Iconic downtown Las Vegas saloon finds its new home
It was a long and, at times, bumpy ride. But an iconic Vegas tavern has a new residence.
Hogs & Heifers Saloon is setting up at 307 and 319 Main St., taking over the half-acre spot once home to the historic Little Hotel Rooming House parcel. Find the party annex between Bridger Hotel and Las Vegas City Hall, with a tentative reopening by December, says owner Michelle Dell.
Hogs & Heifers shut down its 3rd Street location after business July 6, as the club’s 20-year lease with property owner CIM Group expired. The club’s owner announced in May the saloon would go dark temporarily.
“This location couldn’t be more perfect for us,” Dell says in a statement. The club owner has for years been reviewing that site as a potential home for Hogs & Heifers. “Since we announced our temporary closure back in May, our customers have asked us every day whether we’ve found a new home. Keeping it under wraps hasn’t been easy, especially with how close we’ve come to shutting our doors on 3rd Street.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to finally say: Yes—we have—and this is it.”
In May, Dell and Hogs & Heifers COO Michelle Sandler launched launched Operation Saves Hogs, a fundraising initiative designed to help its non-management staff transition through the down period. The campaign includes online donations and merchandise sales.
The effort has provided support as the team navigates the relocation and construction. Operation Saves Hogs is ongoing, with continued assistance to non-management employees as the next chapter for Hogs & Heifers gets underway.
“Nearly every team member stayed with us after our May announcement,” says Dell, whose business employed 45 team members at the July closing. “That kind of loyalty is rare, and any business would be lucky to have them.”
More than 200,000 visitors annually have taken a swig and/or shots at Hogs & Heifers since its 2005 opening. Dell is adept at building new neighborhoods and is eager to fire up the saloon’s next era.
“This purchase allows us to remain a destination bar, contribute meaningfully to the downtown economy, and do it all on our own terms,” Dell says. “This is our own kind of Independence Day — a symbolic and literal move toward freedom, stability, and ownership.”
Brown, choir and acres
Zac Brown told Travis and Jason Kelce on their “New Heights” podcast last week of a few details in his his band’s December “Love and Fear” run at Sphere. Brown shared, “We filmed a 40-piece orchestra, we filmed a 20-piece choir, I’ve been a stunt man, I’ve jerked around on stunt wires, drug around the ground and thrown in the air. It’s been wild, man … They have to measure the video in acres. There’s four acres of video.”
He said the work has been ongoing for 14 months. The Zac Brown band founder said, “This is the home for the spectacle … This is the greatest canvas for creativity that’s ever been made.”
As Travis Kelce noted, “So dope, man.” The Chief is right.
Twenty-five to 10
This Thursday, Dick Feeney’s “The Rat Pack is Back” is celebrating 25 years, and also 26 years (it opened at Desert Inn in 1999) in Las Vegas. And, it is marking 10 years at The Copa Room at Tuscany Suites.
Chris Jason plays Frank Sinatra, Drew Anthony plays Dean Martin and Kyle Diamond plays Sammy Davis Jr. These are well-voiced, heartfelt impressions, delivering ample mirth, all powered by Lon Bronson’s seven-piece band.
The show is the ongoing tribute to the Rat Pack. Over the past 26 years, the show has bounced from Desert Inn, Sahara, Greek Isles, Plaza, Rio and finally Tuscany, where it opened in 2015.
It’s so not Beyoncé
Colin Cowhill — I mean, Cahill —- plays the dopey Blue Jackson in “Atomic Saloon Show.” But he’s leader of the Blue Jackson Five in his new video titled, “It’s Not Beyoncé,” performed to “Texas Hold ‘Em” from “Cowboy Carter.” Or, “Cowboy Cowter,” in this video. “Jolene,” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” are also given a thorough run-through. This piece of art is typical Spiegelworld fare, posted on the company’s YouTube page (content for grown-ups, so navigate responsibly).
Tease this …
An off-Broadway production is a strong candidate to move to Las Vegas after its five-week run. Entertainment power players are checking it out, even as we speak.
And this …
Sphere has some wild marketing coming, very Vegas-centric, for “Wizard of Oz.”
Cool Hang Alert
The Railhead at Boulder Station continues to rock with no-cover entertainment. Vegas hip-hop, jazz, blues and gospel FM Station Power 88 (KCEP-FM) leads the party every Friday. Shows are at 9 p.m. Ages 21-and-over, go to power88lv.com for station intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
