Bronx Wanderers Closes at Westgate on Nov. 14, Band Member Spills Tea
Originally published at Vital Vegas
It’s sure to cause their fans some dismay that The Bronx Wanderers are ending their run at Westgate on Nov. 14, 2022.
Typically, when a Las Vegas show closes, you never really get to hear why the show closed.
Our default assumption in such cases is, “Successful shows don’t close.”
In the case of the Bronx Wanderers, though, it’s more complicated.
In a post on Facebook, one of the band members, Vincent John, provided some rare insight into why the Bronx Wanderers are hitting the road.
The rumors he’s talking about were ours, of course.
Rumor is they may not renew at Westgate. There’s more to be made being on the road. https://t.co/148R5pzzTd
— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) October 8, 2022
Obviously, this isn’t just about Bronx Wanderers. This is also about the business reality for mid-sized shows in Las Vegas.
While unions provide many benefits to their members, union rules also put financial pressure on shows.
John says, “Back in the day, hotels would handle many of these costs. Nowadays, shows somehow support the multimillion-dollar hotels who made the union contracts in the first place.”
Behold, the realness, and surprisingly few entertainers or producers ever talk about this subject publicly.
At one time, casinos subsidized shows to draw gamblers. In recent years, however, shows have had to make it on their own, bearing a number of expenses previously paid by the casino (including marketing costs).
In many cases, it’s simply not worth the trouble for a casino to deal with shows at all. Caesars Entertainment, for example, closed several mid-tier show venues, including Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars, the Anthony Cools Theater at Paris and Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood.
The closure of smaller theaters is why The Bronx Wanderers ended up at Westgate in the first place.
The landscape of Las Vegas entertainment is definitely changing. It sounds like The Bronx Wanderers will fare better on tour.
The Bronx Wanderers sounds like a family affair, consisting of “a father, his two sons and two high school friends.” Here’s more.
If you’ve been meaning to see The Bronx Wanderers in Las Vegas, now’s the time to make that happen. Tickets start at about $50.