HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL: TO BE SEEN BY TEAM MEMBERS ONLY
PLANET
HOLLYWOOD
www.planethollywoodresort.com
TEAM MEMBERS
PLANET HOLLYWOOD
DANA BRUCE McCLURE
General Manager
Desert Diamond Casino
Tucson, Arizona
JOHANNES ADRIANUS PETRUS VAN KASTEL
Regional Director
Holland Casino
Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
STEFANO PIASENTI
Slot Manager
Casino Municipale di Venezia Spa
Venice, Italy
DORIS DONDUR
Chief Financial Officer
Gauteng Gambling Board
Centurion-Pretoria, Gauteng
South Africa
KEITH KOCHER
Director of Gaming Facilities
Kansas Lottery
Topeka, Kansas
STEVE TROUNDAY
Senior Vice President of Marketing
Navegante Group Inc.
Las Vegas, Nevada
BACON, RAYMOND
Gaming Commission
Yurok Tribe
Eureka, California
bmcclure@desertdiamondcasino.com
jvankastel@hollandcasino.nl
spiasenti@casinovenezia.it
dorisd@ggb.org.za
keith.kocher@kslottery.net
renotahoe@charter.net
rbacon8@suddenlink.net
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SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES AND CHALLENGES FOR PLANET HOLLYWOOD
FOR PHASE 1
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS WILL REQUIRE YOU TO HYPOTHESIZE
HOW YOUR CASINO PROPERTY HAS CHANGED WITH THE DETERIORATING
CIRCUMSTANCES CONFRONTING THE NATIONAL ECONOMY, LAS VEGAS, AND
THE PARENT COMPANY FOR YOUR CASINO. ACCURACY IS NOT AS IMPORTANT
AS COMING TO QUICK AGREEMENT AMONG TEAM MEMBERS AS TO “WHAT
IT WAS LIKE” BEFORE THE CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY, DESCRIBING “WHAT
HAS CHANGED FROM THEN TO NOW,” AND THEN SUGGESTING GUIDELINES
FOR THE PARTICULAR AREA FOR THE NEXT NINE MONTHS UNDER THE NEW
TEAM. FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR IMAGINATIONS AND COLLECTIVE
EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT.
In 2004, the Aladdin Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas was acquired out of bankruptcy by Robert
Earl’s Planet Hollywood International in partnership with the lodging company Starwood Hotels
for $496 million. This was somewhat ironic because Planet Hollywood had been one of the
original partners (with London Clubs and the Jack Taylor Trust) for the renovation of the original
Aladdin in 1996. The original Aladdin Casino and Hotel, which had opened in 1966, was
imploded in 1997 to make way for a billion dollar plus mega-casino across from the new Bellagio
in the Center of the Strip.
The new Aladdin opened in August 2000, just in time for the bursting of the dot-com bubble. By
that time, Planet Hollywood had dropped out after having filed bankruptcy on their own, and the
Jack Taylor Trust was unable to deliver on various promises regarding financing, so London
Clubs was put into the position of having to “go it alone.” Even though they had no Las Vegas or
American gaming operations experience, they went on to complete the $1.2 billion property, and
initiated its operations.
When it opened, the Aladdin was roundly criticized for poor design, poor ingress and egress,
ineffective theming (in a world where the Middle East was increasingly identified with poverty,
conflict, terrorism and intolerance), and fuzzy market positioning. Following the tragic events of
September 11, 2001, the weak financial performance of the Aladdin sunk even more, and the
company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2001.
The Aladdin continued to operate while in bankruptcy, and the transfer in ownership to the
Robert Earl/Starwood Group (known as OpBiz) took place in 2004. The new owners set out to
completely refurbish the interior design of the casino and hotel; the adjacent shopping mall,
which had been sold off to another developer, changed its theming from Desert Passage to The
Miracle Mile. All such transformations were completed over the next three years at a cost of
about $150 million.
However, the financial position of Planet Hollywood never fully recovered. The collapse of the
tourism market to Las Vegas, beginning in November 2007, coincided with the launch of the new
Planet Hollywood casino make-over. The depth of the national recession, along with the
unwillingness of financial institutions to make more capital available to OpBiz, pushed the
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company toward bankruptcy once again. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2010,
shortly after the opening of CityCenter further down the Strip.
The operation was purchased out of bankruptcy by a consortium of British and American
financial and lodging companies, operating under the name BAC (British American Casinos,
LLC) who this time around paid $425 million, and assumed another $300 million in (deeply
discounted) debt. Transfer of ownership was completed in May 2010.
It is in this context that the new Management Team was brought on board. BAC’s partners have
developed major hotels in the Far East (Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Seoul), the
Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain) and in Europe (London, Mallorca, Paris, Rome.) Their
stated objective when buying Planet Hollywood was their intent to exploit their global reach and
cultivate both a substantial domestic and international following. BAC’s directive to the new
management team is that, once the economy turns, they will be willing to allocate significant
financial resources to Planet Hollywood. They want management to position the facility to take
greatest advantage of its location, its theme, and of the existing assets.
As a Team, your PHASE 1 tasks are:
1. Identify at least ten key metrics (related to performance of casino games,
different departments, customer behavior, perceived customer service levels, cost
containment, employee morale, etc.) that will allow you to monitor the
performance of this operation over time. These should be linked to overall
objectives for managing the property, and should be among the most important
for you to make the best strategic decisions relative to your overall objectives
into the future. (If you list more than 10, identify your top ten.)
2. As the new Management Team, list (in bullet points) what you believe might
have been the basic policies toward employment that prevailed at your property
from early 2008 to the present. Use your imagination, prior knowledge of the
casino and/or company, and collective experience regarding your own casino
or other casinos with which you are familiar to identify some basics of a Human
Resources Strategy that may have prevailed over this period. Again using bullet
points, note how this strategy may have been modified since early 2008. Given
this as a base, and in light of the current competitive and economic conditions in
Las Vegas, as well as the company’s broad directives, put forward an HR
strategy that will guide your management team over the next nine months or so.
This could include consideration of benchmarks, benefits, incentive programs for
employees and hosts, and performance evaluation standards. (Keep in mind that
you do have some unions to work with, especially the Culinary.) Prepare an
internal memorandum of one page or less that will be circulated among your
employees that clarifies this strategy. Note separately in one or two sentences
what you hope to achieve with this memo.
