101-703: Cassiopée (born 16 October 1977) is a francophone Canadian singer and entertainer. Since 2011, she has played the lead female character Lia in Cirque du Soleil show, Zarkana . She also plays three of the four other female parts in the production. Born in Quebec City , Quebec, Canada, Cassiopée began her artistic training at the age of 4, with dance (jazz, ballet, tap and flamenco). At 14, she began her classical voice and music training and pop-rock singing. She also studied acting and many others relevant skills. She started her professional career by performing in over 500 shows by
202-555: A $ 50 million injection from its shareholders and a $ 200 million loan from the Quebec government, on 29 June 2020 the company announced that it had filed for bankruptcy protection and was terminating 3,500 employees who had previously been laid off. CEO Daniel Lamarre stated the intention of the company was to rehire "a substantial majority" of terminated employees once coronavirus-related shutdowns were lifted and operations could resume, business conditions allowing. In connection with
303-481: A $ 750,000 deficit. To enable a 1986 tour, the Desjardins Group covered $ 200,000 of bad checks, financier Daniel Lamarre represented the company for free, and the Quebec government allotted it an additional year of funding. La Magie Continue , their 1986 production, proved more artistically successful with the direction of Franco Dragone. This extended to the creation of their 1987 show Le Cirque Réinventé . In
404-545: A bar and lounge inspired by Cirque du Soleil featuring live characters and projections. However, due to lukewarm reception, Celebrity Cruises announced in October 2005 that it would be removing the live characters and projections from the lounges and retooling its Cirque du Soleil offering so as to create a more standard circus performance. In December 2005, the collaboration premiered the 30-minute acrobatic show A Taste of Cirque du Soleil on both ships. It continued through 2006 and
505-518: A casino and 20-story boutique hotel next to Harry Reid International Airport began construction in 2022 for an opening originally scheduled for 2024. Construction was halted in March 2023 due to stalled funding plans. It could resume construction in January 2024 and the opening has been rescheduled to the end of 2025. Astral Hotels planned to start building Astral, a 34-story, 620-room hotel and casino on
606-431: A dedicated broadcast booth, and the ability to watch up to 15 sporting events at once. The sports network ESPN is broadcasting sports betting shows from a dedicated studio at The Linq. Some sportsbooks are now offering self-service betting kiosks. The Las Vegas Strip is known for its lounges, showrooms, theaters and nightclubs, most on the hotel casino properties. Some of the more popular free attractions visible from
707-476: A key point in transforming Las Vegas Strip entertainment. In an effort to attract families, resorts offered more attractions geared toward youth, but had limited success. The Wet 'n Wild water park opened in 1985 and was located on the south side of the Sahara hotel. It closed at the end of the 2004 season and was later demolished. The current MGM Grand opened in 1993 with MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park , but
808-714: A mixed reception and was not followed by another production until Saltimbanco 's 1995 European tour, which better solidified Cirque du Soleil's presence in the European market. Cirque du Soleil also toured Japan in the summer of 1992 at the behest of the Fuji Television Network . Combining acts from their previous shows Nouvelle Expérience and Le Cirque Réinventé , they created their first arena show Fascination which toured Japan from May to August of that year. Fascination 's positive reception allowed Cirque du Soleil to play Saltimbanco there in 1994, thereby establishing
909-414: A night, 5% of the city's visitors, adding to the over 100 million people who have seen Cirque du Soleil productions worldwide. In 2000, Laliberté bought out Daniel Gauthier's stake in the company, and with 95% ownership continued to expand the brand. In 2008, Laliberté sold 20% of his share to the investment groups Istithmar World and Nakheel of Dubai , but later bought back their stake following
1010-431: A nonprofit holding company named "The High-Heeled Club" ( Club des Talons Hauts ) to mitigate the losses of the previous summer. This allowed Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul to break even by fall 1981. The following summer, Laliberté and Ste-Croix founded La Fête Foraine , a street performance festival that featured circus performances and workshops to teach the circus arts to the public. Laliberté managed and produced
1111-414: A round of layoffs at their Montreal and Las Vegas headquarters, including the complete closure of their Las Vegas costume and fabrication workshops. Each Cirque du Soleil production is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme and storyline. Shows employ continuous live music, with performers rather than stagehands changing the props. The duration of each touring show
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#17328801278781212-447: A variety of projection surfaces. 45 Degrees produces custom-made experiential content for clients who are seeking high-end creative services for their events. From the 1990s until 2015, Cirque du Soleil produced a variety of public and private events and performances under its Special Events division. In April 2015, the company announced that its Special Events division formed a subsidiary company called 45 Degrees. Led by Yasmine Khalil,
1313-540: Is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada , that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos . The Strip , as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester , but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas". Many of the largest hotel, casino, and resort properties in
