Latest news with #Strip


CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
On GPS: What is life like in Gaza right now?
The images out of Gaza this week were stunning: Large crowds of Palestinians rushed to grab food from the first shipments that have trickled in after Israel's 11-week blockade on aid. Fareed talks with Arwa Damon, a former CNN correspondent who has visited the Strip four times since October 7 for humanitarian work, about what life is actually like in Gaza right now.

Travel Weekly
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel Weekly
Elaine Wynn's legacy will live on in Las Vegas
Although Elaine Wynn, co-founder of Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts, died April 14 at the age of 82, her influence will continue to be felt on the Las Vegas Strip and beyond for decades. Not only did she and her ex-husband, Steve Wynn, usher in the modern era of megaresorts, she was instrumental in encouraging more women in gaming company boardrooms and was a philanthropist who supported many education initiatives and the city's arts culture. Elaine Wynn The Wynns' first major project in Las Vegas, in the 1970s, was to transform and expand downtown's Golden Nugget, which had opened in 1946 and had been "a pretty dusty Western casino and small hotel," said Alan Feldman, a casino industry veteran, in an interview with City Cast Las Vegas. Among the many new elements that made it the highest-end property downtown were the Spa Tower and two-story suites, which Feldman said were the first of their kind in the market. Then came the opening of the Mirage in 1989 with what would become the iconic volcano, said to be Elaine's idea. Other revolutionary amenities attracting guests' attention beyond the casino floor: an 80-foot-tall atrium and rainforest, a 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium behind the registration desk and Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. "Steve's vision was really about the property. Elaine's vision was about Las Vegas, and I found that just absolutely dynamic," said Feldman, who worked with the Wynns on the opening. "[Steve] was describing a hotel that didn't exist before. She was describing a city that wasn't here, and the idea that these two things could be interrelated and have impact on one another was really compelling." Treasure Island (which opened in 1993), featuring a now-defunct lakefront pirate battle, and Bellagio (1998), with its breathtaking conservatory and dynamic fountains, proved to be even bigger templates for their ideas. Although the Mirage is now closed and being rebranded into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas, Treasure Island, Bellagio, Wynn (2005) and Encore (2008) remain vibrant examples of their vision. The Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports education, community development and the arts, had this to say about her: "Each project reflected her creative sense and impeccable taste. But her most lasting contribution is the people-first culture she always prioritized. Her unwavering empathy for her colleagues and employees is undeniably the magic quality she infused in everything she touched." The Wynns were married in 1963, divorced in 1986 but married again in 1991. That second marriage also ended in divorce, in 2010. But Elaine Wynn remained on Wynn Resorts' board for a short time following Steve Wynn's departure from the company in 2018 amid reporting of his decadeslong pattern of sexual misconduct with employees. She continued behind the scenes to preserve the legacy of hospitality she helped create, said Feldman, now director of strategic initiatives for the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She fostered more women in boardrooms and those with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds to bring different perspectives to hospitality and gaming. "Elaine had an incredibly profound impact on that, and that's not going anywhere," Feldman told the podcast. Also not going anywhere are the effects of her philanthropy. She was the founding chairman of Communities in Schools of Nevada (a dropout prevention organization), she helped raise millions of dollars for UNLV, and she funded the education program at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. "Elaine was instrumental in establishing the Elaine Wynn Studio for Arts Education at the Smith Center," according to a statement provided by the performing arts center. "Through the years, its programs have provided cultural enrichment to hundreds of thousands of young people throughout Southern Nevada, a tribute to Elaine's energy, generosity and tireless dedication to arts literacy." • Related: These four museums tell the story of Las Vegas But the legacy of Elaine Wynn that visitors to Las Vegas may anticipate the most is the Las Vegas Museum of Art, what would be the city's first world-class art museum, near the Smith Center. Her landmark gift propelled a collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on the project. Planning and fundraising continue. A rendering of the proposed Las Vegas Museum of Art, a passion project of Elaine Wynn's. Groundbreaking is expected in 2027. Photo Credit: Kere Architecture Groundbreaking for the 90,000-square foot, three-story museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kere, is expected in 2027. "She understood that Las Vegas was not just a destination; it was an experience -- an ever-evolving tapestry woven with threads of art, culture and the human spirit," the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation statement said.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tycoon Festival 2025: Chris Brown stars, Sexyy Red surprises, Detroit hip-hop represents