3. Briefly identify what you believe has been the target market for this casino under
the prior management team. Based on the description of events above, use your
imagination and collective experience to briefly summarize a marketing
strategy that may have been in place at the property between early 2008 and the
present. (Use bullet points.) Note how this marketing strategy might have been
affected by cost cutting and the broader challenges confronting the Las Vegas
gaming industry. Then recommend a marketing strategy that will drive the
property forward over the next nine months. In particular, identify your target
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market(s) and try to include clever and cost-effective ways of increasing market
share and growing revenues without overly taxing operating budgets.
Summarize this marketing strategy in one or two paragraphs.
4. A freeze has been in place since August 2008 for any capital outlays beyond
necessary replacement of non-functioning or damaged equipment. As a result,
there is deferred maintenance that has built up on a variety of assets, including
carpets, walls (in need of painting), furniture and fixtures, software systems, and
gaming equipment. For the next nine months, corporate has indicated you will
have $15 million that can be allocated to capital outlay needs. Drawing from
your imagination and collective experience, discuss a strategy that you will use
in allocating this amount to various areas within the facility.
5. Write a one paragraph position strategy1 that explains how you might want the
property to be perceived by the public. This statement should explain who your
target audience is, your thematic premise, your service promise, your pricing
standards, and a statement of your quality objectives.
Try to be as specific as you are able in addressing the above issues, and keep in mind the budget
constraints and performance challenges for the property at the present time and over the next nine
months.
A written response to the above inquiries is due no later than 10 am Saturday, November 7.
The response should be no more than five (5) type-written pages (Times New Roman, 10 point,
single spaced.) It must be e-mailed to the following address: othersideofthestrip@gmail.com .
Once a team has submitted its PHASE 1 report, the team members will receive their PHASE 2
instructions. Note that PHASE 1 submissions will be competitively graded and the results will be
reflected in the Casino Resort’s future performance indicators. If the Team wants their PHASE 2
instructions before Saturday morning, they need to submit the PHASE 1 report no later than 9 pm
Friday, November 6.
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Generic example of a Position Strategy: Our casino will target, attract and host low premium and qualified high grind gamblers by
providing very professional, yet “small town” style, guest service from highly-trained and motivated team members in a Westernthemed, very exciting, extremely clean and secure casino/hotel environment that features very good quality food and entertainment
products at low to moderate prices. We will be committed to make the guest feel lucky for having chosen our casino!
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DESCRIPTION
Catering to the young and modern crowd, Planet Hollywood is a one-stop shop for entertainment
with its massive shopping mall, slew of restaurants, spacious casino and clubs.
The ambiance of the casino is retro-chic meets high-tech with black granite floors throughout and
colorful LED lights throughout the space. The theme carries into the 100,000 square-foot casino
with 250 flat screens topping off slot machines. The casino is also home to 87 tables, a sports
book and a poker room.
There's also the Miracle Mile Shops, one Vegas' largest malls, with 140 stores including BCBG
Max Azaria, bebe, Urban Outfitters and The Discovery Channel Store.
Following an afternoon of shopping, guests can satisfy their appetites at one of the gourmet
restaurants in Planet Hollywood, like the non-traditional approach to steakhouses at Strip House
or check out the exotic Far East motif at KOI restaurant and lounge. And if guests are still
looking for more, they can spend the after hours at Privé, Triq or Krave nightclubs.
Perhaps one of the resorts biggest attractions came in March with the addition of "Peepshow."
The naughty twist on the story of Little Bo Peep is modern-day spin on the run-of-the-mill Vegas
topless review. The "Peepshow" stage has seen visiting celebs like Scary Spice Mel B, "Dancing
with the Stars" Kelly Monaco and Playboy's Holly Madison.
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Attractions
The Chapel at Planet Hollywood
Star in your own "happily ever after" with a wedding at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino's
romantic chapel. Take your vows center stage as friends and family look on in the newly
remodeled chapel. From the red carpet to the after party we create a luxurious experience fit for
Hollywood's hottest couples. Let us plan the wedding everyone will be talking about.
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Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
H&M is here along with Urban Outfitters and 170 of the best retailers in the country.
Choose a cookbook at Sur La Table, or keep yourself going with a bite at Trader Vic's or
one of the more than a dozen other delicious restaurants that dot the fully-enclosed
promenade where shoppers and strollers can make a quick pit stop to recharge their
batteries. The Miracle Mile Shops, a great part of Planet Hollywood are a destination
unto themselves.
Planet Hollywood Pools
Two pools and spas overlooking The Strip are not only glamorous, but with bars nearby
and a crowd of tan bodies, they're a legitimate spectacle. Hours subject to seasonal and
weather variation.
Spa by Mandara
Spa at Mandara wants you to treat your body like a temple. Here, they focus on helping
you relax and unwind through massages, facials, hair and nail treatments, tanning and
more. You'll learn the true meaning of inner peace. And forget just about everything else.
Amenities
Sports Book
35 televisions. Seats 50.
Poker Room
Smoke-free. Includes Texas Hold 'Em, Pineapple, Omaha.
Health club
Inside Spa by Mandara
Spa
Spa by Mandara
Shopping Center
Miracle Mile
Wedding Chapel
The Chapel
Convention Facilities
75,000 square feet
Business Center
Hotel Room Internet
Call for details.
Casino Wireless Internet
Wheelchair Accessible Rooms
RV Park
Child Care
Pets Allowed
Self Parking Garage
Valet Parking
Free.
Airport Shuttle
Remote Baggage Check-in
On Site Catering
Call for details.
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Movie Theater
Arcade
Bowling Alley
Non-Smoking Gaming
Players Club
a-List Players Club
Buffet
Spice Market Buffet
Arena
Nightclub & Bars
Extra Lounge
The new location of the television show EXTRA, grab a drink with correspondents or just people
watch from a dark corner. The Extra Lounge is a great for spotting celebrities on their way to an
interview.
Krave
The first and only alternative club on the Strip.