1414-544: Is the southernmost resort considered to be on the Strip (the Klondike was the southernmost until 2006, when it was closed, although it was not included in the Strip on some definitions and travel guides). According to Clark County, the southern end of the Strip is the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign; the county acknowledges that some argue for Russell Road at the southernmost terminus. The first casino to be built on Highway 91
1515-414: Is typically between 2 and 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission. Permanent shows are usually between 70 and 90 minutes in length without an intermission. Typically touring shows as well as resident shows perform a standard 10 shows a week. Touring shows usually have one "dark day" (with no performances) while resident shows have two. With the intent of diversifying its activities worldwide,
1616-470: The 2008 global financial crisis . In 2015, TPG Capital , Fosun Industrial Holdings , and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec purchased 90% of Cirque du Soleil while Laliberté retained a 10% stake in the company. In February 2020, Laliberté sold his remaining 10% stake in the company to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec for $ 75 million. Following a bankruptcy brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic ,
1717-595: The Dunes golf course in the mid-90s. Steve Wynn , founder of previously owned Mirage Resorts , purchased the Desert Inn and golf course for his new company Wynn Resorts and redeveloped the course as the Wynn Golf Club. This course closed in 2017, but the development planned for the course was cancelled and the course was renovated and re-opened in late 2019. In 2000, Bali Hai Golf Club opened just south of Mandalay Bay and
1818-799: The Las Vegas Strip . It premiered in December 1993. Its success as the company's first permanent production would later allow for the creation of two more permanent shows in 1998: O in Las Vegas and La Nouba at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida . During this time of expansion the company also founded their International Headquarters in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood and their multimedia division, Cirque du Soleil Images. In 1999 they premiered their film Alegría , also directed by Dragone. Following
1919-722: The SLS Las Vegas continued to transform the Strip in 2014. The Las Vegas Festival Grounds opened in 2015. In 2016, T-Mobile Arena , The Park, and the Park Theater (now known as Dolby Live) opened. On October 1, 2017, a mass shooting occurred on the Strip at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, adjacent to the Mandalay Bay hotel. 60 people were killed, and approximately 867 were injured. The gunman, Stephen Paddock , opened fire on concertgoers with several rifles from his suites on
2020-468: The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. Clark County uses the phrase Resort Corridor to describe the area including Las Vegas Boulevard between 215 Beltway and Sahara Avenue and surrounding areas. The Sahara is considered the Strip's northern terminus by Clark County, though travel guides typically extend it to the Strat 0.4 miles (0.64 km) to the north. Mandalay Bay , just north of Russell Road
2121-665: The "Étoile Galaxie" prize. In 2004, she won the "Félix du Spéctacle" prize for her interpretation of Don Juan, awarded by the Adisq trade association. In 2006, she was a judge at the FICG. That same year she received the Radio-Star Fund. Following the release of her first album, she was invited to perform during the Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa in 2009. She is also known as the lead singer for
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#17328801278782222-520: The 1990s, more than 12 new hotels opened, including themed hotels like the Luxor , Excalibur , and Mandalay Bay . At $ 1.7B, the most expensive hotel in the world at the time, The Bellagio , was built in the 1990s. These huge facilities offer entertainment and dining options, as well as gambling and lodging. In 1993, the launch of the Mystère show at the new Treasure Island hotel by Cirque du Soleil marked
2323-479: The 1990s, several pedestrian footbridges were erected over Las Vegas Boulevard to increase pedestrian safety and alleviate traffic congestion at popular intersections. The first was the Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard footbridge. Some mimic the theme of nearby resorts. . The footbridges include: Pedestrians have complained that they must walk as much as a quarter-mile to reach a footbridge or intersection to cross
2424-901: The 4,500 bollards will be shortened from 54 inches to 36 inches. The shortened bollards line 20 driveways. Studies conducted by Clark County in 2012 and 2015 identified issues with congestion. The studies resulted in $ 5 million of improvements, including LED lights, ADA ramps, containment fencing, widening sidewalks, and removing permanent obstructions, such as signs, signposts, trash cans, and fire hydrants. The studies also identified non-permanent obstructions causing congestion, such as street performers, vendors, handbillers, sign-holders, and illegal street gambling. Modifications to non-obstruction zones and increased enforcement were implemented in order to reduce congestion. Taxis are available at resorts, shopping centers, attractions, and for scheduled pickups. The Nevada Taxicab Authority provides information about taxi fares and fare zones. In 2021, there
2525-555: The 45 Degrees subsidiary had become a division named "Cirque du Soleil Events + Experiences" under which the company now develops its special events and projects. In March 2004, Celebrity Cruises announced its first collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. By the end of that year, the collaboration had launched "The Bar at the Edge of the Earth" on both the Constellation and Summit cruise ships,
