Penn & Teller have temporarily shuttered their Las Vegas residency at the Rio because of health reasons.
Penn & Teller perform their Las Vegas show at the Rio. Teller, pictured on the right, recently underwent heart surgery and, on doctor’s orders, won’t be able to perform for the next eight or so weeks. (Image: Conde Nast Traveler)
Teller, 74, the silent partner of the magic duo, recently underwent open-heart surgery. The act’s longtime manager Glenn Alai said in a statement that Teller needs time to recover from the bypass operation.
Teller underwent bypass surgery on Thursday here in Las Vegas and is resting and recovering well. Under doctor’s orders, he will be off stage over the next several weeks with an eye towards returning to performances in late November or early December,” Alai explained.
Penn & Teller — Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller — are the longest-running headliners to play at the same casino resort in Las Vegas history. It’s a distinction they’ve held since the mid-2010s when they broke the record for the longest-running Las Vegas residency at the same venue.
Their magic and comedy show debuted at the off-Strip Rio in 2001 at their namesake Penn & Teller Theater.
Rod Stewart Extends Caesars Show
It’s only Tuesday, but it’s been a busy week for Caesars Entertainment’s entertainment department. Caesars, which operates the Rio, inclusive of its gaming, hotel, and entertainment operations, also announced this week that Sir Rod Stewart will be extending his time at Caesars Palace.
The 77-year-old English singer-songwriter shows no signs of slowing down, as Stewart has agreed to extend his Caesars Palace residency into a 12th year. Stewart plans to return to Las Vegas in 2023 for 13 performances of his Caesars residency, “Rod Stewart: The Hits.”
Stewart’s residency has been held at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace since its premiere in August 2011.
Stewart is one of the best-selling artists in the history of music. The “You’re In My Heart” singer has sold more than 250 million records and singles worldwide. Music critics have said his signature voice and style have transcended all genres of pop music during his storied career.
Stewart was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was included in the Hall’s ninth class with such legends as Elton John, Bob Marley, and John Lennon.
Entertainment Capital
Las Vegas is best known as “Sin City,” but local officials prefer being known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” Casinos and the government agency that promotes Southern Nevada as a destination for both business conventions and leisure travel believe marketing the region’s broad array of entertainment over so-called “sin” industry activities appeals to a broader range of potential travelers.
And with most Americans now within an hour’s drive of a legal casino, the days of needing to travel to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to find a regulated slot machine or table game are decades in the past. As a result, Las Vegas casinos have reconfigured their resort operations to put a premium on non-gaming activities.
According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, during non-pandemic times, more than half of all visitors to Las Vegas attend a show while in town. Fifty-nine percent of all travelers to Las Vegas in 2017 said they took in a show.
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