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Entertainment

The show economy: Sphere's quarterly arc, the residency business, and the venue stack that lets Las Vegas sell the room around the ticket.

The desk's read

Entertainment is now a rate driver with its own P&L gravity, and Sphere made that measurable: five straight quarters above $170M in segment revenue, peaking in the winter quarter. The residency business runs on the same logic at smaller scale: a named artist in a 4,000-to-17,000-seat room converts a hotel stay into an anchored trip, and the grosses below say the model prices like a franchise. When the boards talk "shows & nightlife" as heavily as they do on the Board Pulse, this is the machinery underneath.

Sphere segment revenue, quarterly

CY2025 Q2 (Apr-Jun 2025): $175.6M (derived: Q2 2026's $226.4M was +$50.8M YoY per company release) $176M '25 Q2CY2025 Q3 (Jul-Sep 2025): $174.1M Sphere segment (vs $127.1M prior year, +37%); Wizard of Oz debuted Aug 28, 2025 $174M '25 Q3CY2025 Q4 (Oct-Dec 2025): $274.2M Sphere segment, +62% YoY (total company $394.3M) $274M '25 Q4CY2026 Q1 (Jan-Mar 2026): $266.0M Sphere segment; Wizard of Oz played 209 performances, passed 500th showing in March $266M '26 Q1CY2026 Q2 (Apr-Jun 2026): $226.4M Sphere segment, +29% YoY on higher per-show Wizard of Oz revenue (total company $313.6M) $226M '26 Q2

Board sentiment: shows & entertainment

+5
Jan
+5
Feb
+3
Mar
+2
Apr
+10
May
+6
Jun
0
Jul
+97
Aug
+111
Sep
+41
Oct

Green: posts scoring positive; red: negative; number is the month's net. Neutral posts sit outside the bars. Click a month for the posts behind it. Full-year context on the Sentiment page.

Last 30 days: net across 188 scored posts (156 positive, 32 negative). Board sentiment over posts matching this desk's topics; click a month or the net for the posts behind it; method on the About page.

Residency grosses, as published

ArtistVenueGross
Celine Dion (A New Day...)The Colosseum at Caesars Palace$385.1M / 714 shows / 2.8M tickets (all-time Vegas residency record; both Dion runs combined $630.6M over 1,089 shows)source
U2 (U2:UV Achtung Baby Live)Sphere$244.5M / 40 shows / 663K tickets (4th-highest residency gross in Boxscore history)source
Adele (Weekends With Adele)The Colosseum at Caesars Palace~$200M est. / 100 shows / ~420K tickets (figures never officially reported to Billboard)source
Britney Spears (Piece of Me)Planet Hollywood (Bakkt Theater)$137.7M / 248 shows / 916K tickets (benchmark historical residency)source
Dead & Company (Dead Forever)Sphere$131.8M / 30 shows / 477K tickets (initial 2024 run; returned 2025)source
Bruno MarsDolby Live at Park MGM$124.5M / 79 shows / 410K tickets (per Billboard Boxscore, Dec 2024 report; ongoing)source
Lady Gaga (Jazz & Piano / Enigma)Dolby Live at Park MGM$110M / 72 shows / 377K ticketssource
Backstreet Boys (Into the Millennium)SphereReported ~$4M per show; 21 initial shows of a 35-show run, extended into Feb 2026 (no official Boxscore total)source