2626-457: The 56 miles (90 km) from Baie-Saint-Paul to Quebec City on stilts . This gave them funding for the stilt-walking troupe Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul , which then toured Quebec the following year in 1980. Although well received by audiences and critics alike, Les Échassiers was a financial failure. Laliberté spent the following winter in Hawaii while Ste-Croix stayed in Quebec to set up
2727-489: The Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group as the name of the organization's new umbrella company. On 25 April 2018, the company announced that 45 Degrees, their special events subsidiary, had taken over the main company's creation and production department. On 5 July 2018, they announced their acquisition of the children's entertainment company VStar Entertainment Group and its subsidiary Cirque Dreams . Cirque du Soleil launched
2828-486: The Cirque du Soleil has created subsidiaries, such as multimedia environments and ticket selling tools. Outbox was built around the idea that event producers need a white label system to support them in selling tickets directly to customers. It allows all live entertainment venues to control their inventory, pricing, and consumer data without any third party involvement. 4U2C creates multimedia visual environments that combine video, sound, lighting and special effects for
2929-602: The City of Las Vegas. Caesars Palace was established in 1966. Opening in 1969, the International Hotel , with 1,512 rooms, began the era of mega-resorts. The International is known as Westgate Las Vegas today. The first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino opened in 1973 with 2,084 rooms. On November 21, 1980, MGM Grand suffered the worst resort fire in the history of Las Vegas as a result of electrical problems, killing 87 people. It reopened eight months later. In 1986, Kerkorian sold
3030-575: The French-traditional cabaret company's Les Folie's de Paris in Quebec City , Quebec, Canada and then in Lille and Cannes , France, as a dancer, magician's assistant, entertainer, and lead singer, before moving to Montreal in 2000 as the star of another cabaret and musical company, La Troupe Paris Paris. In 2002, she was awarded Best Interpreter and Best On-Stage Presence at Le Festival International de la Chanson de Granby (FIGC) where she also received
3131-679: The Light Group opened the Light nightclub in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in concurrence with the premiere of Michael Jackson One . It would later be host to the musical For the Record , the company's first project out of its theatrical division. In October 2015, Cirque du Soleil renounced its intention to be involved in Las Vegas nightclubs and has since dissociated itself from all its lounges and clubs. Both
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3232-537: The MGM Grand and the Sahara at each end of the route. The stations include: The monorail began operating in 1995 with two trains from Walt Disney World . In 2020, the monorail was acquired by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Tens of thousands of pedestrians are walking along the Strip at any given time. As of 2019, about 50,000 pedestrians walked the Strip on an average day. In
3333-421: The MGM Grand to Bally Manufacturing , and it was renamed Bally's . The opening of The Mirage in 1989 set a new level to the Las Vegas experience, as smaller hotels and casinos made way for the larger mega-resorts. Some of the key features of The Mirage included tropical landscapes with waterfalls, an erupting volcano, restaurants with world-class chefs, and a show with illusionists Siegfried & Roy . In
3434-673: The Mandalay Bay's 32nd floor. Paddock's motive was never determined, and he committed suicide after the massacre. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history. In 2018, the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino was renamed the Park MGM and in 2019, the SLS changed its name back to Sahara Las Vegas . In 2021, the Pinball Hall of Fame moved near the "Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at
3535-647: The National Arts Centre Award, a companion award of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards , and in 2002 was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame . In 1979, after having quit college and learned the art of fire breathing , Guy Laliberté organized a summer fair in Baie-Saint-Paul with the help of Daniel Gauthier and Gilles Ste-Croix. As part of a publicity stunt to convince the Quebec government to help fund this production, Ste-Croix walked
3636-561: The North and South Las Vegas Strip routes are classified as Nevada Scenic Byways and National Scenic Byways . Historically, casinos that were not in Downtown Las Vegas along Fremont Street sat outside the city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard. In 1959, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was built exactly 4.5 miles (7.2 km) outside the city limits. The sign is currently located in
3737-507: The Revolution and Gold Lounges closed in 2015 while the Light nightclub is no longer affiliated with the company. In 2014 Cirque du Soleil Média and Saban Brands produced Luna Petunia , an animated series for preschool-aged children. It began airing on Netflix in September 2016. On 1 May 2018, Saban Brands sold Luna Petunia to Hasbro . Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip
3838-580: The Sandbox Hospitality Group, 45 Degrees, 4U2C, and Outbox Enterprises. In April 2014, Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities , a touring tent show, premiered in Montreal to critical acclaim and was followed in November 2014 by Joyà , both the company's first resident show in Mexico and their first dinner theatre production. On 20 April 2015, Guy Laliberté announced that he had sold a 90% joint stake in