Privé
Perhaps, while driving past the airport, or walking down the Strip, you saw an ad that caught your
eye--and then proceeded to hold it captive for about three and a half minutes—with a bunch of
hot, drunk, up-for-anything chicks collapsed in a big pile of skin, silk and alcohol on a tile
bathroom floor (see also: every guy’s fantasy). It looks straight off some wannabe model’s
MySpace page. The club, which opened over New Year’s at Planet Hollywood, is owned by The
Opium Group, a corporation that also owns four very popular clubs in Miami, including the
original Prive. Needless to say, the Opium Group’s new venture has brought something different
to Strip nightlife and, in this case, different is better. First of all, the dress code urges you to ditch
the standard button up collared shirt and trousers and instead opt go for something edgier and
more individualistic. Second, when you get in, there is a big inviting cognac leather couch thathallelujah!—you don’t have to pay to sit on. Third, the dance floor is spacious (350 feet of
Brazilian cherry hardwood), so you can easily traverse it to get to the bathrooms or one of the five
bars. Fourth, there is no roped-off VIP area and clubgoers are encouraged to dance everywhere,
even on top of the tables, furniture and speakers. Fifth, there is an intimate lounge dubbed The
Living Room that is modeled after a fusion of a Greek theater and 1940s cigar lounge with
features like a granite bar, Persian rugs, glass-enclosed fireplaces and large Victorian mirrors. The
only question is, with all these amenities, why was that ad shot in the bathroom anyway?
The Heart Bar
Located on the casino floor, the Heart Bar is a great place to take a break with a martini and
people watch. Don't forget to enjoy the view of mirrored glass and the reflections of the leatherclad cocktail servers.
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The Living Room
If plush chairs and walls draped in heavy red velvet curtains sound like heaven, take a seat near
one of the fireplaces in the Living room for good conversation in a un-Strip setting, located inside
Prive.
The Playing Field
Located inside the Race and Sports Book, this place only become a lounge at night. Featuring
comfy chairs, 33 plasma TVs and a VIP area, this sleek night spot is sure to make you a fan.
Dining
Aromi D'Italia
Blondies Sports Bar & Grill
Cheeseburger Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood
Earl of Sandwich at Planet Hollywood
Koi
Lombardi's Romagna Mia
Merchant's Harbor Coffee House
Ocean One Bar & Grille
Pampas Brazilian Grill
P.F. Chang's China Bistro at Planet Hollywood
Planet Dailies
Sbarro inside Miracle Mile Shops
Spice Market Buffet
Starbucks inside Planet Hollywood
Strip House
Tacone Flavor Grill & Daquiri Bar
Todai Japanese Sushi and Seafood Buffet
Yolos
Gaming Machines - 1,750 total
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Betty Boop's Big Hit
CDS Easy Street
Dollar Slots, 203 machines
Five Dollar Slots, 57 machines
Five Hundred Dollar Slots, 8 machines
Hundred Dollar Slots, 12 machines
IGT - Megabucks, 6 machines
Multi-denomination Slots, 770 machines
Nickel Slots, 105 machines
Other Slots, 86 machines
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Penny Slots, 277 machines
Progressive Slots
Quarter Slots, 352 machines
Twenty Five Dollar Slots, 24 machines
Video Blackjack
Video Craps
Video Keno
Video Poker
Video Slots
Table and Poker Games - 82 total
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3 Card Poker, 1 table
7-Card Stud Poker
Baccarat, 1 table
Blackjack, 66 tables
Craps, 6 tables
Five-Card Draw Poker
Let it Ride, 1 table
Mini-Baccarat, 4 tables
Other Games, 6 tables
Pai Gow Poker, 3 tables
Poker, 9 tables
Roulette, 9 tables
Wheel-of-Fortune, 1 table
Other Gaming
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Five-Card Stud
Race Book
Sports Book
Review
We were sad when the once fairy-tale fantastic Aladdin was purchased by Planet Hollywood -- it was the
end of yet another era. Sure, today's Aladdin wasn't the same building where Elvis married 'Scilla, but even
so. But thanks to that same Planet Hollywood and its memorabilia gimmick, the rooms are currently the
most distinctive in town.
The reconstructed Strip entrance, heavy on the LED screens (it's supposed to evoke the visual mania of
Times Square), certainly makes the interior easier to access than the last incarnation of Aladdin. Inside,
those looking for the pop kitsch sensibility of the Planet Hollywood restaurants will be disappointed; it's
actually kind of classy and design intensive. But you are going to come here for the rooms. Each has a
movie or entertainment theme, such as Pulp Fiction, which might have John Travolta's suit in a glass case
and a glass coffee table filled with more original memorabilia from the film. Although more than one room
may share the same movie theme, no two rooms will have the same objects. The vibe of the room can vary
radically depending on if the theme is Judy Garland in some charming musical or Wesley Snipes in Blade,
so ask when booking. As gimmicks go, it's a catchy one, and a good use for all that junk the company's
accumulated over the years. Beds have purple-velour padded headboards and the beds themselves are the
Sheraton Four Comforts pillow-top thing, and mighty darn comfortable at that. Bathrooms are larger than
standard but neither the largest on the Strip nor special enough to match the sleeping areas.
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Note: The parking lot is all the way on the other side of the Miracle Mile shopping area, thus requiring
guests to drag their suitcases all the way through the mall and a good chunk of the hotel before getting to
registration. It's a very, very long and unpleasant schlep. Do not self-park here if you have mobility issues
of any kind. Instead, follow the signs for casino (as opposed to mall) valet parking, which is right outside
the front desk.
Restaurants include their massively popular 24-hour coffee shop Planet Daily, a Trader Vic's (just in time
for the original to close forever), P.F. Chang's, Striphouse (a New York steakhouse with a bordello theme),
and the Earl of Sandwich, from the very same noble family that lent its name to the food, which in fact is
what the cafe is serving.
And then there is the Miracle Mile shopping area, winding its way in a giant horseshoe shape around the
property, another one to rival the capitalist ventures over at Caesars and The Venetian. This also has a new
owner (separate from Planet Hollywood), and while we resent its makeover from the aesthetically
delightful Casbah theme to a much more generic upscale mall, as a shopping and dining option, it's still
tops. The hotel also has its own arena, the Center for the Performing Arts, which is attracting big names
back to Vegas. Finally, there is the Mandera spa, maybe aesthetically our hands-down local favorite. The
designers went to Morocco for ideas, and it shows in this Medina-flavored facility; just looking at it is
pampering, and that's before one of their attentive staff puts you in a wrap and "dry float" (a womblike
water bed-style cradle).
Facilities: 19 restaurants; 7 bars/lounges; casino; performing-arts center; showroom; wedding chapel; 2
outdoor pools; health club; spa; 2 Jacuzzis; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; business center; extensive
shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level
rooms
DESCRIPTION
Not only are you likely to meet some stars at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, but you’re sure to
feel like one yourself in this luxurious, Hollywood and celebrity-themed Las Vegas hotel. Planet
Hollywood takes the glamour-driven energy of the Strip and infuses it into a 2,500 room hotel, complete
with an expansive casino and ample options for dining, nightlife, and entertainment.
