Columnist Joe Delaney: Entertainment wins out over gaming as LV's big draw

ENTERTAINMENT outranked gaming as the No. 1 reason for visiting Las Vegas in a current poll. ... Even though it was founded on gaming, it was entertainment and entertainers that made the city what it became. ... Star policy shows were the big draw. ... The Minsky Follies show at the Dunes and the Stardust "Lido de Paris" in the mid-1950s were the first production shows.

With LV's transition to hotel corporate form in the 1960s and the resultant move of control from the casino to the hotel side, non-entertainment people, primarily accountants and attorneys, decreed that every section of the gaming-resort-convention complex be a profit center.

Entertainment was successful back then as a "loss leader," a reason to come here and to stay at one hotel rather than another. ... The rule of thumb was that a hotel showroom could afford to lose up to $10 on an occupied seat as long as the room held good casino potential.

This was then

During the 1970s and '80s, the St. Jude's Ranch for Children Night of Stars would have at least a dozen headliners, a like number of opening acts and several top lounge stars perform between 9 p.m. and midnight. ... Hotel shows were at 8 p.m. and midnight, seven nights a week. ... The headliners ranged from Sinatra on down.

Corporate thinking deemed that more of the casino drop should become the hold, or profit, on money passing through the tables. ... Vital entertainment lounges were replaced with keno lounges; production shows were cut back and star policy was subjected to "four-wall" status.

In a four-wall deal, the hotel is a lessor. ... An entrepreneur or the artist leases the room, paying for all costs including advertising. ... Whatever is left after expenses, taxes, etc., are deducted from ticket sales and is kept by the artist or shared with the entrepreneur.

This is now

Today, there are five star-policy hotels: Bally's, Caesars Palace, Desert Inn, MGM Grand, Orleans and Rio. ... Bally's and Caesars are presently starring Penn & Teller and David Copperfield, magic acts, respectively. ... Wayne Newton is at the MGM Grand for one week; Glen Campbell (Orleans), five days; and Danny Gans (Rio) is there year-around.

The Desert Inn Crystal Room is dark for weeks at a time. ... With the exception of David Copperfield, acts at Caesars Palace work three or four-day weekends, with occasional dark weeks as well.

If the current poll is accurate, LV hotels should take back their showrooms, put entertainment decisions in the hands of qualified entertainment people, not college-trained marketing mavens. ... Witness Roy Jernigan's success at the Orleans Hotel. ... Entertainment made Las Vegas; it's vital if we are to continue growing this rapidly.

Local events

Tony Award-winner "Crazy For You," a musical based upon songs by George and Ira Gershwin, is new at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, gates open at 6 p.m. ... The Emotions, Ohio Players and Brenton Wood are at the LV Hilton, 9 p.m., Saturday only. ... Country star Hal Ketchum performs at 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday at Boulder Station.

Baseball's Pete Rose hosts a Charity Bowl-A-Thon at 1 p.m. Saturday, in the Santa Fe Bowling Center. ... Jazz fans can enjoy Mike Breene, Bob Badgley and Santo Savino, 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and The Jazz Organ-ization, noon-3 p.m. Sunday, at the Santa Fe.

Marv Koral's All-Stars featuring Carl Fontana, Gus Mancuso, Joe Romano and Carl Saunders are now at Carollo's, 5:30-9:30 p.m. on Sundays. ... Monday evenings belong to Don Menza's Big Band (Riviera) and next Tuesday at the Riviera, it's the award-winning Count Basie Orchestra, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Friday addenda

Dorothy Hamill makes the Stardust's "Enter The Night" an entertainment best-buy at $29.95, with children's shows (over 6 years of age) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday (adults only shows at 10:30 p.m. those nights) Saturday at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. and Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ... Please support the Sun Summer Camp Fund, send deserving children to camp this summer. ... See you next Thursday.

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