Sarah Feldberg
You could call it "The Hangover" hangover. Not in the lying-on-the-couch-with-a-raging-headache sense, but in the lingering effects of a glorious binge.
While Las Vegas has long been a favorite Hollywood location for TV shows and movies, the 2009 tale of a bachelor party gone horribly, tiger-in-the-bathroom wrong had visitors flocking to the Strip and Caesars Palace to try out lines from the movie ("Did Caesar live here?") and request a suite that didn't exist. The R-rated comedy not only raked in $467.5 million at the box office, it drove feet and spending to Las Vegas.
Caesars Entertainment has taken "The Hangover" effect seriously. While the company has long embraced films like "Rain Man" and Elizabeth Taylor's "The Only Game in Town," in the wake of the success of "The Hangover," Caesars launched a dedicated, in-house production team that supported 302 programs in 2016 and helped films such as "Jason Bourne" and TV shows like "MasterChef" use the city as a backdrop and catch Caesars resorts from their best angles.
This summer the company is taking its relationship with Hollywood to the next level with the opening of the Caesars Entertainment Studios, a 48,000-square-foot production facility, just behind Bally's and walking distance from the Strip, that will debut in June.
"We pride ourselves on being the best prepared to support productions when they come to Las Vegas," said Jason Gastwirth, senior vice president of marketing and entertainment for Caesars Entertainment. "We help them with everything from permitting to setting up sets. It's no coincidence that you do see so many Caesars properties featured."
The new soundstage, he said, "is a natural extension of that. As they shoot at our properties, Caesars Entertainment Studios is providing a set that can provide any backdrop."
Instead of filming on location then heading back down the freeway to Los Angeles, soon films and TV shows will be able to do some production on-site, shooting scenes that have nothing to do with the flashing Strip outside while maintaining easy access to casino locations if needed.
Gastwirth said the studio will also serve Caesars guests, giving them an opportunity to see productions in action. Long-running game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" moved into Bally's for its 2015-16 season, welcoming visitors to join the live studio audience and watch as contestants competed for the namesake prize. Now similar shows can film on the soundstage, a more flexible set than a casino showroom.
Though he's tight-lipped on who will be taking advantage of the studio first, Gastwirth said Caesars is actively booking the space, and productions are already on the calendar. Let's just hope it's not "The Hangover Part IV."