In a lively and festive Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena, the Tycoon Music Festival made its Detroit premiere as Chris Brown headlined to a packed house. Detroit's Tee Grizzley and viral rapper Sexyy Red were among the top surprise guests in a four-hour affair that delivered multiple artist cameos to go with the announced lineup of Brown, Wiz Khalifa, Gucci Mane, Fabolous and Skilla Baby. It was the sixth edition of an annual event launched in 2019 by Brown's manager, Ant Wilson, who was on hand at LCA along with girlfriend and R&B star Monica. Detroit was the latest destination for Tycoon after previous runs in cities such as Atlanta and Houston. Here's a rundown: Brown's 50-minute set reaffirmed his onstage bona fides as he closed the night for one of Team Breezy's most devoted U.S. markets. Kicking off with a neon-streaked 'Party,' Brown drew mostly on the recent years of his two-decade catalog, though he did dip back to the early days with a dash through 'Yo (Excuse Me Miss),' 'Poppin'' and a glistening 'Strip.' Brown was joined at times by a high-energy dance crew to complement his own dazzling, hip-hop-influenced moves, though he was just as comfortable commanding the proceedings alone onstage. He shined on a mid-show stretch of bedroom soul ('Sweet Love,' 'Back to Sleep') and a warm, glowing 'Residuals.' Clad in a shirt citing Ecclesiastes 9:11 — a Bible verse about endurance through life's twists and turns — Brown wrapped up with 2014's 'Loyal' after thanking fans for their allegiance: 'It'll never go unnoticed,' he said. Saturday's set was a quick taste of what may be coming with Breezy Bowl XX, which will kick off in June and eventually feature pair of August shows at Ford Field: a slick, visual-heavy production (including pyro and a pair of giant inflatable Chris Browns flanking the stage), dynamic choreography and a heap of hit songs. By virtue of its timing, this year's Tycoon became a 4/20 weekend celebration — the weed aroma was apparent as soon as you pulled into an LCA parking area — and this Pittsburgh stoner-rapper was certainly up for the cause. Spliff in hand as he hit the stage, Wiz romped through a trippy 40-minute set of hazy floaters ('Mezmorized'), hypnotic numbers ('We Dem Boyz') and catchy hits like 'Roll Up,' which came with giant balloon joints tossed to the crowd. Fans especially locked in as he wrapped with an upbeat 'Young, Wild & Free' and anthemic 'See You Again' with Charlie Puth's piped-in vocals. Three months after her own LCA headlining appearance, the breakout St. Louis rapper was back Saturday, drawing screams of recognition as she hit the stage two hours in. Twerking in a skintight suit, Sexyy Red clocked all of five minutes in her cameo. She followed a pair of unannounced sets from Detroit rapper Payroll Giovanni — who performed his solo hit 'Hoes Like' and nodded to his westside group Doughboyz Cashout — and Chicago's G Herbo. It was Tee Grizzley who got the prime-time spotlight, joining Brown for the duo's 2023 hit 'IDGAF' and wrapping his mini-set with a crowd-igniting 'First Day Out,' the rapper's 2016 breakthrough smash. In between — with Brown momentarily ceding his own stage — Tee paired up with fellow Detroit rapper Skilla Baby for their collab 'Gorgeous.' Earlier, Skilla Baby had kicked off the Tycoon fest with a ladies-pleasing set that had him venturing out into the arena to give fans a chance to grab their own close-up TikTok moments. 'There's no place like home, there's no place like home,' the 26-year-old intoned at one point. Highlights included 'CFWM' and 'Tay B Style' — and a Skilla-led crowd singalong on Keyshia Cole's 'Love.' Atlanta trap pioneer Gucci Mane logged a pro performance with a set that included a vivacious onstage appearance from his wife, Keyshia Ka'Oirr, during his early career hit 'Freaky Gurl,' part of a set that included crowd-pleasers 'Pillz' and 'Wasted.' Fabolous, equipped with his agile, sing-song delivery, kicked off with a latter-day track ('Cold Summer') before ultimately making his way back in time to the smooth grooves of 'Can't Let You Go' and the set-closing 'Breathe.' Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tycoon fest in Detroit: Chris Brown stars, Sexyy Red surprises, more
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Largest public subsidy in state history makes legislative debut
