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Some of the world’s most influential music artists have graced the stages of casino venues across the United States. From Las Vegas mega-resorts hosting long-term residencies to East Coast casinos drawing one-night-only tour stops, these entertainment hubs have become home to performances by pop icons and music legends.
Below, we reveal the top US casinos known for featuring high-profile performers, based on how frequently they’ve hosted the biggest names in music.
1. Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Wynn Las Vegas has earned a reputation for intimate, exclusive concerts by music royalty. In 2009, Beyoncé chose the Wynn’s 1,500-seat Encore Theatre for a four-night “I Am… Yours” revue during her world tour. This Las Vegas Strip luxury resort later welcomed Drake for a modern twist on casino entertainment. The rapper signed on for a mini-residency of five concerts at Wynn’s XS Nightclub in 2019.
Such star-powered engagements underscore Wynn’s status as a premier venue for influential artists in an upscale, intimate setting. Beyond Beyoncé and Drake, Wynn’s Encore Theatre and nightlife venues continue to draw chart-topping acts for one-off shows and exclusive weekend performances.
2. MGM Grand (Las Vegas, NV)
MGM Grand // Photo: OLOS/shutterstock
The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino houses the Grand Garden Arena, a 17,000-seat venue that has hosted countless award shows, festivals, and tour stops by top artists. Notably, the iHeartRadio Music Festival was held at MGM Grand from 2011 through 2015, showcasing A-list lineups each year.
During the 2014 iHeartRadio Festival, pop superstars Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande both took the stage, appearing on a star-studded bill that year. A couple of years earlier, Rihanna headlined the 2012 edition of the same festival. The venue has also been home to Billboard Music Awards performances, including Beyoncé’s celebrated 2011 showstopper on the MGM Grand stage.
With major boxing matches one night and global music stars the next, MGM Grand’s arena is a true multipurpose entertainment hub that regularly features the most influential chart-toppers in the business.
3. Park MGM (Las Vegas, NV)
Tada Images//shutterstock
Park MGM (formerly the Monte Carlo) is one of Las Vegas’s newer concert hot spots thanks to its state-of-the-art Dolby Live theatre (previously Park Theatre). Opening in 2016, this venue quickly attracted marquee residencies.
Six-time Grammy winner Lady Gaga launched an exclusive extended residency at Park MGM’s theatre on December 28, 2018. Her dual show formats, the high-energy pop spectacular Enigma and the jazzy Jazz & Piano nights, ran through 2019 and into 2020 to critical acclaim. By securing Gaga at the height of her fame, Park MGM cemented itself as the place for 21st-century pop icons.
The theatre has also hosted other superstar residencies and concerts, from Bruno Mars to Cher, showing a commitment to regularly featuring high-profile performers. In a short time, Park MGM’s venue has become synonymous with big-name acts and Vegas-style spectacle.
4. Planet Hollywood (Las Vegas, NV)
GTCRFOTO / Alamy Stock Photo
Planet Hollywood’s Zappos Theatre (formerly The AXIS) is legendary for reviving the modern Las Vegas residency model. It all began in late 2013 when Britney Spears kicked off her “Britney: Piece of Me” residency at Planet Hollywood, a show that ran for four years and 248 performances.
This groundbreaking residency by a 21st-century pop superstar proved that Vegas could be a long-term home for contemporary artists, not just classic crooners. The theatre, located inside the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, saw Britney perform to nearly a million fans over the residency’s run.
Following Britney’s success, Planet Hollywood attracted other major performers like Jennifer Lopez, the Backstreet Boys, and Gwen Stefani for residencies, making it a frequent host to chart-topping talent. With its large capacity and club-like production quality, Planet Hollywood became a favourite venue for influential pop acts looking to create a Vegas home base.
5. Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV)
JeanLucIchard//shutterstock
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas is an iconic 4,100-seat venue known for superstar residencies.
When it comes to star power, Caesars Palace’s Colosseum is unrivalled. This elegant theatre was originally built for Celine Dion and has since hosted many of the world’s top artists. Most recently, Adele, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 21st century, made the Colosseum her home.
Her Weekends with Adele residency (the singer’s first) began in November 2022 and, after some rescheduling, extended into 2024. Adele performed two shows nearly every weekend to sold-out crowds, showcasing her powerhouse vocals on a relatively intimate stage.
The Colosseum has also featured residencies or extended runs by legends like Elton John, Cher, and Mariah Carey in past years, but its embrace of a current icon like Adele signals how Caesars remains at the forefront of live entertainment. With impeccable acoustics and theatre-style intimacy, the Colosseum is perfectly suited for blockbuster artists. Billboard once dubbed it the “Home of the Greatest Entertainers in the World,” and Adele’s name now joins that legacy.
6. Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, NV)
Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Strip // Zoonar GmbH/Alamy
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, located on Vegas’s south Strip, boasts an indoor arena (currently named Michelob ULTRA Arena) that has drawn numerous big-name tours.
Back in May 2009, a young Taylor Swift brought her first headlining tour (the Fearless Tour) to Mandalay Bay Events Centre, selling out over 8,300 seats. A couple of years later, Rihanna, another of this century’s most influential pop stars, made Mandalay Bay a tour stop on her 2011 Loud Tour, performing there on July 2, 2011.
Over the years, Mandalay Bay’s 12,000-seat arena and even its smaller House of Blues stage have hosted artists from Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake to rock bands and EDM DJs. The venue’s flexibility, able to configure for concerts, sports, or awards shows, means it frequently appears on tour itineraries.
For many fans, Mandalay Bay was the Vegas stop for early 2010s pop tours, offering the chance to see future stadium-fillers in a more intimate casino arena setting.
7. Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, CT)
Mohegan Sun Casino // Prisma by Dukas Presseagentur GmbH/Alamy
Not all the action is in Las Vegas, the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut is a prime example of an East Coast casino that routinely pulls in superstar talent. This 10,000-seat arena, located inside the Mohegan Sun Casino resort, has been ranked among the top concert venues worldwide.
Beyoncé performed at Mohegan Sun during her 2009 “I Am…” World Tour (a sold-out show on July 23, 2009), demonstrating that even global icons include casino venues on tour. In recent years, Mohegan Sun has continued its hot streak of bookings: in 2017, the arena hosted Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour for two sold-out nights and also welcomed Ariana Grande among dozens of other top Hot 100 artists.
The arena was even honoured as “Arena of the Year” and “Casino of the Year” by multiple industry awards during the 2010s. With its location between New York and Boston, Mohegan Sun gives East Coast fans a chance to see major pop and rock acts in a casino setting.
8. Ocean Casino Resort (Atlantic City, NJ)
Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City // sep120 / Stockimo/Alamy
Atlantic City has a storied entertainment history, and the property now known as Ocean Casino Resort has played a notable part in recent years. Opened in 2012 as Revel, this beachfront resort made a splash by landing Beyoncé as its inaugural headliner.
Beyoncé’s four-night Memorial Day weekend concert series in Revel’s Ovation Hall (May 25–28, 2012) sold out in seconds and marked her first concerts after giving birth. Those shows, tied to the casino’s grand opening, signalled that AC could still attract contemporary superstars.
Later that year, Revel hosted Kanye West for a special three-night run to close out 2012, performing on December 28, 29, and 30 in Ovation Hall with elaborate staging reminiscent of his arena tours.
Although Revel later closed and reopened as Ocean Resort in 2018, the venue continues to host major concerts. Ocean’s Entertainment Calendar has featured artists like Mary J. Blige and Maroon 5, continuing the legacy of superstar performances in Ovation Hall.
9. Borgata (Atlantic City, NJ)
Racheal Grazias/shutterstock
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, long known as Atlantic City’s poshest resort, also boasts a history of big-name concert bookings at its Event Centre and Music Box theatre.
In July 2011, during her Loud Tour, Rihanna performed at Borgata’s Event Centre, a stop that brought Vegas-level pop spectacle to the Jersey Shore. Her AC show was part of a special summertime series that year, underscoring Borgata’s ability to attract top talent.
Fast forward to summer 2018: Britney Spears chose Borgata as one of the limited U.S. dates on her Piece of Me Tour (the tour adaptation of her Vegas residency). Britney played three nights at Borgata in July 2018, all to packed houses, including a sell-out performance on July 20 with nearly 6,000 in attendance.
These performances by two of the 21st century’s biggest pop stars highlight Borgata’s pull as an East Coast concert venue. Over the years, it has also hosted acts like Bon Jovi, The Killers, and Drake (who performed at an afterparty in the on-site nightclub). With Atlantic City’s largest casino hotel and a strong track record of A-list bookings, Borgata remains a key stop for high-profile performers touring the region.
10. Resorts World Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Walter Cicchetti/shutterstock
Resorts World Las Vegas is one of the Strip’s newest mega-resort, opened in 2021, and it wasted no time becoming an entertainment powerhouse. Its 5,000-seat Resorts World Theatre features cutting-edge technology and has already attracted modern pop icons for headline residencies.
In late 2021, Katy Perry launched her colourful Play residency at Resorts World, which ran through 2022 and 2023 with dozens of performances for hundreds of thousands of fans. The production was a hit with audiences and even earned a nomination for an iHeartRadio “Best Residency” award.
The venue has also booked residencies from Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, covering both pop and country genres, and even hosted one-off shows, including a special Rolling Stones concert in 2021. While it’s the newest venue on this list, Resorts World has quickly proven its ability to draw top-tier talent. As Las Vegas continues to serve as a global stage for music’s elite, this resort is poised to become a long-term home for influential artists.
Conclusion
From the glamour of Las Vegas Boulevard to the boardwalk of Atlantic City, these casinos have become more than just gambling destinations, they’re full-fledged entertainment arenas hosting the biggest stars in music.
The trend of casino residencies and tour stops has only grown in the 21st century, allowing fans to experience superstar performers in more intimate or unique settings than traditional stadiums. Casinos like those on this list have leveraged state-of-the-art venues and lucrative deals to attract artists who define modern music and pop culture.
For the performers, these venues offer high-end production support and a stable location to connect with fans. For the casinos, having a headliner like Adele or Lady Gaga under their roof reinforces their reputation as round-the-clock entertainment destinations.
In the end, the most influential artists, from pop divas to rap icons, often find a home on casino stages. Whether it’s a multi-year Las Vegas residency or a one-night-only East Coast stop, the partnership between casinos and music’s elite shows no sign of slowing down. So next time you walk through a resort lobby, take a look at the marquee, you might just see a legend performing down the hall from the slot machines.
Sources
- Statista – Most Influential Music Artists Worldwide, 2023 (inspiration for artist selection)
- Billboard – “The 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century” (Staff List, 2024)
- Press releases and news articles confirming concert residencies and tour dates at specific casinos (e.g. Live Nation press on Rihanna’s 2011 tour, MGM Resorts press on Lady Gaga’s residency, CBS/AP news on Beyoncé at Revel)
- Wikipedia entries for specific tours and residencies (used for attendance figures, date/location confirmation) – for example, Britney Spears’ Piece of Me residency and tour, Taylor Swift’s Fearless Tour dates, Adele’s residency details
- Casino official press releases and media (e.g. Mohegan Sun Newsroom releases on arena awards and concert highlights, Resorts World press on Katy Perry’s residency).