Show openings & closings

closing DISCOSHOW (Spiegelworld) · The LINQ
Spiegelworld's disco-themed production closed after a run of just over a year
Jan 3, 2026 · source
closing David Copperfield · David Copperfield Theater, MGM Grand
25-year MGM Grand residency ended; announced jointly with MGM Resorts on March 5, 2026
final show April 30, 2026 · source
closing Awakening · Awakening Theater, Wynn Las Vegas
Final performances announced Aug 2026; ends near four-year run in the 1,600-seat theater that replaced Le Reve
Oct 10, 2026 · source
announced Unnamed new Wynn production (Awakening replacement) · Awakening Theater, Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn says a new production will take over the Awakening Theater sometime in 2027
2027 debut · source
opening Jennifer Lopez: Up All Night Live in Las Vegas · The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
New full-scale residency production directed by Nappytabs; Colosseum was Billboard's No. 1 venue (2,501-5,000 cap) for 2025 with $66M+ from 64 shows
debuted around New Year 2026 · source
opening Mary J. Blige: My Life, My Story - The Las Vegas Residency · Dolby Live at Park MGM
First-ever Blige residency; extended after sold-out opening weekend
2026; extended May 2026 with 10 added dates through October 2026 · source
opening Zayn Las Vegas residency · Dolby Live at Park MGM
Zayn Malik's Las Vegas residency debut, announced Sept 2025
Jan 20-31, 2026 (7 nights) · source
announced Scorpions: Coming Home To Las Vegas · PH Live at Planet Hollywood
60th-anniversary residency with special guest Buckcherry; band's fourth PH Live run after sold-out 2022, 2024, and 2025 engagements
Sept 17 - Oct 3, 2026 (8 shows) · source
announced Cirque du Soleil resident portfolio · Multiple (Treasure Island, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York)
Portfolio holding steady at five resident productions through 2026: Mystere, O, KA, Michael Jackson ONE, Mad Apple: with no new Vegas show announced since LOVE closed in 2024
2026 on-sale (Sept 2025) · source
announced Hard Rock Las Vegas entertainment venues · Hard Rock Las Vegas (former Mirage site)
Three live venues planned: newly added 2,000-seat west-side theater, plus the former 2,013-seat LOVE Theater being expanded into a 5,000-seat Hard Rock Live arena
property opening second half of 2027 · source

Coming up

Oct 16–Oct 31Earth, Wind & Fire at The Venetian Theatre
Nine-show limited engagement on Oct 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 28, 30 and 31 at 8:30 p.m. · source
Oct 16–Oct 17Keith Urban at Fontainebleau
BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau, two nights Oct 16-17 · source
Oct 16–Oct 17Barry Manilow at Westgate
Barry Manilow plays the last two nights of his Oct 15 to 17 weekend at the International Theater, Westgate Las Vegas. · source
Oct 16–Oct 17Donny Osmond at Harrah's
Two shows at 7:30 p.m. in the Harrah's Showroom, then the residency is dark until Oct 27. · source
Oct 16Phil Wickham at Lee's Family Forum expected
Christian worship headliner with Jamie MacDonald at the Henderson arena at 7 p.m., listed by an aggregator. · source
Oct 17–Oct 28Wayne Newton at the Flamingo
Wayne: Up Close & Personal plays Bugsy's Cabaret at 7 p.m. on Oct 17, 19, 21, 24, 26 and 28. · source
Oct 17Chayanne at Michelob Ultra Arena expected
Bailemos Otra Vez Tour stop at Mandalay Bay at 8 p.m.; one listing gives Oct 16. · source
Oct 17Las Vegas PRIDE Festival
Annual Pride festival day at Desert Breeze Events Center. · source
Oct 21–Oct 24Tom Jones at Encore Theater
Come Gather Round Tour shows on Oct 21, 23 and 24 at Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas. · source
Oct 23–Oct 24Tim McGraw at the Colosseum
The first two of five fall shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, both at 8 p.m. · source