Each room at Planet Hollywood is designed like a Hollywood set you can sleep in. Guests can choose
from the newly renovated Hollywood Hip rooms, Deluxe and Resort rooms, Resort Vista rooms, or the
expansive 1,250 square-foot Panorama Suite, which features stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip. All
rooms feature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper beds, PH Spa-quality bathroom amenities, a high definition TV,
and some pieces from Planet Hollywood’s extensive collection of movie memorabilia.
Outside their rooms, guests can seek excitement at the hotel’s casino. Planet Hollywood boasts three
acres of gaming, including coin-free slots, dozens of table games, a smoke-free poker room, and The
Playing Field, a state-of-the-art sports book and lounge. Guests are guaranteed to find excitement in The
Pleasure Pit, where blackjack and roulette is dealt by beautiful women in lingerie and Go-Go dancers
keep the party atmosphere energized.
If you want to see stars, you won’t even have to leave the property – and you can even satiate your
appetite at the same time. Fine dining spots Strip House and Koi frequently serve celebrity patrons, who
go to the former for perfectly prepared steakhouse favorites and to the latter for delicious Japanese
inspired cuisine. Planet Hollywood also offers a variety of casual dining and fast food.
The slower side of Vegas life can be enjoyed at the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. Specialty
massages, facials, and body treatments are just a few of the offerings at this luxurious retreat, which also
features salon services and a fitness center. Or, relax in the sun on the hotel’s sixth floor pool deck,
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which is equipped with two oversized pools, hot tubs, and several lounge chairs for soaking up the
Nevada sun.
And just like the stylish celebrity guests that frequent it, Planet Hollywood is equipped with plenty of
fashion and style via the Miracle Mile Shops. One of the Strip’s biggest retail spots, it features elite retail
names such as H&M, White House/Black Market, BCBG Max Azria, and much more.
Whether you’re looking to hang out where the stars do or get the star treatment, you’ll have the
Hollywood experience at Planet Hollywood.
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View from a PH hotel room
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Before…
… and after!
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
PLANET HOLLYWOOD HOTEL AND
CASINO
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)
Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
2006
REVENUES:
Casino
Rooms
Food
Beverage (includes
entertainment)
Other
$
Total revenues
Less-promotional
allowances
Net revenues
2007
172,847
128,677
79,688
$
2008
180,915
139,013
80,672
$
2009
161,658
128,885
79,688
$
146,075
105,132
83,202
32,606
4,560
35,979
4,812
33,730
4,408
31,482
4,567
418,378
441,391
408,370
370,456
27,655
30,755
29,907
20,450
390,722
410,636
378,463
350,006
102,844
42,463
70,125
107,101
42,816
72,363
99,743
41,759
66,061
90,274
36,270
67,227
19,009
2,763
20,616
3,099
19,867
2,521
18,039
2,740
77,818
85,630
77,182
67,794
315,024
331,625
307,134
282,344
COSTS AND
EXPENSES:
Direct costs and
expenses of operating
departments:
Casino
Rooms
Food
Beverage (includes
entertainment)
Other
General and
administrativeǂ
Total costs and
expenses
INCOME (LOSS)
FROM OPERATIONS
$
EBITDA
Depreciation and
amortization
Interest expense*
NET (LOSS) INCOME
75,699
$
$
71,329
$
67,662
112,098
115,646
110,941
103,226
36,399
36,635
39,612
35,564
56,897
$
79,010
-17,597
58,439
$
-16,064
57,930
$
54,900
-26,213
$
*Interest expense is related to purchase price in 2004 and improvements made on the property
ǂ Includes depreciation and amortization but excludes interest
expense
18
-22,802
PERFORMANCE SINCE JANUARY 2009
January-09
February-09
March-09
April-09
May-09
June-09
July-09
August-09
September-09
October-09
November-09
December-09
January-10
February-10
March-10
April-10
May-10
June-10
July-10
August-10
13,082
11,517
13,102
12,110
11,924
11,284
12,322
10,323
12,805
12,882
12,095
12,627
12,626
11,322
12,174
11,364
11,086
10,813
11,843
9,858
-18.09%
-14.45%
-11.20%
-13.98%
-9.85%
-12.14%
-9.69%
-16.61%
-6.00%
-2.93%
-0.89%
3.47%
-3.49%
-1.70%
-7.08%
-6.16%
-7.03%
-4.18%
-3.89%
-4.50%
FISCAL YEAR DATA (through June 30)
Average
Daily
HOTEL
Room
ROOMS
Rate
Occupancy
2006
2567 $157.30
87.31%
2007
2567 $169.40
87.58%
2008
2567 $160.60
85.65%
2009
2567 $137.50
81.60%
2010
2567 $131.85
83.80%
EMPLOYMENT (AS OF JUNE 30)
Casino
Room
Food
2006
765
598
891
2007
742
568
812
2008
758
598
864
2009
714
561
820
2010
763
600
876
Room
Revenues
$128,677,168
$139,013,480
$128,884,824
$105,131,504
$103,524,439
Beverage
190
215
231
220
236
Food
Revenues
$79,688,023
$80,671,826
$79,688,023
$83,201,604
$84,449,628
G&A
Beverage
Revenues
$32,606,034
$35,979,072
$33,730,380
$31,481,688
$31,040,944
Other
337
359
329
310
331
493
449
460
419
448
TOTAL
3,274
3,144
3,239
3,045
3,253
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LAS VEGAS STRIP $72 million and above
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, 2006-2010
EMPLOYMENT
STATISTICS
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Casino dept
23,357
22,477
23,178
21,602
23,601
Rooms Dept.
18,267
17,207
18,284
16,968
18,538
Food Dept.
27,199
24,599
26,435
24,796
27,091
Bev. Dept.
5,788
6,526
7,078
6,667
7,285
Other
Depts.
10,274
10,872
10,048
9,365
10,232
Rooms Dept.
67.0%
69.2%
67.6%
66.5%
67.5%
Food Dept.
12.0%
10.3%
17.1%
18.3%
17.3%
Bev. Dept.
41.7%
42.7%
41.1%
41.5%
42.1%
Other
Depts.
39.4%
35.6%
42.8%
42.1%
39.8%
G&A
15,065
13,591
14,057
12,679
13,853
DEPARTMENTAL
MARGINS
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Casino Dept.