3939-938: The Strip include the water fountains at Bellagio , the volcano at The Mirage , and the Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain at Caesars Palace . There are several Cirque du Soleil shows, such as Kà at the MGM Grand, O at Bellagio, Mystère at Treasure Island, and Michael Jackson: One at Mandalay Bay . Many notable artists have performed in Las Vegas, including Elvis Presley , Frank Sinatra , Wayne Newton , Dean Martin , Sammy Davis Jr. , Rod Stewart and Liberace , and in more recent years Celine Dion , Britney Spears , Barry Manilow , Cher , Elton John , Bette Midler , Diana Ross , Donny and Marie Osmond , Garth Brooks , Jennifer Lopez , Reba McEntire , Mariah Carey , Janet Jackson , Kylie Minogue , Shania Twain , Criss Angel , Olivia Newton-John , Queen + Adam Lambert , Lady Gaga , and Gwen Stefani have had residencies in
4040-420: The Strip trended towards the luxurious high-end segment through most of the 2000s, while some older resorts added major expansions and renovations, including some de-theming of the earlier themed hotels. High end dining, specialty retail, spas and nightclubs increasingly became options for visitors in addition to gambling at most Strip resorts. There was also a trend towards expensive residential condo units on
4141-851: The Strip, including: The Strip also hosts the Las Vegas Grand Prix which has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 2023 . It will also house the New Las Vegas Stadium for the Oakland Athletics in 2028 when the team relocates to the Las Vegas Valley. The Aladdin had a nine-hole golf course in the 1960s. As land values on the Strip have increased over the years, the resort-affiliated golf courses have been removed to make way for building projects. The Tropicana Country Club closed in 1990 and
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4242-672: The Strip. In 2004, MGM Mirage announced plans for CityCenter , a 66-acre (27 ha), $ 7 billion multi-use project on the site of the Boardwalk hotel and adjoining land. It consists of hotel, casino, condo, retail, art, business and other uses on the site. Most elements of the project opened in late 2009. In 2012, the High Roller Ferris wheel and a retail district called The Linq Promenade broke ground in an attempt to diversify attractions beyond that of casino resorts. Renovations and rebrandings such as The Cromwell Las Vegas and
4343-523: The Strip. Most of the resorts have a showroom, nightclub and/or live music venue on the property and a few have large multipurpose arenas. Major venues include: The Strip is populated with many restaurants and fine dining establishments, many of which are inside the casinos and resorts. In recent years, many celebrity chefs have opened restaurants along the Strip, including Wolfgang Puck , Michael Mina , Gordon Ramsay , Guy Savoy , and Joël Robuchon . Professional sports are found at venues on or near
4444-622: The Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel , Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 June 1984 by former street performers Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix . Originating as a performing troupe called Les Échassiers ( IPA: [lez‿eʃasje] ; "The Stilt Walkers"), they toured Quebec in various forms between 1979 and 1983. Their initial financial hardship
4545-467: The United States throughout 1988 and 1989, during which time plans for a second touring show named Éclipse started being developed. Due to artistic differences with these plans, Guy Caron, along with a number of artists, left the company causing the plans to be shelved. Gilles Ste-Croix, who had been away from the company since 1985, subsequently replaced Caron as artistic director. By the end of 1989,
4646-813: The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and South Strip Transfer Terminal to the Bonneville Transit Center (BTC) and the Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas , with stops near every casino. Several free trams operate between properties on the west side of the Strip: While not on the Strip itself, the Las Vegas Monorail runs a 3.9-mile route on the east side of the Strip corridor from Tropicana Avenue to Sahara Avenue, with stops every 4 to 8 minutes at several on-Strip properties including
4747-707: The absence of performing animals helped define Cirque du Soleil as the contemporary circus ("nouveau cirque") that it remains today. After financial successes and failures in the late 1980s, Nouvelle Expérience was created—with the direction of Franco Dragone —which not only made Cirque du Soleil profitable by 1990, but allowed it to create new shows. It expanded rapidly through the 1990s and 2000s, growing from one production to dozens of shows in over 300 cities on six continents. The company employed 4,900 people from 50 countries and generated an annual revenue of approximately US$ 1 billion in 2017. The multiple permanent Las Vegas shows alone play to more than 9,000 people
4848-612: The acts tell a story. Further influences from the Circus of China, Cirque Arlette Gruss, and Circus Roncalli led Cirque du Soleil to approach their shows in a more theatrical fashion with live music and no technical crew on stage. To assist in this shift towards a theatrical production, Laliberté and Caron hired Belgian director Franco Dragone to direct segments of their 1985 production, Cirque du Soleil . The company's first non-Quebec performances in Ontario in 1985 were unsuccessful, leading to
4949-507: The average trip gambling budget, $ 591.06, was increased from 2018. About nine in ten (89%) visitors who gambled did so on the Strip Corridor. UNLV reported that in 2019, Big Las Vegas Strip Casinos (defined as Strip casinos with more than $ 72M in annual gaming revenues) had more than $ 6B in annual gaming revenues, corresponding to about 26% of total annual revenues. From the time period spanning 1985 to 2019, there have been some changes in
5050-452: The celebrations of Quebec City's 400th anniversary, Sherazade, and les 1001 Nuits. Since 2011, she has played the lead female character Lia in the Cirque du Soleil show, Zarkana . She also plays three of the four other female parts in the production and lends her voice to the fourth one. Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil ( French: [siʁk dy sɔlɛj] , Canadian French: [sɪʁk d͡zy sɔlɛj] ; "Circus of
