"I'm thrilled. And I'm going," she wrote.
"I have never been to Las Vegas because I'm not much of a gambler, but this may be just the enticement I need. Seeing Brooks perform is something that should be on every country fan's things-to-do-before-I-die list. Not just because he pioneered some very cool concert tricks but because I feel very strongly that his voice, his music and his songs still define what country music is today."
DEAL OF THE DAY
Because of a strong response to our recent Recession Deal of the Day mentions, they will appear on a regular basis, starting today.
E-mail your best deals related to entertainment, food or beverage events to norm@reviewjournal.com and we'll publish as many of them as we can here and on our Twitter feed, which appears on normclarke.com.
Cirque du Soleil's summer offer ends Oct. 31. Buy one ticket, get one for $25 to all Las Vegas Cirque shows. Good for performances through Nov. 10. Call 866-998-4832 and mention "summer" or book online at: www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/LasVegas/summerPromo.htm
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Luxor headliner Criss Angel has raised some eyebrows by removing one of the more spectacular elements from "Believe," his collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. Gone since early last month is the Tesla coil, a high-voltage machine that generated an electrical arc that ranged from six to eight feet and generated 1.2 million volts of electricity." He was definitely afraid of it because he got injured using it on 'Mindfreak' a couple years ago," said a source close to the show. ...
Flashback: It was 10 years ago this weekend that most of the field of the Las Vegas Open, now the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, experienced a sleepless night after being jolted awake by a 2:45 a.m. earthquake that hit Joshua Tree, Calif. "It was such a temblor," observed comedian David Gee, "that the cocktail waitresses at the Rio fell back into their uniforms."
SIGHTINGS
At Tao Asian Bistro and Nightclub (The Venetian) on Friday: Kim Kardashian, celebrating her 29th birthday early with mother Kris Jenner, sister Kourtney, brother Robert, socialite Brittny Gastineau and family friend Jonathan Cheban. Also in the house: golfer Anthony Kim, comedian Carlos Mencia, singer Ciara, and MTV VJ La La Vazquez.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Thinks the capital of Montana is Hannah." -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Signs Your Toddler Watches Too Much Television."
Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