The venue stack

Allegiant Stadium
Allegiant Stadium
standalone (Las Vegas Raiders)
65,000 seats
$281M / 657K attendance (2025, Billboard Boxscore Oct 2024-Sep 2025; No. 1 US stadium, No. 2 worldwide) →
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena
standalone (MGM Resorts/AEG, Toshiba Plaza)
20,000 seats
$164.8M / 116 events (2025, Billboard Boxscore year-end; No. 5 arena worldwide, 15,001+ cap). Tickets sold not published. →
Sphere
Sphere
standalone (Sphere Entertainment, adjacent to The Venetian)
17,600 seats
$370.3M / 1.2M tickets / 105 shows (2025, Billboard Boxscore year-end; No. 1 venue 15,001+ cap worldwide). 2024: $420.5M / 1.3M tickets (Boxscore record). →
Anchor act: U2 (U2:UV Achtung Baby Live) · $244.5M / 40 shows / 663K tickets (4th-highest residency gross in Boxscore history) →
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, opened August 28, 2025, surpassed $400 million in ticket sales with over three million total tickets sold by mid-June 2026. →
MGM Grand Garden Arena
MGM Grand Garden Arena
MGM Grand
16,800 seats
Ranked No. 12 worldwide on Billboard's Midyear 2025 Boxscore Top Venues chart (10,001-15,000 capacity): $16.6M gross, 142K attendance, 22 shows (Oct 1, 2024 - Mar 31, 2025) →
Michelob Ultra Arena
Michelob Ultra Arena
Mandalay Bay
12,000 seats
Las Vegas Aces (WNBA) averaged 11,553 fans per home game there in the 2025 championship season, up from 11,283 in 2024 →
Orleans Arena
Orleans Arena
The Orleans (Boyd Gaming)
9,000 seats
Hosts more than 200 events per year; in March 2025 hosted back-to-back NCAA D1 tournaments: WCC Basketball Championships (Mar 6-11) and WAC Basketball Tournament (Mar 11-15); 2025 WAC men's championship game drew 3,780 →
PH Live at Planet Hollywood
PH Live at Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
7,000 seats
Approx. 7,000-capacity; Scorpions announced 8-show 'Coming Home to Las Vegas' residency Sept 17 - Oct 3, 2026, following three prior sold-out PH Live runs (2022, 2024, 2025); Black Eyed Peas' planned 15-show 2025 residency was canceled Jan 2025 →
Dolby Live at Park MGM
Dolby Live at Park MGM
Park MGM
5,200 seats
$115.3M / 474K attendance / 96 dates (2023 Boxscore year-end, Nov 2022-Sep 2023; No. 2 venue 5,001-10,000 cap). No public 2024/2025 per-venue figures. →
Anchor act: Bruno Mars · $124.5M / 79 shows / 410K tickets (per Billboard Boxscore, Dec 2024 report; ongoing) →
Resorts World Theatre
Resorts World Theatre
Resorts World Las Vegas
5,000 seats
319K attendance / 90 dates (2023 Boxscore year-end; No. 1 venue 5,000-or-less cap). Gross not published; 2022 gross was $55.3M. →
The Theater at Virgin Hotels
The Theater at Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
4,500 seats
4,500 capacity, AEG-operated; active 2026 touring calendar (GloRilla April 2026, Australian Pink Floyd Show August 2026) but no reported Boxscore/Pollstar boxoffice figures →
Awakening, Wynn Las Vegas's reported $120 million production show narrated by Anthony Hopkins, closes October 10, 2026 after nearly four years, with a new production slated for the theater in 2027. →
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace
4,300 seats
$66.4M / 239K fans / 64 shows (2025, Billboard Boxscore year-end; No. 1 venue 2,501-5,000 cap, 17th time atop category) →
Anchor act: Celine Dion (A New Day...) · $385.1M / 714 shows / 2.8M tickets (all-time Vegas residency record; both Dion runs combined $630.6M over 1,089 shows) →
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace ranked No. 1 among 2,501-5,000-capacity theaters on Billboard's 2025 venue charts, grossing $66.4 million from 64 shows. →
BleauLive Theater
BleauLive Theater
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
3,800 seats
3,644 seats; opened Dec 2023 with Post Malone; hosted 30-40 shows in year one and projected close to 70 shows in year two (2025); booked every weekend plus many midweek dates from Aug 2025; residencies include Thomas Rhett, Pitbull, and a long-term Tears For Fears run; hosted the American Music Awards →
The Chelsea
The Chelsea
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
3,200 seats
Ranked No. 20 on Billboard's Midyear 2025 Boxscore Top Venues chart (2,501-5,000 capacity): $5.7M gross, 62.2K attendance, 31 shows (Oct 1, 2024 - Mar 31, 2025) →
The Pearl
The Pearl
Palms Casino Resort
2,500 seats
2,500-seat theater; 2025 Best of Las Vegas Gold Winner for Best Showroom/Live Venue; steady 2025-2026 concert calendar (Kansas, Isley Brothers, Babyface, Charlie Wilson) but no reported revenue/attendance figures →
House of Blues
House of Blues
Mandalay Bay
1,800 seats
Santana's 'An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live' residency is in its 14th year; roughly 30 dates announced across Jan/Feb, May, Sept, and Nov 2026 →
Encore Theater
Encore Theater
Wynn Las Vegas
1,480 seats
$18M / 141K attendance / 105 shows (2023 Boxscore year-end). 2025: No. 2 venue in 2,500-or-less cap bracket with 116 shows (gross not published). →
The Venetian Theatre
The Venetian Theatre
The Venetian Resort
1,815 capacity; active residency house in 2026 (Styx: The Las Vegas Residency, Jan 2026; Collective Soul with Edwin McCain, Feb 2026); no reported boxoffice figures →