5151-956: The children's show Big Top Academy through TVO in October 2018. In November 2018, it premiered the touring tent show Bazzar in India, the company's first production to tour in that region. In 2019, the company opened six shows: the touring tent show Alegría: In a New Light ; the touring arena shows Axel and Messi10 ; the touring theatre show 'Twas the Night Before ; and two resident shows — X: The Land of Fantasy in Hangzhou, China and R.U.N in Las Vegas. During this time Cirque du Soleil also acquired The Works Entertainment company for $ 40 million to further diversify its subsidiaries. In February 2020, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec announced that it had acquired Guy Laliberté's remaining 10% stake in Cirque du Soleil, bringing its total ownership in
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#17328801278785252-581: The city's rising debt. Instead, Gus Greenbaum of the Flamingo led a group of casino executives to lobby the Clark County commissioners for town status. Two unincorporated towns were eventually created, Paradise and Winchester . More than two decades later, the Supreme Court of Nevada struck down a 1975 Nevada state law that would have folded the Strip and the rest of the urban areas of Clark County into
5353-514: The closure of Zed due to poor ticket sales as a direct result of the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . In November 2011 MGM Grand asked the company to close and replace Viva Elvis by the end of 2012 due to poor ticket sales. In February 2012, the company announced the closure of Zaia due to disappointing ticket sales and in November 2012, despite critical praise, announced the closure of Iris, also due to low ticket sales. In December 2012,
5454-450: The company announced a new division — Cirque du Soleil Média — in conjunction with Bell Media, followed by the release of their second film Worlds Away . At this time Cirque du Soleil also announced 50 layoffs. The layoffs consisted mostly of 30 employee positions at their International Headquarters in Montreal, including three vice-presidents. With the high output of shows between 2007 and 2011 in combination with its multiple closures,
5555-448: The company began gradually reopening several of its shows, beginning with all its Las Vegas-based resident shows (with the exception of Zumanity , which permanently shut down in November 2020) and some of its touring shows in late 2021 and 2022. However, some touring shows that had been temporarily suspended due to the pandemic were retroactively permanently closed at this time, including Totem , Volta , and Axel . In November 2021,
5656-504: The company began slowing down its operations. In 2012 and 2013 it only opened two shows: the touring tent show Amaluna and the resident show Michael Jackson: One in Las Vegas. On 16 January 2013, Cirque du Soleil announced that it would be laying off 400 of its 5000 employees worldwide, most of which at their International Headquarters. The company noted that it had not been profitable in 2012 despite having garnered over $ 1 billion in revenue that year. Later that year, on 30 June 2013,
5757-487: The company faced headlines when acrobat Sarah "Sasoun" Guyard-Guillot died after falling during a performance of Kà in Las Vegas, its first on-stage death in its history. In January 2014, Cirque du Soleil announced the creation of Cirque du Soleil Theatrical, a division aimed developing more traditional theatre productions in order to diversify their production output. The company subsequently announced numerous subsidiaries in addition to its Theatrical division, including
5858-435: The company from 10% to 20%. On 19 March 2020, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic , Cirque du Soleil announced that all 44 active shows worldwide would be suspended, and that 4,679 employees, comprising 95 percent of their staff, would be temporarily laid off, effective immediately. These actions brought the company into a state of financial collapse with a debt of over $ 1 billion. Although it received financial support with
5959-613: The company once again faced deficit due to internal conflicts amongst the company's leaders as well as from lukewarm reception to their revamped tour of Le Cirque Réinventé in the United States. In response to this, Cirque du Soleil took their plans for their previously shelved show Éclipse and developed it into Nouvelle Expérience . Franco Dragone returned as director in addition to a creative team made up of Dominique Lemieux, Michel Crête, René Dupéré , Luc Lafortune , and Debra Brown. Nouvelle Expérience premiered on 8 May 1990 in Montreal to critical acclaim, touring North America through
6060-527: The company premiered the touring show Corteo . The same year, the Cirque du Soleil switched ticketing companies to go with Outbox's technology, a white label system, of which it also became a shareholder. Cirque du Soleil premiered two shows in 2006: Delirium , their first significant touring arena show, in January of that year and The Beatles Love , their first collaboration with The Beatles , in June. Similarly, in 2007 they opened two more productions with
6161-609: The company to the investment groups TPG Capital, Fosun Capital Group, and La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) for approximately $ 1.5 billion, while retaining a 10% stake in the company himself. The sale received regulatory approval from the Government of Canada on 30 June 2015. Under the new ownership, the company began majorly restructuring its executive leadership in order to focus on increasing their profitability. Their finance director, chief operating officer, and numerous vice-presidents were all replaced within six months of