40.5%
40.8%
38.3%
41.0%
39.5%
Las
Vegas
Strip
($ 72 m+)
MONTH
January-06
February-06
March-06
April-06
May-06
June-06
July-06
August-06
September-06
October-06
November-06
December-06
January-07
February-07
March-07
April-07
May-07
June-07
July-07
August-07
Baccarat
LVS
($72 m+)
LVS (72m+)
583,667
509,885
494,425
473,866
555,052
414,148
490,023
511,002
470,928
486,147
599,961
574,658
562,325
535,671
497,300
486,973
560,421
460,517
565,189
492,126
91,009
79,454
35,959
55,358
86,882
41,413
52,484
75,609
55,074
29,236
117,242
114,081
90,757
117,039
36,039
60,354
71,237
44,361
72,209
70,349
20
TOTAL
99,950
95,272
99,080
92,077
100,600
September-07
October-07
November-07
December-07
January-08
February-08
March-08
April-08
May-08
June-08
July-08
August-08
September-08
October-08
November-08
December-08
January-09
February-09
March-09
April-09
May-09
June-09
July-09
August-09
September-09
October-09
November-09
December-09
January-10
Las
Vegas
Strip
($ 72 m+)
509,096
594,608
485,326
580,892
559,728
519,870
477,018
481,158
465,935
430,187
461,287
442,886
484,923
438,300
405,552
443,922
479,937
395,360
417,854
407,932
446,033
378,734
429,707
412,333
446,129
420,435
395,772
507,349
555,811
Baccarat
LVS
($72 m+)
45,640
108,107
46,961
140,354
80,983
116,335
34,766
59,184
69,445
45,224
52,311
71,837
76,618
40,500
39,780
78,129
96,169
57,490
33,496
52,681
96,224
47,704
68,228
109,515
70,489
42,525
40,973
97,661
129,828
February-10
463,288
74,737
March-10
452,798
41,535
April-10
May-10
June-10
July-10
August-10
447,807
493,263
422,303
479,225
438,300
60,583
115,469
54,860
74,369
93,088
21
Planet Hollywood seen as weak link in bid for Aladdin
Monday, May 5, 2003
Gaming industry observers say the partnership bidding to turn the Aladdin into the Planet Hollywood hotelcasino is strong financially, though Planet Hollywood's checkered past is raising concerns about the group's
management strength.
Experts say the partners are addressing those management issues by hiring a respected casino executive,
Green Valley Ranch Station's Mike Mecca, to run the Strip property should the Planet Hollywood
partnership win the bid to take it out of bankruptcy.
Although Planet Hollywood International Inc. has been in bankruptcy twice in the last four years and the
2,587-room Strip hotel would bear the Planet Hollywood name under a purchase and sale agreement filed
in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Las Vegas, analysts say the "stalking horse" bid of $635 million is solid.
Part of the reason is that Planet Hollywood International, the company, isn't key to the success of the deal.
A partnership comprised of Planet Hollywood co-founder Robert Earl, Bay Harbour Management LC, New
York, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., White Plains, N.Y., has formed OpBiz LLC as the
acquiring company.
OpBiz and Aladdin Gaming LLC, the holding company for the hotel-casino, have filed documents in
Bankruptcy Court asking Judge Robert C. Jones to approve a sale procedure that eventually could lead to
an auction for the property. If Jones approves the procedure in a hearing Wednesday, the clock would start
on a 45-day process during which rival bidders could make their own offers.
Qualified bidders would then participate in an auction to acquire the hotel-casino, which opened in 2000
with a price tag of about $1.2 billion.
One company already has indicated it would produce a rival bid to the OpBiz offer. Potential bidder
Financial Capital Investment Co., Los Angeles, owner of the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, is led
by managing director Richard Alter. Under Alter's plan, the Aladdin would be renamed the Asia hotelcasino and adopt a Far East-themed high-volume casino.
Alter said he would tear out the 7,000-seat Aladdin Theatre of the Performing Arts to produce a more
accessible entry to the property.
Conversely, the theater would remain a key component under the OpBiz-Planet Hollywood proposal.
Earl isn't tipping his hand on all the details planned at a Planet Hollywood hotel-casino, but in various
interviews he has given to several publications he has described a transformation of the Aladdin.
Earl wants Planet Hollywood to be for movies what the Hard Rock hotel-casino is for music, using
memorabilia and themes throughout the property.
The theater is envisioned as a venue for big-name entertainment and celebrity appearances. Movie
memorabilia would be an important part of the package and Planet Hollywood, the company, plans to
contribute $20 million worth to the hotel.
22
The components of the $635 million bid include the assumption of $510 million of restructured Aladdin
Gaming notes and liabilities and the investment of $90 million in capital. OpBiz also would pick up about
$35 million in debt and liabilities associated with Northwind Aladdin LLC, the holding company for the
resort's utility plant.
Under terms of the deal, Starwood -- which wants a Sheraton outlet in Las Vegas at the request of members
of the company's frequent-guest program -- is paying $20 million in return for 4 percent of the hotel
revenue.
Planet Hollywood International is licensing its name to the property in exchange for 1.7 percent of revenue
from Planet Hollywood merchandise sold at the hotel, Earl said.
"What we hope to create is an experience that incorporates celebrity," said Doug Teitelbaum, the managing
principal for Bay Harbour.
He said many Strip resorts are based on a geographic theme, like Paris-Las Vegas, New York-New York
and Egypt's pyramids at Luxor. His strategy is to develop an experiential theme.
"Everyone I know who likes to gamble likes to talk about who was gambling where. All my friends say, 'So
and so was playing such and such when we were in the casino,' " Teitelbaum said. "And we've found this to
be true across every band of the socio-economic strata."
Teitelbaum's company specializes in acquiring and turning around companies in bankruptcy, another plus
for the OpBiz group.
The third component in the partnership is Starwood, a company so large and diversified that the Aladdin
deal was a footnote in a recent conference call on the company's quarterly earnings.
But analysts says it's Starwood that brings a large measure of credibility to the OpBiz offer.
"It's a group of savvy investors and part of what they have is a solid brand name in Starwood," said Marc
Falcone, a gaming analyst with Bear Stearns, New York.
"The deal structure looks sound and strong and it will be interesting to see how they (the company)
leverage Planet Hollywood to the asset and how well that brand will be received."
Andrew Zarnett, a gaming analyst with Deutsche Bank, New York, said Americans' healthy appetite for the
movies and celebrities should help OpBiz's plan. He cited record movie ticket sales in 2002 and the
popularity of movies on DVDs to make his case.
