Splitsville: Harrah’s and ‘Legends’; Wanna buy used Hooters?

If you want to see Legends in Concert at Harrah’s Las Vegas, better get a move on: The tribute act and Harrah’s LV “have mutually agreed” to go their separate ways on Dec. 30. This doesn’t mean that Caesars Entertainment and Legends are getting a divorce — the Bally’s Wild Wild West iteration will continue to run in Atlantic City. However, On Stage Entertainment COO Brian Brigner said his show was “finalizing and will soon announce plans for the next chapter of our enduring success story,” which sure sound the words of a man who’s cutting a deal with a non-Caesars property. Also, the announcement was made by an outside PR firm, not by Caesars, albeit a firm that also reps Harrah’s stalwart Mac King. Reading this set of entrails is not easy. Stranger still, Legends held a publicity event for Strip conciergerie earlier this week, so the timing of today’s bombshell is odd, to say the least.

There are so many places Legends could go that it’s difficult to speculate on what the mystery venue is. Rule out the Stratosphere, which recently booted Bite — soon to take up residence at the Plaza. It axed its own American Superstars not that long ago. More importantly, the Strat has a Claire Sinclair revue on the way, part of an effort to class up its image around Frankie Moreno‘s hit show. The Riviera sure could use a tenant for its idle Versailles Theater and Legends would be the right scale for the venue. However, Brigner better be prepared to put some of his company’s money into the place. There’s the ever-in-flux Las Vegas Tropicana showroom … and even Caesars itself could use something, anything to fling into the Planet Hollywood showroom during ‘family hour.’ Besides, we’ll soon find out if there’s Life After Holly for Peepshow, already a Mini-Me version of its original incarnation.

Elsewhere in Planet Ho … is it a bigger comedown for Nathan Burton to take his magic act from the Flamingo Las Vegas to the David Saxe Theater in the Miracle Mile mall or for the Flamingo will reportedly cull his rumored replacement from the David Saxe roster of shows? (Given the layers of tenantry now between Burton and Caesars, it’s a bit of stretch to imply he’s still within the corporate toga.) At least some July rumblings that Human Nature would up and take its infectious Motown stylings to The Venetian seem to have just been producer Adam Steck blowing off steam. Then again, running a show amidst the construction project that will be “The Quad” would probably strain any impresario’s good nature.

Y’all remember Hooters? Although a bankruptcy court auction for the off-Strip grind joint didn’t draw flies, its creditor-owners are rumored to be shopping it again. If nobody wanted to bid against them, why would the situation be different now? Any prospective buyer faces the not-inconsiderable challenges up bringing the dilapidated property into the 21st century and tearing out the Hooters theme, which was an unexpected failure. We really didn’t see that coming.