A Howard Hughes Corp. image of the proposed project site. Two film industry giants, along with one of Las Vegas's most prolific developers, are asking Nevada lawmakers for what would be the state's largest ever public subsidy: $1.8 billion over 15 years. Sony Pictures and Warner Brothers Discovery are promising to build a 31-acre film and tv production campus, which would anchor a 100-acre mixed use area being developed by the Howard Hughes Corporation. But the project, currently known as Summerlin Production Studios, is entirely dependent upon the approval of generous tax incentives for the industry, the developers emphasized. Sponsored by Assemblymembers Sandra Jauregui and Daniele Monreo Moreno, Assembly Bill 238 would establish $120 million in film tax credits annually for 15 years — $95 million for productions at the Summerlin studio and $25 million for productions not tied to the studio. That's a twelvefold increase over the state's current film tax credit program, which is capped at $10 million annually. The bill received its first hearing Thursday in the Assembly Committee on Revenue. Monroe Moreno told the committee that when conversations about the project started 'years ago' she was 'very much against tax credits but very much for the industry.' She continued, 'We had to get this legislation right for this state. As a fiscal leader in this body, the numbers had to be right for this state.' Jauregui and Monroe Moreno pitched Summerlin Production Studios as a way to diversify Southern Nevada's economy by bringing in a new industry that is not prone to the same boom and bust cycle as the dominant gaming and tourism industries. Executives from Sony and Warner Bros said they believe Las Vegas has existing labor talent they can pull from and help grow. They pointed to the lighting and sound crews who work Strip productions or conventions as a prime example. Las Vegas's close proximity to Los Angeles is also seen as a benefit because it would allow talent to more easily travel home on weekends. But they say financial incentives are also needed in order to make Nevada competitive with other states and countries who are actively pursuing the industry. Jauregui described it as a 'transformative' investment. A fiscal and economic analysis by PFM Group Consulting for the project estimates a 20% fiscal return to the State of Nevada, meaning that the expected tax revenue over the 15-year period would be $335 million compared to the cumulative $1.65 billion in new film tax credits (the total $1.8 billion number includes the $10 million annual tax credit already in state law). Put more simply, for every $1 in tax credits the state gives, the state would receive 20 cents in tax revenue. That return on investment increases to 46% — or 46 cents in for every $1 in film tax credits — once tax revenue at the local level is considered. As for the broader economic impact, PFM estimates construction would generate $2.874 billion and then $3.038 billion once stood up. The construction phase, which presenters indicated would last seven to eight years, would support approximately 12,600 direct jobs and the studio itself would support 9,300 direct permanent, non-construction jobs. Altogether that would result in nearly $25 in economic impact for every $1 in film tax credits, PFM concluded. PFM's presentation notes that only $1.4 billion of the estimated $3.038 economic impact is a direct result of the studio. The rest is indirect, such as the drycleaners and caterers used by productions, or induced, which includes assumed household spending based on employee's labor income. Without those indirect and induced impacts, the return on investment is $11.50 for every $1 of film tax credit. A parade of construction and skilled trades unions have already thrown their support behind the project. They include the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union, which has already signed a project labor agreement for the studio, and Laborers Union Local 872. Committee members largely stayed away from broader questions about the effectiveness of tax incentives as an economic driver. Instead, they asked the studio heads and lobbyists about the mechanics of the lengthy bill, and they sought details on partnerships or programs the studios would undertake related to education and workforce development. The bill would require the construction of a vocational studio for use by UNLV and other institutions of higher education and K-12 schools. Investments in workforce development programs would also be required. 'The next Denzel Washington could come from Nevada's students,' added Monroe Moreno. Sony and Warner Bros leaders said they expect to fully use the campus for their own productions, meaning they would be the companies earning annual $95 million in studio-related tax credits. Both companies are considered part of the 'Big Five' major movie studios. If greenlit by the Legislature, construction on the studio would begin almost immediately, said Matt Walker, a lobbyist for Howard Hughes, but tax credits would not be given out until the second half of 2028. That start date is notable because it is not within the upcoming fiscal biennium the Legislature is currently budgeting for. When asked what would happen at the end of the 15 years of tax credits, Walker replied that the state's film tax credit program would snap back to the $10 million annual cap currently in place. Walker did not mention the possibility of requesting a continuation or expansion, but that has typically been what has happened in states and countries that have introduced incentive programs for the industry. Critics of corporate tax breaks contend they pit states against one another in 'a race to the bottom.' Democratic Assemblymember Venicia Considine briefly touched on that sentiment, noting in the hearing that California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently proposed a massive expansion of his state's incentive program, from $330 million annually to $750 million. 