"It's the movies," Zarnett said. "It's Hollywood, not just Planet Hollywood."
Meanwhile, Falcone said Starwood is key to the deal because it will manage the hotel. Barry Sternlicht,
chairman and chief executive officer of Starwood, reiterated in the company's earnings conference call on
Tuesday that it would stay out of the gaming business, but run the Planet Hollywood hotel under the
Sheraton banner.
A Starwood executive who addressed the Hospitality Design Exposition in Las Vegas last week added that
the Aladdin "is a very compelling project for us."
Karen Rubin, vice president of development, feasibility and analysis for Starwood -- the division of the
company that determines whether the company should acquire, franchise or manage a property --
23
confirmed that Starwood wants a Sheraton in Las Vegas for its Starwood Preferred Guests program, the
company's frequent-guest club.
She said Starwood believes putting a Sheraton brand on the hotel would be compatible with the young, hip
image the Planet Hollywood brand is bound to draw.
"We're appealing to a demographic and we believe it (Planet Hollywood's branding) will be a winner,"
Rubin said. "There's no question that the people we would draw as Planet Hollywood would be compatible
with Sheraton."
Sheraton is the largest of Starwood's six brands, with more than 400 hotels and resorts of the 750 the
company owns, manages or franchises. Sheraton markets to both leisure and business travelers and many of
the brand's properties are located in vacation destinations in 70 countries.
Starwood also is bringing its Westin hotel brand to Las Vegas a half-mile from the Aladdin at the Maxim
hotel-casino, which last year was purchased for $38 million by Fort Mitchell, Ky.-based Columbia Sussex
Corp. through its C.S. Las Vegas subsidiary.
Starwood, which formerly owned the Desert Inn and Caesars Palace hotel-casinos when it acquired ITT
Corp., has also branched into the time-share business and is considering spending $150 million to build a
600-unit time-share development under its Westin Vacation Resorts brand on 4.5 acres at the Aladdin
property.
"We'll do it if the balance sheet allows it," Sternlicht said in Starwood's conference call.
He said time-share contract sales have climbed 14 percent for Starwood over last year with the sales price
for a unit now up to $22,000 for the purchase of a one-week increment.
But will Planet Hollywood have the star power necessary to drive a hotel-casino?
For Earl, the OpBiz bid represents the third time a Planet Hollywood-related project has been on the table
in Las Vegas.
Planet Hollywood first announced a bid for a hotel-casino in Las Vegas in 1996. Plans were drawn for an
$830 million, 3,300-room hotel-casino on Desert Inn hotel-casino property. Former Desert Inn owner ITT
Corp. was going to be a partner in the project. Then, Hilton Hotels Corp. made a hostile takeover bid for
ITT and the Planet Hollywood hotel-casino bid was scrapped.
A few months later, Planet Hollywood tried again, announcing a joint venture with Aladdin Gaming to
build a $250 million, 1,000-room music-themed project adjacent to the Aladdin, which was under
construction at the time.
Aladdin pulled out of that deal in 1998 because of fears that Planet Hollywood would not be able to deliver
on a $41 million investment as promised.
Despite those failures, Earl kept the dream of building a Planet Hollywood hotel in Las Vegas alive,
keeping a foothold in the market with a Planet Hollywood restaurant in the Forum Shops at Caesars, one of
the nation's most successful shopping malls.
The Planet Hollywood restaurant chain was an icon of the 1990s, sporting movie memorabilia and
capitalizing on the popularity of celebrity investors Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and
Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first Planet Hollywood restaurant opened in 1991, with the chain growing to
95 locations by 1997.
24
Earl also used star power to fuel another restaurant chain, the Official All Star Cafe, which had athletes
Andre Agassi, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky among its celebrities.
Analysts said competition from other themed restaurants cut into both chains and Planet Hollywood
particularly suffered from a lack of repeat business. Others say the company simply grew too quickly and
collapsed under the weight of its debt.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1998 and was delisted from the New York
Stock Exchange. It emerged from Chapter 11 in early 2000, stating it would focus on its core Planet
Hollywood properties. That meant the sale or closure of the All Star Cafes and one of company's largest
operations was its Las Vegas restaurant at the Showcase Mall, which closed in late 1999, putting 100
people out of work.
Then, Planet Hollywood filed for Chapter 11 a second time in the fall of 2001, citing a drop in customer
traffic after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Late last year, the company again emerged from bankruptcy. But
not before hundreds of creditors, including dozens in Las Vegas, lost money.
"I'm part of the Planet Hollywood debris field," said Barry Fieldman, a partner in Makena Development
Corp., which operates the Showcase Mall on the Las Vegas Strip, former home of the Official All Star
Cafe.
"I have no personal beef with Robert (Earl)," Fieldman said, "but when his business went down, I was
significantly affected."
Fieldman estimates his company lost around $10 million between lost rents, broken leases and building
remodelings that occurred with both the arrival and departure of the All Star Cafe.
Fieldman said Planet Hollywood looked strong in the early days, with $200 million in cash on hand and
stock selling for $25 a share. But that quickly changed.
"I think the Aladdin needs strong management (emerging from bankruptcy)," Fieldman said, "but I'm not
sure Robert Earl is the one who can provide it.
"They'd (OpBiz) be getting the Aladdin for $90 million, and that's all going back into the property. It
sounds to me like a pretty good deal for them."
By being installed as the "stalking horse" bidder in the process, OpBiz also would collect a $5 million
break-up fee if the deal collapses and between $1.5 million and $2.5 million in expenses.
Another question that remains is the status of the Planet Hollywood restaurant at the Forum Shops.
When the partnership's plan to buy the Aladdin was first announced, Earl said the Planet Hollywood
restaurant in the Forum Shops would remain open. But persons familiar with the operation said if the
Aladdin deal goes through, the Forum Shops restaurant would close. Mall managers say they have not been
apprised of any closure plans.
Now, Earl has altered his stance on the matter.
When asked Tuesday if the Forum Shops restaurant would close, he said, "I can't answer that question until
we win (the Aladdin bid)."
25
Apr. 18, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
THE STRIP: They won't dream of genie anymore
Aladdin officially becomes Planet Hollywood Resort
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
REVIEW-JOURNAL
The 2,430 nights of the Aladdin -- give or take a few -- are history.
With high-profile celebrities on hand and owners in high spirits, a Strip property dropped a name Tuesday
and leapt into the future. With an event termed a soft opening, the once-Arabian themed hotel officially
became the Planet Hollywood Resort.