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#17328801278786262-458: The company was sold to a group of its creditors led by Catalyst Capital Group in November 2020. The company's creations have received numerous prizes and distinctions, including three Drama Desk Awards ; seven Primetime Emmy Awards ; multiple Gemini Awards ; a Daytime Emmy Award ; a Juno Award ; and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2000, Cirque du Soleil was awarded
6363-402: The company's Creative Content and New Ventures divisions, respectively. In 2002, the company created the touring show Varekai and in 2003 premiered the resident show Zumanity in Las Vegas, their first " X-rated " show performed only for adults aged 18 years and older. The company also produced their first television shows that year: the documentary reality miniseries Fire Within and
6464-466: The company's first ice show . Under the ownership of TPG Capital, Fosun Capital Group, and La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Cirque du Soleil took steps to diversify and rebrand the company. On 6 July 2017, Cirque du Soleil announced that it had acquired the Blue Man Group as a new subsidiary of the company for a reported cost of US$ 65.5 million. On 21 November 2017, the company announced
6565-559: The company's market in the Asia and Pacific region for their subsequent tours in the late 1990s and 2000s. In 2000, the company produced their IMAX film Journey of Man . Shortly afterwards, at the beginning of 2001, Daniel Gauthier left the company and was bought out by Guy Laliberté, bringing his ownership stake in the company to 95%. Gilles Ste-Croix also soon left to found the horse-based touring show Cheval , leading Laliberté to hire Lyn Heward and Daniel Lamarre as Presidents and C.O.O.'s of
6666-402: The company's previously announced 2021 production Nysa was cancelled as a direct result of the pandemic. With the exception of the resident shows Joyà and X: The Land of Fantasy , which reopened with limited capacities in the summer of 2020, Cirque du Soleil did not reopen its shows for over a year following its worldwide COVID-19 performance suspension in March 2020. In the summer of 2021,
6767-482: The company's sale. Notably, the position of Chief Operating Officer held by Charles Décarie was given to finance lawyer Jonathan Tétrault. In November 2015 the company premiered the touring arena show Toruk — The First Flight based on James Cameron's Avatar franchise. It was followed shortly after by the touring tent show Luzia and the company's first Broadway musical Paramour , both opening in April 2016. By
6868-536: The completion of the Flamingo construction with mob money. The Flamingo casino opened in December 1946, and the hotel opened in March 1947. Wilbur Clark 's Desert Inn resort opened in 1950. The funding for many Las Vegas projects was provided through the American National Insurance Company , which was based in the then-notorious gambling empire of Galveston, Texas . Las Vegas Boulevard South
6969-412: The end of 1991 and later residing in Las Vegas in 1992 and 1993. Their following touring shows — Saltimbanco , Alegría , Quidam , and Dralion — proved to be equally successful. The success of Nouvelle Expérience 's contract in Las Vegas led to a deal between Cirque du Soleil and the Mirage Casino-Hotel to create a permanent show, Mystère , residing in Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on
7070-430: The end of 2016 the company had also launched the preschool television series Luna Petunia on Netflix. In 2017, it launched three more productions. Séptimo Día — No Descansaré , an arena show based on the music of Soda Stereo , premiered in March for a short year-long tour targeted largely at South and Central American audiences. In April 2017, it premiered the touring tent show Volta and in October, Crystal ,
7171-537: The fair for 2 more years, becoming a moderate financial success. In 1983, the government of Quebec gave him a $ 1.6 million grant to host a production the following year as part of Quebec's 450th anniversary celebration of the French explorer Jacques Cartier's arrival in Turtle Island (North America). This became Cirque du Soleil's first production Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil . The company's first production Le Grand Tour performed in Quebec for 13 weeks in summer 1984. Although several issues persisted during
7272-432: The filing, Cirque du Soleil entered a stalking horse bid from its shareholders with the intention of drawing outside bidders to buy the company. In July 2020, the company's shareholders offered a proposal that would allow its creditors to obtain a 45% stake in the company while the current shareholders would maintain a 55% shared stake. On 17 July 2020, a takeover proposal by the company's creditors valued at US$ 1.2 billion
7373-550: The first tour (including a collapsed tent and conflict between artists), it was a financial success. After securing funding from the Canadian government for a second year from the help of Quebec premier René Lévesque , Laliberté hired Guy Caron, head of the National Circus School , as Cirque du Soleil's artistic director . Laliberté and Caron reworked the company's performance style to emulate that of Moscow Circus by having
7474-405: The former Zumanity theatre at New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, followed by the touring show Echo in 2023. In July 2024, the touring theatre production Songblazers premiered, but was shortly cancelled in November of the same year due to "logistical reasons." That same month, the company announced the closure of two performance venues in its Blue Man Group subsidiary as well as
7575-430: The median just south of Russell Road (which is 4.2 miles (6.8 km) from The Sahara. ), across from the location of the now-demolished Klondike Hotel and Casino and about 0.4 miles (0.64 km) south of the southernmost entrance to Mandalay Bay , which is the Strip's southernmost casino. In the strictest sense, the Strip refers only to the stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that is roughly between Sahara Avenue and