'Makes me wonder if some gamesmanship is going on between the states,' she said. A labor-led initiative 'Keep California Rolling' to support expanding tax credit programs in the state launched the same day as Nevada's hearing and two days after two bills on film tax credits were introduced into the California State Legislature. The Keep California Rolling website states that 'increasing competition from other states and countries, compounded by economic downturns, and devastating natural disasters, have put California's entertainment workforce at risk.' With a 15-year price tag of up to $1.8 billion, the Summerlin Production Studios project would be the largest public subsidy ever approved by the State of Nevada, topping the $1.25 billion in incentives over 10 years approved for Tesla Motors in 2014. More recent mega deals approved by the state over the past decade include: $380 million for the Oakland A's to relocate to a new baseball stadium on the Las Vegas Strip, $412 million for a second Tesla facility in Northern Nevada, and $750 million for Allegiant Stadium. The Nevada State Education Association, which strongly opposed the baseball stadium subsidy and attempted to fight it in court and as a ballot measure, came out in strong opposition to the film tax credit bill, calling it a 'Hollywood handout.' Representatives urged lawmakers to instead focus on funding proposals outlined by the Nevada Commission on School Funding. The Nevada Policy Research Institute, a libertarian group, testified in opposition, arguing the return investment was poor and noting the state sometimes struggles with properly forecasting the use of transferable tax credits. AB 238 specifies that earned transferable tax credits can be used for broad business tax or for industry-specific ones like the gaming and insurance tax. One woman, who identified herself only as Stephanie Cruz during opposition testimony, singled out Warner Brothers as being largely known for union busting, shelving projects for tax write offs, and engaging in market manipulation. 'These are parasitic corporations that we should not be inviting, let alone funding,' she said. Cruz continued to say that the film tax credit proposal would benefit 'Californians trying to flee' their state's higher taxes. They could sell their homes and destabilize the housing market, similar to what many believe happened in Northern Nevada after Tesla's arrival. At no point in the hourslong Assembly committee Thursday was the dueling film tax credit proposal in the Senate mentioned. Senate Bill 220, sponsored by state Sen. Roberta Lange, was introduced two days after Jauregui's bill last week, would support a film studio called the Nevada Studios Project in the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley, on land owned by UNLV. Lange sponsored a film tax credit bill in 2023 which included the Nevada Studios Project and the Summerlin Production Studios, which at the time had only Sony Pictures attached. She has said the two film tax credit bills should be combined. That bill, which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Revenue and Economic Development, has not been scheduled for a hearing.


Express Tribune
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Teresa Palmer, Russell Crowe, and Nina Dobrev team up for ‘Bear Country'
Teresa Palmer has officially joined the cast of the upcoming action-thriller Bear Country, starring alongside Russell Crowe and Nina Dobrev. Directed by Derrick Borte, the film is currently in production in Australia. Palmer, known for Warm Bodies and A Discovery of Witches, plays the female lead, Sunny, the razor-sharp girlfriend of Manco Kapak (Crowe), an aging but formidable club owner. Kapak's plans to sell his club and retire take a hit when a masked gunman robs him, forcing him into a dangerous pursuit. The film also features Kartiah Vergara in a key role. Bear Country is based on Strip, a novel by Thomas Perry, with a screenplay by Borte and Daniel Forte (American Dreamer). Production is backed by Nickel City Pictures, A Higher Standard, G2 Dispatch, and Life & Soul Pictures. Palmer's upcoming projects include the limited series The Family Next Door and the drama series The Last Anniversary, based on Liane Moriarty's novel and executive-produced by Nicole Kidman. She recently starred in the rom-com Addition, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and David Leitch's The Fall Guy. Over the weekend, Palmer received the Excellence in Film & Television Award at the 2025 G'Day USA Arts Gala, honoring Australian talent in the U.S. She is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360, Shanahan Management, and Sloane Offer.