"(Tuesday night) will be the first day the resort will turn on the lights in the evening and be known as
Planet Hollywood," said Robert Earl, co-chairman of OpBiz, the hotel-casino's ownership group. "If you
look around now you won't find Aladdin's name anywhere."
Actor Bruce Willis attended Tuesday's name-change-over ceremony, as did a mixture of Earl's friends from
the restaurant and entertainment business, the property's business partners and media from around the world
attended. Bold-type-worthy attendees included actress Carmen Electra, retired tennis player Pete Sampras,
former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, and semiretired pitcher Roger Clemens, who played last season for the
Houston Astros.
The soft opening was a milestone for Earl and OpBiz, a partnership between Planet Hollywood restaurant
founder Earl, investment firm Bay Harbour Management and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.
OpBiz bought the property in 2004 for $496 million.
Earl and Bay Harbour Management have a joint venture with an 85 percent interest in the property;
Starwood holds the remaining 15 percent.
"We love the destination," said Bill Feather, who oversees the hotel operations for Starwood. "We're
thrilled to be part of this project which we believe will be the epicenter of the Strip. We would not have
gotten into this partnership if we didn't feel it was going to be a home run."
Earl promised Tuesday wasn't the hotel-casino's last coming out party; a grand opening would come Sept.
28-29. Meanwhile, work progresses.
Construction crews have been busy since February stripping the desert-stonelike features from the front of
the property and replacing it with a more modern "Times Squarelike" look including large light-emittingdiode screens and better access to the property.
In a note to investors, Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Lerner suggested the changes look good so far.
"We believe that the new owners of the resort have made significant improvements to the ingress and
egress of the facility," Lerner wrote.
26
Inside the property, which opened Aug. 18, 2000, and declared bankruptcy a little more than a year later,
hotel-room renovations have begun. Earl said the plan is to have 1,000 of the 2,500 rooms completed in a
movie-memorabilia theme by the grand opening. Earl also used Tuesday afternoon to announce a series of
new restaurants and nightclubs scheduled to open in the months leading up to the grand opening.
Meanwhile, the hotel-casino's mall, which has been called the Shops in Desert Passage at the Aladdin, will
become the Miracle Mile Shops on May 1.
And, to complement the changes at the hotel-casino, construction workers on Monday poured the first
concrete for the $750 million time-share project Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate. The 50-story,
twin-tower, mixed-use project is scheduled to open in late 2009.
Planet Hollywood Resort will raise its new profile through promotional deals signed with high-profile
companies.
A sponsorship agreement with Pepsi will have the property appear on 12 million soda cans to be distributed
in Nevada and California.
Electronics manufacturer Panasonic has agreed to use the hotel as its base during the International
Consumer Electronics Show and other conventions and to promote its new technology there. Panasonic
already has 5,000 high definition plasma televisions in the property's public areas and guest rooms.
Also, the televised entertainment newsmagazine show "Extra" will have its own cocktail lounge in which
correspondents can conduct interviews.
To live up to its Hollywood name, Earl said his hotel-casino will focus on bringing new entertainment to
the Strip. There's progress there, too. "Stomp Out Loud," a spinoff of the Broadway production "Stomp,"
begin performances on Tuesday and had its grand opening Tuesday night. An old storage space for slot
machines was renovated into 30,000-square-foot, 1,568-seat theater at a cost of $28 million.
A new show by European magician Hans Klok will be housed in the 7,000-seat Theater for the Performing
Arts. Previews run for three days beginning Friday; the regular engagement will start May 12.
Even if work is still in progress, fortunes are already improving at Planet Hollywood Resort. Feather said
hotel rates have grown 30 percent since OpBiz took over. The hotel's occupancy is now in the 90 percent
range, he added.
Star turns are only starting for Planet Hollywood, Earl suggested. He promised the fall's grand opening will
be the biggest "Hollywood opening" the Strip has ever seen.
Harrah’s buys Planet Hollywood debt
By Liz Benston
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009
Deteriorating financial results at the Planet Hollywood casino resort have forced the property to negotiate
with lenders to stay afloat – raising the possibility that the property will file for bankruptcy protection as an
alternative to reorganizing debts out of court.
27
In an opportunistic bet for or against its next-door competitor on the Strip, Harrah's Entertainment,
according to sources who declined to be named, has purchased a chunk of Planet Hollywood's $860 million
mortgage loan.
The investment might position Harrah's to take over Planet Hollywood if the property enters bankruptcy but
could also serve as a passive investment that appreciates in value if the economy rebounds or the property's
fortunes improve, according to investment analysts not involved in the deal.
Spokespeople for Harrah's and Planet Hollywood declined comment.
Planet Hollywood defaulted on its mortgage loan in August after the resort's performance worsened over
the summer.
The loan came due last year but Planet Hollywood exercised an option to extend the maturity date by a
year, to December 9. The loan agreement includes a three year extension option that is subject to the
payment of a fee and other requirements, according to a second quarter analysis prepared by Deutsche
Bank.
Planet Hollywood says movie banners damaged building,
sues insurers
28
By Steve Green
Friday, Oct. 16, 2009
The Planet Hollywood hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip says its facade was damaged by giant banners
promoting a movie and wants insurers to cover costs for repairs and interruption of its business.
Planet Hollywood sued six insurance companies Thursday in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas,
charging they have wrongly denied coverage for problems caused by the banners.
Two 30-story banners were installed on the side of the resort in 2007 under a contract with Sony Pictures to
promote the film "Resident Evil: Extinction.''
The lawsuit says that after the banners were removed in October 2007, Planet Hollywood discovered
damage to the building caused by their installation, removal, or both, totaling more than $1 million.
But Factory Mutual Insurance Co. of Johnston, R.I., denied responsibility for covering the costs of repairs
and lost income from interruption of the resort's business associated with the problem, the lawsuit charges,
alleging breach of contract against Factory Mutual.
Five other insurers were named in the suit.
In also asserting breach of contract claims against those companies, Planet Hollywood said they failed to
respond to its request for coverage.
They are Lexington Insurance Co. of Boston, Ace American Insurance Co. of Philadelphia, Arch Insurance
Co. of Jersey City, N.J., American Guarantee and Liability Insurance Co. of Schaumburg, Ill., and XL
Insurance America Inc. of Stamford, Conn.
The insurers have not yet responded to the allegations.
