Celine Dion sells Summerlin estate for $30M
Her residency production is hold. But Celine Dion’s status as a Las Vegas resident has made news this week.
According to multiple media reports, first from The Dirt media site, Dion has sold her estate in the The Summit Club development in Summerlin for $30 million. The star bought the property for $9.2 million in 2017, tripling her investment.
Chuck Esserman, founder of the food-beverage-household product company TSG Consumer Partners, is the reported buyer. The Famous Amos cookie brand has been among Esserman’s blue-chip, and also chocolate-chip, companies.
Dion’s status as an active Strip headliner has been on pause since she called off her Resorts World Theater premiere in November 2021.
Most recently, there has been some industry buzz that Dion might not be committed to Resorts World Theater, which is booked exclusively by AEG Presents. But sources with knowledge of Dion’s long-term plans say the former Colosseum headliner still plans to play Resorts World.
We’re not moving from the strategy that 2024 is Dion’s next, optimistic launch date.
Also watch for another postponement the “Courage” world tour, as Vegas is considered her first post-pandemic shows. Dion, who announced in December she suffers from Stiff Person Syndrome, is still scheduled to open Aug. 26 at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, closing Oct. 4 at Helsinki Hall in Finland. She’s next scheduled March 6 in Prague.
As always, Dion’s scheduling plans in Las Vegas must work around her international tour.
Dion has produced five new songs as she portrays a fictional version of herself in the recently released “Love Again.” The movie and music was banked months before Dion told her worldwide following of her health struggles.
’90s at the pool
I once lived at an apartment in Vegas where residents dumped bags of ice to the pool during summertime parties. It helped cool off the scene.
Similarly inspired, the Palms is running with Vanilla Ice leading the “I Love the ’90s” party at 7 p.m. Friday at SOAK Pool. DJ Jazzy Jeff, Treach of Naughty by Nature and Color Me Bad play this Memorial Day Weekend kickoff shindig (tickets start at $49.99, not including fees, go to palms.com for intel).
Vanilla Ice, legal name of Robert Van Winkle, once told me in an interview a few years back prior to a show at Mandalay Bay Beach, “Do I need to do this? Financially, no. But as a performer, I absolutely need to do it.”
Might We Recommend …
A new entry into the column, a complement to Cool Hang Alert and casting a light on larger, ticketed shows: Check out Reckless in Vegas at 8 p.m. Saturday at Sahara Theater. This is vintage Vegas slammed with vintage rock ‘n’ roll. The Rat Pack meets Green Day. The Clash meets Cher. And also, showgirls.
RIV founder and Vegas native Michael Shapiro has designed a show that should be in residency, on any cruise ship and available for any corporate gig. There is but one band, of course. This is a one-off but if the numbers work, expect more. Tickets start at $31.61 (Shapiro is one for specifics); go to eventbrite.com and search “Reckless” for intel.
What Works In Vegas
Jen Kramer, the city’s lone female headlining magician. The Yale-educated illusionist has celebrated her fifth anniversary at Westgate this week. Kramer’s partnership with the hotel has been extended, for … A period of time. That detail is not being disclosed. No matter. Catch her for $20 (not including fees), at 5 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Mouse in the house
“Immersive Disney Animation” at Lighthouse Artspace at The Shops at Crystals received a proclamation from city of Las Vegas this week declaring May 24 as the “official day” for the attraction. The Disney experience has floating show times, so go to disneyimmersive.com for that info, along with pricing. The show shares space, or Artspace, with “Immersive Van Gogh.” This is also a dizzying experience, tangentially related to ears.
Passage of time
Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has nearly completed its first renovation in 16 years. This development brought to mind The Killers, of course.
Front man Brandon Flowers worked at the mall when it was Desert Passage, which opened in 2000 next to the then-Aladdin (the name change to Miracle Mile was in 2007).
Flowers worked at Josef’s Restaurant was the French brassiere, operated by famed chef Josef Keller.
“I was a food runner, and a host,” Flowers said during an April 2019 interview at Zappos Theater (now Bakkt Theater) prior to an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” “It was for about seven months, right after high school. I wasn’t old enough to be a server, but it was a great job.”
Josef’s was the first business to play The Killers’ music. “We played our first demo while I was working there,” Flowers said. “I remember putting it in for the chefs and all the other workers. It actually went over pretty well.”
Cool Hang Alert
David Tatlock’s Soul Juice Band takes on Chrome Showroom at Santa Fe Station from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire and Jazz Crusaders on the set list. No cover. And, brace yourselves. This band is serious.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.