7676-610: The mix of table games in casinos on the Strip: Casino operators have been expanding sports betting facilities and products, as well as renovating and upgrading equipment and facilities. Although sports betting has a relatively low margin, the high-end sportsbooks can generate significant amounts of revenue in other areas, such as food and drink. As a result, sportsbooks have been expanding and upgrading food and drink offerings. High-end sportsbooks include features such as single-seat stadium-style seating, large high-definition screens,
7777-602: The new company continued to produce special events for Cirque du Soleil while expanding to offer creative content outside Cirque du Soleil as well. 45 Degrees later merged with the C-Lab (creative laboratory) division of the main company, continuing to produce special event performances while also designing shows with new concepts (such as the dinner-show concept in Joyà and the ice concept in Crystal ). In April 2019, Cirque du Soleil announced that
7878-563: The opening of The Beatles Love in Las Vegas in June 2006, Cirque du Soleil opened the Revolution lounge at The Mirage resort in 2007, its first venture into the Las Vegas nightlife business. The lounge was based on the work of The Beatles , in conjunction with the concept of The Beatles Love . In 2009, the company opened the Gold Lounge at the Aria Resort and Casino based on the life of Elvis Presley and their show Viva Elvis . In May 2013
7979-500: The park closed in 2000 due to lack of interest. Similarly, in 2003 Treasure Island closed its own video arcade and abandoned the previous pirate theme, adopting the new ti name. In addition to the large hotels, casinos and resorts, the Strip is home to many attractions, such as M&M's World , Adventuredome and the Fashion Show Mall . With the opening of Bellagio , Venetian , Palazzo , Wynn and Encore resorts,
8080-449: The premiere of La Nouba in 1998, the creative team that had developed all of the company's shows from 1990 to 1998 left. Starting with the creation of Dralion in 1999, Cirque du Soleil began producing shows with entirely new creative teams. Le Cirque Réinventé marked the company's first performances outside of North America when it performed in London and Paris in 1990. The show received
8181-689: The resident show Wintuk in New York City and the touring tent show Koozå . In July 2007 the company made their first effort to convert tent shows to arena settings by launching Saltimbanco 's arena tour in London, Ontario (this custom would be followed by other tent shows in later years). The company opened three resident shows within the span of 3 months in 2008 — Zaia in Macau , China, Criss Angel Believe in Las Vegas, and Zed in Tokyo, Japan — which furthered their practice of producing multiple shows at
8282-494: The resident show Drawn to Life premiered — the company's first new production since the start of the pandemic. Later that month, Cirque du Soleil announced that Daniel Lamarre would be stepping down as president and CEO of the company and transitioning into the role of executive vice-chairman of the board, while former chief financial officer and chief operating officer Stéphane Lefebvre would take over as president and CEO, effective 1 December 2021. In 2022, Mad Apple opened in
8383-447: The same time. That year Cirque du Soleil also announced that they sold a 20% stake in the company to Dubai investors Istithmar World and Nakheel in order to finance their goals, including plans for a resident show in Dubai directed by Guy Caron and Michael Curry (according to Laliberté, these plans were later "put on ice" due to the 2008 recession ). In 2009, they launched 3 more shows:
8484-463: The site of the former El Rancho Hotel and Casino and Algiers Hotel . The Tropicana closed in April 2024 and was demolished in October 2024. It will be replaced with a new Bally's Las Vegas resort and New Las Vegas Stadium which will become the home of the Oakland Athletics after they relocate to Las Vegas. The Mirage also closed in July 2024. BLVD is opening in 2025. Dream Las Vegas ,
8585-527: The south end of the Strip. Later that year, Resorts World Las Vegas , opened on the site of the former Stardust Resort and Casino . Resorts World incorporates portions of a previously planned resort known as Echelon Place , which was canceled in 2008. In 2022, Bally's was renamed the Horseshoe Las Vegas . The Sphere venue opened in 2023. Also, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas opened on
8686-454: The southern Las Vegas Strip, but the project is delayed. In 2022, businessman Tilman Fertitta received approval to eventually build a 43-story resort at the southeast corner of Harmon Avenue. LVXP Las Vegas , a planned 752-tall resort project and an arena, is opening in 2029. RTC Transit (previously Citizens Area Transit, or CAT) provides bus service on the Strip with double decker buses known as The Deuce . The Deuce runs between
8787-513: The street. After a driver drove into pedestrians on the sidewalk in front of Paris Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood in December 2015, 800 bollards began to be installed on Las Vegas Blvd. starting in 2017. The construction of the bollards resulted in the removal of 49 of the 82 stars of the Las Vegas Walk of Stars . In 2019, the bollards on Las Vegas Blvd. were shortened after drivers complained that they were obstructing street views. 283 of
8888-516: The summer of 1987, Cirque du Soleil was invited to present Le Cirque Réinventé at the Los Angeles Arts Festival. Despite only having enough money to make a one-way trip, the company agreed to open for the festival in September of that year. Le Cirque Réinventé 's first American performances were an instant critical and financial hit, allowing them make a profit of over $ 1.5 million by the end of 1987. The show continued to tour Canada and
