AEG Presents and Concerts West Celebrate 20 Years of Unforgettable Live Entertainment Events in Las Vegas
For the past two decades, AEG Presents / Concerts West has had an undeniable impact on the Entertainment Capital of the World.
By: Stephi Wild Mar. 24, 2023
On Saturday, March 25, 2023, entertainment powerhouse AEG Presents and Concerts West, a division of AEG Presents, will celebrate 20 momentous years in Las Vegas. For the past two decades, AEG Presents / Concerts West has had an undeniable impact on the Entertainment Capital of the World, revered for its role in innovating the successful concept of the resident headliner model, as well as booking nearly every live music venue on the Las Vegas Strip and opening and operating several of Las Vegas' premier entertainment venues.
On March 25, 2003, Concerts West / AEG Presents Introduced the first-ever modern-day residency with global superstar Celine Dion, whose groundbreaking 16-year run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace remains the most successful Las Vegas residency of all time, by a wide margin: Celine performed 1,141 shows for well over 4.5 million fans. Concerts West continued to book and operate The Colosseum from 2003 through 2019, regularly adding to the roster of Celine's co-resident artists, starting with Elton John and including Cher, Bette Midler, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Reba and Brooks & Dunn, Rod Stewart and others. Over the years, AEG welcomed over 10.3 million fans to The Colosseum, exceeding $1.4 billion in ticket revenue in that venue alone.
In 2009, Concerts West / AEG Presents notably launched the first-ever rock 'n' roll residency in Las Vegas with Santana at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, for 71 performances at the venue through 2011. In the decade that followed, they welcomed a number of extended rock engagements to the legendary venue, including Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, before becoming the exclusive booker and operator of the rebranded Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (established Sept. 2021).
In 2019, AEG Presents extended the residency model at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. With a roster of superstar talents like Lionel Richie, Bryan Adams and Sebastian Maniscalco, the intimate venue continues to land on Billboard's annual list of highest-grossing venues in the world in its category.
Most recently in 2021, in a joint development with Resorts World Las Vegas, Concerts West / AEG Presents became the exclusive booker and operator of the Resorts World Theatre, the newest and most technologically advanced venue on the Las Vegas Strip, and has since launched the residencies of Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and David Blaine. 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."
Concerts West / AEG Presents has produced the shows that opened some of Las Vegas' most notable live entertainment venues, including: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace (March 25, 2003 with Celine Dion, A New Day...), The Joint at Hard Rock - now The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (April 17, 2009,The Killers), T-Mobile Arena, which AEG co-owns with MGM Resorts (April 7, 2016 with The Killers, and April 9-10, 2016 with Guns N' Roses), Allegiant Stadium (July 3, 2021 with Illenium) and most recently, Resorts World Theatre (Dec. 1, 2021 with Carrie Underwood's REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency).
In addition to opening some of Las Vegas' most successful live entertainment venues, Concerts West / AEG Presents has also consistently booked performances at several other popular Las Vegas Strip venues, including properties such as: Wynn Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, Bally's Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Park MGM / Dolby Live, Venetian Las Vegas, the Michelob ULTRA Arena, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, The Beach at Mandalay Bay and others. Notable performances and headlining residencies have included Celine Dion, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Santana, Journey, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Nine Inch Nails, Rod Stewart, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Brooks & Dunn | Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Cher, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé and The Moody Blues, as well as comedic talents such as Kevin Hart, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jim Gaffigan, Nate Bargatze and others. On Billboard's recent list of the highest-grossing Las Vegas residencies of all time, the majority of those shows have been booked or programmed by AEG Presents Las Vegas.
"What a great long adventure it has been," said John Nelson, Senior Vice President at Concerts West / AEG Presents. "From Celine's opening night twenty years ago, when she lost her shoes during a costume change and returned to stage barefoot...to David Blaine dislocating his shoulder in his ninety-foot drop into the audience at the start of his show last weekend...there's never been a dull moment!"
Collectively over the past 20 years, Concerts West / AEG Presents Las Vegas programming has accounted for nearly $3 billion in gross ticket revenue, and attracted nearly 20 million fans to visit Las Vegas. During their tenure, Concerts West / AEG Presents has also seen record-setting sales for various performances throughout Las Vegas, including a record gross of $12.8 million for The Rolling Stones' performance at Allegiant Stadium in 2022.
"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," said 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."
In celebration of their 20th Anniversary in Las Vegas, entertainment fans will have the opportunity to enter to win a Grand Prize to win a pair of tickets to twenty shows playing now through April 1, 2024. Additionally, twenty runners-up will receive a pair of tickets to select shows. Tickets and performances are subject to availability and blackout dates may apply. Entrants must be 21 years of age or older. To enter to win, visit vegas.aegpresents.com.
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