Oct. 07, 2009
THE STRIP: Privé gets 90-day liquor license
Nightclub facing lengthy, costly investigation by LV police
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
County commissioners Tuesday approved a 90-day liquor license for the Privé nightclub at Planet
Hollywood Resort while Las Vegas police continue a background investigation of the club's new owners.
The investigation could cost the owners $15,000 and 18 months to complete.
Commissioner Steve Sisolak questioned why the investigation will take so long and if it will place a
financial burden on the owners. "Is there nothing we can do to speed this up?" Sisolak said. "In fairness to
the individuals, I don't know what the cost of this is, but when it gets dragged out for this length of time, it
would seem it would be enormous."
29
Business license director Jacqueline Holloway estimated the cost of the investigation, which will include
sending as many as three police detectives to Miami, where the owners operate other businesses, at $10,000
to $15,000. She added that it customarily takes a year or longer to complete investigations of large
applicants, especially if they are from another state.
Barry Reinink, a detective with police special investigations unit, said officers "want to do their due
diligence in looking at every aspect of those businesses."
Police officials need to complete background checks on two of Privé's owners and three managers before
the club can be issued a permanent license.
The owners of Privé, and the ultralounge The Living Room, will need to return to the county commission
in early January for another license hearing.
"We've worked so hard with Metro, Planet Hollywood and business license," Privé attorney Jay Brown
said. He said the club will be scrutinized while it operates under a temporary license and could be closed
quickly by county officials if new violations surface.
"The good thing about the temporary is that it also allows us to take prompt and precise enforcement action
if we find something wrong," Holloway said.
The club was shut down by the county in late July after its liquor license was revoked because the resort
and club were found to be failing to "abide by the duties of a liquor licensee."
Privé reopened four weeks later under a 30-day license after the new owners were in place.
The clubs were cited for three violations, which included allowing topless and lewd activity to take place
on site, in 2008 by the Business License Department.
Privé has agreed to reimburse Planet Hollywood $375,000 of a $500,000 fine that was issued by casino
regulators, who said the resort did not "maintain sufficient control over" the nightclub.
The resort will have to pay an additional $250,000 fine if a similar complaint is filed before July 31, 2011.
Holloway said the club's new managers, as well as management from Planet Hollywood, have been
"aggressive" in monitoring Privé and The Living Room since the club was closed this summer.
Privé is owned by Miami-based Opium Group.
Five commissioners approved the 90-day license, with commission Chairman Rory Reid not voting.
Commissioner Lawrence Weekly voted against the motion without comment.
Vegas gets even racier with Peepshow
October 24, 2009
30
Richard Ouzounian
All the fellahs come for Holly Madison in Peepshow.
LAS VEGAS– If you want to take the pulse of the new Las Vegas, then I suggest you wrap your fingers –
lightly, but firmly – around the wrist of any of the young bucks currently filling the theatre at Planet
Hollywood to see Peepshow.
It beats faster whenever one of the show's gorgeous females strut onto the stage in various stages of undress
and slows right down whenever a man enters and proceeds to perform some Cirque du Soleil-styled
gymnastics.
The rhythm of the blood coursing through the veins of these dudes in the audience is the soundtrack for
where Sin City is definitely heading.
Gone is the misbegotten dream of Vegas as a "family" destination, unless you're talking about the Baldwin
Brothers. Nowadays quite a different kind of petting zoo is springing up everywhere.
And you can also start to lay to rest the slyly seductive mantra "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
Facebook killed that one off. Nowadays if someone is being mad and bad on the strip, all it takes is a click
of an iPhone camera – and a few more surreptitious clicks – to have it become far-too-public knowledge.
No, in some ways, we're back to the era of the voyeur. Leer, jeer and cheer – but please don't touch. Much
safer that way, on every level.
That's why Peepshow has come along at just the right time and its canny producers (including Torontonians
Bernie Abrams and Michael Speyer) should be riding the crest of this bachelor party wave for some time.
In fact, that's the perfect description of the new style of guys making Vegas their playground: it's the
buddies of the groom, out to give him one last blowout, outrageous enough to brag about, but not so
outrageous that he'll need medical or psychological aid to recover from it.
31
It's no wonder that The Hangover seemingly came from nowhere to gross $276 million (U.S.). That film
simultaneously represents the dream and the nightmare of most red-blooded young North American
stallions.
And if you visit McCarran International Airport on a Friday afternoon, it's filled with guys wearing big
sweatpants and nursing even bigger fantasies. Watch them as they swagger across the casino floors,
carrying their bottles of Corona with the ubiquitous slice of lime, eyes madly darting around the room
looking for someone to tempt them...just not too much.
Jerry Mitchell conceived, choreographed and directed Peepshow. He comes to the assignment uniquely
qualified on two fronts.
First off, he's been connected with some of the biggest crowd-pleasing musicals of the past decade (The
Full Monty, Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). He knows what audiences want and how to give it to
them.
But he also paid his dues since 1992 as the creator of Broadway Bares, that strip-show-for-a-worthy-cause
that finds actors and actors taking off their clothes to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Sitting in the empty theatre a few hours before showtime, Mitchell cheerfully admitted that "I just put all of
my party tricks together and gave it a little extra spin for Vegas."
He'd long dreamed of creating an erotic Mother Goose saga and that's just what he did in Peepshow.
There's a plot (well, sort of) about a buxom innocent named Bo-Peep who's introduced to all the wonders of
sex by the very experienced Peep Diva.
There's an erotic milk bath, a bit of bondage, lots of skin and some sexual positions so athletic they should
have a flashing sign saying "Do Not Attempt This At Home."
But the amazing thing about it is that – in its own way – the show is actually quiet innocent. Racy, yes.
Raw, no. Erotic, of course, pornographic, no way.
It's not exactly the kind of show you'd want to take Grandma to, but if Grandpa happened to be visiting,
he'd probably get a kick out of it.
The production values are all high, with the kind of Necco-wafer colours that Mitchell loves, only given a
bit of a neon edge in honour of Vegas.
The show moves along rapidly, as well it should, because the guys in the audience have only one thing one
their minds.
"We want Holly! We want Holly!" is the constant cry and the object of their affections of course is Holly
Madison.
And there couldn't be a better sex object for this kind of show than Madison, with big-girl body and littlegirl smile that radiates perpetual adolescence.
And when she finally reveals her breasts just before the final curtain, the collective sound of awestruck
relief from the men in the audience lets you know that Peepshow will definitely be around for a while.
32