8989-476: The symphonic metal band Anemonia. Second among over a thousand candidates, she was short-listed to replace Tarja Turunen as singer of Nightwish . She has performed on stage more than 3,000 times for national and international events. Such presentations include Paris Paris, Don Juan, Si Alys m'était chantée, Du Rock à l'Opéra, Show Harley, Joe Dassin, la Grande Fête Musicale, Dracula, entre l'amour et la mort , Rencontres, Paris/Québec sous les Étoiles for
9090-467: The touring tent show Ovo , the touring theatre show Banana Shpeel , and the resident show Viva Elvis in Las Vegas. At this time Cirque du Soleil began being criticized for the quality of their productions. Banana Shpeel became labelled as one of the company's first "failures" when it was panned by both critics and audiences; Criss Angel Believe and Viva Elvis also received negative reviews. The touring show Totem premiered in 2010 and
9191-466: The variety series Solstrom . In 2004, Cirque du Soleil premiered the resident show Kà at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, directed by Robert Lepage. In September of that year, the company launched their record label, Cirque du Soleil Musique, after their agreement with BMG Canada expired. In 2005, Lamarre took over as President of Cirque du Soleil from Laliberté while Heward took on the role of executive producer for special projects. In that same year
9292-605: The various resorts on the Strip. The only movie theatre directly on the Strip was the 10-screen Regal Showcase Theatre in the Showcase Mall. The theater opened in 1997 and was operated by Regal Entertainment Group , until its closure in 2018. During 2019, 51% of visitors attended shows, which was down from 2015, 2017, and 2018. Among visitors who saw shows, relatively more went to Broadway/production shows than in past years, while relatively fewer saw lounge acts, comedy shows, or celebrity DJs. Numerous entertainment venues populate
9393-432: The world are on the Strip, known for its contemporary architecture, lights, and wide variety of attractions. Its hotels, casinos, restaurants, residential high-rises, entertainment offerings, and skyline have established the Strip as one of the most popular and iconic tourist destinations in the world and is one of the driving forces for Las Vegas's economy. Most of the Strip has been designated as an All-American Road , and
9494-414: Was an increase in taxi passengers due to declines in rideshare drivers and rideshare surge pricing. Rideshare services, including Uber and Lyft , are available on the Strip. In 2019, about eight in ten (81%) visitors said they gambled while in Las Vegas, the highest proportion in the past five years. The average time spent gambling, 2.7 hours, represents an increase over the past three years. Also,
9595-621: Was approved as a benchmark bid in the company by the Quebec Superior Court . On 17 August 2020, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec reported that it had to write off the US$ 75 million investment which it had made only four months prior, in February. On 24 November 2020, it was announced that the company emerged from bankruptcy and was sold to a group of its creditors led by Canadian investment company Catalyst Capital Group . In January 2021,
9696-422: Was eventually discontinued. On 9 November 2015, Cirque du Soleil announced that it would be re-entering the cruise ship business in collaboration with MSC Cruises . The partnership plans included a $ 21 million investment by MSC to create special theatre spaces in four of their Meraviglia class ships while Cirque du Soleil would create eight new shows, two on each ship in alternating performances. The partnership
9797-683: Was later branded as Cirque du Soleil at Sea. In June 2017, it launched its first two productions on the MSC Meraviglia — Viaggio and Sonor . This was followed by Syma and Varélia on the MSC Bellissima in March 2019 and Cosmos and Exentricks on the MSC Grandiosa in November 2019. Two more shows were planned to launch on MSC Virtuosa in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic forced all Cirque du Soleil at Sea productions to close. Following
9898-672: Was previously called Hwy 91, or the Arrowhead Highway , or Los Angeles Highway. The Strip was named by Los Angeles police officer and businessman Guy McAfee , after his hometown's Sunset Strip in Hollywood. In 1950, Mayor Ernie Cragin of the City of Las Vegas sought to annex the Las Vegas Strip, which ran through unincorporated Clark County territory, in order to expand the city's tax base to fund his ambitious building agenda and pay down
9999-562: Was relieved in 1983 by a government grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to perform as part of the 450th anniversary celebrations of Jacques Cartier 's voyage to Canada. Their first official production Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil was a success in 1984, and after securing a second year of funding, Laliberté hired Guy Caron from the National Circus School to recreate it as a "proper circus". Its theatrical, character-driven approach and
10100-737: Was soon followed by three more shows in 2011: the resident show Iris in Los Angeles and the touring shows Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour and Zarkana . Although the company was still growing at this time, it continued to face several issues with its newer productions. Zarkana and Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour received poor reviews and the company had a string of closures. Banana Shpeel closed in Toronto in October 2010 after cancelling its previously-announced engagement in San Francisco. In July 2011, Cirque du Soleil announced
10201-607: Was the Pair-o-Dice Club in 1931, but the first full service casino-resort on what is currently called the Strip was the El Rancho Vegas , which opened with 63 bungalow hotel rooms on April 3, 1941. Its success spawned a second nearby hotel, the Hotel Last Frontier in 1942. Organized crime figures such as Bugsy Siegel took an intense interest in the growing Las Vegas gaming center and funded another resort; financing
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