The record

The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, opened August 28, 2025, surpassed $400 million in ticket sales with over three million total tickets sold by mid-June 2026. source
At its one-year anniversary (August 2026), The Wizard of Oz at Sphere had topped $450 million in ticket sales. source
Sphere posted a record $400M+ year-end concert gross on Billboard's Boxscore venues ranking, the most ever reported by a single venue, driven by U2, Eagles, Dead & Company, Backstreet Boys and Kenny Chesney; the Las Vegas Review-Journal put the figure at over $420 million. source
Awakening, Wynn Las Vegas's reported $120 million production show narrated by Anthony Hopkins, closes October 10, 2026 after nearly four years, with a new production slated for the theater in 2027. source
Cirque du Soleil has five resident Las Vegas productions selling tickets into 2026: Mystere (Treasure Island), O (Bellagio), KA (MGM Grand), Michael Jackson ONE (Mandalay Bay), and Mad Apple (New York-New York). source
The Eagles extended their Sphere residency to 48 total shows running through January 2026, with tickets starting at $175. source
Kenny Chesney became the first country artist to headline Sphere, opening a 15-date residency on May 22, 2025. source
Sphere Entertainment announced The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere as its next original Sphere Experience, expected to open in 2027, alongside Sphere Abu Dhabi on Yas Island targeted for completion by end of 2029. source
Ticket sales for Las Vegas shows were estimated to top $1.8 billion in 2022, with total economic impact of the show economy estimated at $5-10 billion annually (industry estimate, not an official LVCVA figure). source
Las Vegas drew approximately 38.5 million visitors in 2025, down 7.5% from 2024 and the lowest total since 2021, per LVCVA data. source
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace ranked No. 1 among 2,501-5,000-capacity theaters on Billboard's 2025 venue charts, grossing $66.4 million from 64 shows. source

In the news

hospitalityRod Stewart Schedules New Casino Dates Following Las Vegas Residency Cancellation
Casino.org · Oct 15, 2026
Just two months after canceling his remaining Las Vegas residency dates, Rod Stewart continues to expand his global farewell tour, adding several casino resort stops set for 2027. In August, Stewart called off his residency at The Colosseum…
hospitalityJohn Mayer adds three dates to Sphere residency
FOX5 Vegas · Oct 13, 2026
John Mayer has added three performances to his “Live at Sphere” residency due to demand.
hospitalityVEGAS MUSIC NEWS: John Mayer Hits 21 at Sphere, Sting Returns to Caesars
Casino.org · Oct 13, 2026
John Mayer has added three dates to his 2027 Sphere residency, bringing the run to a Vegas-lucky 21 shows. The new dates—June 9, 11 and 12—were announced Tuesday following sustained demand. Mayer initially announced six dates in September b…
hospitalitySting Snags New Residency at Caesars Palace
Vital Vegas · Oct 13, 2026
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, known to some as Sting, will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for an 11-show residency in 2027. The 2027 performance dates: March 4, 6, 7, 10 and 12; October 14, 16, 17, 20, 22 and 23. The name of the …
hospitalityThe Chainsmokers Return to Encore Beach at Night
EDMTunes · Oct 13, 2026
The Chainsmokers return to Las Vegas destination Encore Beach Club at Night yet again on Saturday, October 17th as part of their continued, extraordinarily successful Wynn Nightlife run. From their first Wynn residency in 2017 through today…
hospitalityBeat the Heat with Alesso's Last Omnia Dayclub Set of the Season
EDMTunes · Oct 13, 2026
After an exciting summer season, Alesso returns to Omnia Dayclub in Las Vegas for one final pool party on October 17, 2026. Alesso's string of 2026 accomplishments, releases and sold-out shows across the world further reinforced his selecti…
hospitalityVEGAS MUSIC NEWS: Lionel Richie Postpones Residency, Pearl Jam Resists Sphere, Nickelback Tour Stop
Casino.org · Oct 12, 2026
Lionel Richie postponed three shows this week at Encore Theater at the Wynn: Oct. 14, 16 and 17. The 77-year-old “Hello” singer recently disclosed that he underwent a procedure for atrial fibrillation, which also forced him to cancel tour s…
hospitalityHalloween celebration planned for ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Sphere
FOX5 Vegas · Oct 9, 2026
A special afterparty follows the 8 p.m. performance on Oct. 30; costumes are encouraged but optional.

Figures as of 2026-08-23.