Iconic Battista’s, Stage Door Casino still closed; owner has lost patience
Long waits are common for Battista’s Hole in the Wall, the Las Vegas culinary institution just off the Strip. But three months is far and away a restaurant record.
Battista’s shut down at the end of May for ceiling repairs, and to install a new air conditioning system. Owner Randy Markin had hoped to reopen the restaurant by the end of June. Now the timeline is the end of August, if not later.
Markin also owns Stage Door Casino, next door to Battista’s on Flamingo Road, a few strides east of Las Vegas Boulevard. Stage Door is now also temporarily closed, for the same upgrades being enacted — slowly — at Battista’s.
Construction delays and a longer-than-planned inspection process has forced both businesses to go dark. Markin resisted the suggestion he’s displayed impressive patience in this saga.
“I’m not patient,” Markin said Sunday. “This is driving me crazy.”
Markin took over Battista’s two years ago, to save it from being closed by then-owner Caesars Entertainment. Original owner Battista Locatelli opened the restaurant in 1970, selling it to Harrah’s Entertainment (later renamed Caesars Entertainment) in 2005. Its walls adorned with photos of a veritable who’s-who (mostly who-was) in Vegas entertainment history, the old building’s roof began to leak during rainstorms.
Those same issues led to the work at Stage Door, where the renovations will take even longer.
In September Markin filed a lawsuit against Clark County, claiming financial losses during the inaugural F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023. The longtime restaurant has been paying his staff at both businesses during the down time. That’s 110 employees total, 65 at Battista’s and 45 at Stage Door.
Markin says he will know more this week. He’s been saying that for many weeks. At the moment, his focus is on repairs and taking care of his own.
“These staff members have been with us for many years. It’s important to help them,” Markin said. “That’s ‘Old Vegas’ talking.”
What we won’t see …
Performances to replace Kelly Clarkson’s four postponed shows this month at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
It takes about six months to present a production in the venue. Jerry Seinfeld is next up, Sept. 5-6. The comic legend passed 100 performances at the Colosseum last September, and is the longest-running headliner ever at the venue, opening May 2, 2003.
Circus du Laliberte
An all-star cast of acrobats, singers and side acts performed at Saturday night’s Nevada Donor Network gala at Hakkasan Nightclub at Caesars Palace. This was a taste of Guy Laliberte’s “Midnight Circus” show.
This was no random appearance. Laliberte, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, has designs on a Las Vegas return with his Frooogs Camp (the entertainment icon did not attend Saturday’s event).
This is the red-and-green-hued, frog-themed community of custom-designed RVs in Laliberte’s fanciful alternative universe. The Frooogs have set up campsites and performance spaces at Luxor during Super Bowl 59 week, and also at Electric Daisy Carnival. Laliberte led an RV parade along the Strip in October 2023, also in support of NDN.
At the time, Laliberte referred to his distance from Las Vegas since he sold his interest in Cirque a decade ago. “I’m an artist and I’m using metaphor instead of taking a hammer to something. I believe in self-medicine, and right now color is the self-medicine of the world.”
There is no home site established for Laliberte’s adventure. But like his RV’s, he’s in for the long haul.
Thicke in the night
An unbilled but impressive headliner has appeared at Delilah at the Wynn. We speak of Robin Thicke. Thicke held forth in the glorious supper club a couple weekends ago.
This was not a pop-in show. Thicke rehearsed with the band, fully engaged in everyone’s role in the performance. Delilah has late-night, music-driven productions on Saturdays, and is generally going after the live-music crowd.
Garrett, Mandel reunion
Brad Garrett and Howie Mandel are touring together for the fist time, with a run through Caesars Palace Atlantic City, Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and Wind Creek Event Center in Bethleham, Pa. over Aug. 22-24.
The two have appeared once on the same bill together, with Garrett opening for Mandel at a club in Bakersfield in 1980. Mandel took the entire crowd to a bowling alley after the show.
The two are favorites in Las Vegas, with Garrett running his eponymous club at MGM Grand, and Mandel appearing at that hotel, co-billed with Arsenio Hall on Sept. 20. Check you bowling balls at the door.
Heads up
Steve Siegel is following through with his promise to market Piero’s merchandise. On Saturday, the incoming restaurant owner’s buddy and fellow entrepreneur Darin Feinstein posted an IG story of the two wearing “Piero’s Legendary Italian Cuisine” hats. Black with white lettering. This was inside the main dining room. The hats and shirts will be on sale at Piero’s “soon,” Siegel says.
I’m remembering how Piero’s founder Freddy Glusman chided me for wearing a hat (fedora) during our interview at the restaurant in June. Those days are long gone, friends.
Cool Hang Alert
Frankie Moreno (and his FM Army fan club) returns to Myron’s at The Smith Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Moreno is recording a video from a tune off his upcoming “Ghost in the Bottle.” Moreno’s release party for the CD-only release is Oct. 10 at Notoriety Live. Only 150 CDs are being held for that event. It’s all super-exclusive.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.