They’ve undressed for success at the Rio for 22 years. But after performing for around the 9,000th time for bachelorette and divorce parties there this New Year’s Eve, these dozen famously bow-tied hunks are moving to the Linq on the Las Vegas Strip. Opening day will be January 14 at illusionist Mat Franco’s theater.
Katerina Tabakhov, Chippendales’ director of operations, said in a statement that the troupe is “thrilled to be back in the Caesars Entertainment family and moving to our new home on the Strip.”
Chippendales — which in 1979 become the first all-male dance revue to market itself primarily to female audiences — joined the Rio roster in 2001, back when Caesars Entertainment was known as Harrah’s. There, they sold more than 1 million tickets there by ripping off more than 275,000 tank tops, according to a press release announcing their reunion with Caesars.
Caesars sold the Rio to Dreamscape Companies in December 2019 for $516.3 million. However, Caesars continued to operate the property under a leaseback agreement until October 2023. At that point, Dreamscape also took over operations.
Getting a Leg Up
On October 8, the Vegas Chippendales announced their intention to to unionize, citing substandard wages and no health benefits.
“We love Chippendales and value being a part of this incredible institution,” the dancers leading the unionization effort said in a statement, “but we also believe our situation here isn’t keeping up with industry standards.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Actor’s Equity Association filed an Unfair Labor Practices complaint against the show’s producers to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that dancers have been taken out of the show as punishment for their unionization efforts. The NLRB has yet to schedule a hearing on the grievance.
Both Caesars Entertainment and Dreamscape are union shops, so whether the two moves are related or coincidental is not publicly known. Also, the Mat Franco Theater holds 575 people, whereas the Rio’s Chippendales Theater holds only 400.
Starting January 14, Chippendales will perform at the Linq at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with second shows at 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets, ranging from $57.96 to $117.95, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
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