Garth Brooks
Las Vegas, 2009-2014
- Wynn deal announced
- October 15, 2009, on the Encore Theater stage with Steve Wynn
- Encore Theater run
- December 2009 to January 2014, on weekends
- Encore ticket price
- $125 for every seat, with no tiered pricing
- Encore format
- Solo with acoustic guitar, in a 1,500-seat theater
- Allegiant Stadium
- July 10, 2021: the stadium's first country concert, about 65,000 fans
- Caesars residency
- Garth Brooks/Plus One opened May 18, 2023, at the 4,300-seat Colosseum
- Caesars residency ended
- Final shows March 7-9, 2025
- Early Vegas
- Co-headlined the Desert Inn with Carlene Carter in October 1991
About
Garth Brooks' Las Vegas history goes back to an October 1991 co-headlining date at the Desert Inn, the old Strip resort whose site Wynn Las Vegas now occupies. His defining Vegas run came after he retired in 2001 to raise his three daughters in Oklahoma. On October 15, 2009, he and Steve Wynn announced a deal on the stage of the 1,500-seat Encore Theater that would bring him back for weekend shows.
The terms were unusual. Every seat cost $125 with no premium tiers, Brooks played alone with an acoustic guitar and no band, and Wynn supplied a jet so Brooks could fly home to Owasso, Oklahoma, between weekends and keep taking his children to school and soccer. Wynn said he had not seen an artist create such love for an audience since watching the Rat Pack at the Sands in 1965. The shows began with weekends in December 2009 and ran intermittently until January 2014. The Review-Journal remembered them for their informality: work boots, jeans, a hoodie, a ball cap and stories from Brooks' musical heroes.
Brooks returned in bigger venues. On July 10, 2021, his stadium tour played Allegiant Stadium, the first country concert at the Raiders' home, before about 65,000 fans. In May 2023 he opened Garth Brooks/Plus One at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a show that banned phones and invited guests, starting with his wife, Trisha Yearwood. Brooks called it "the best gig we have ever been fortunate enough to have" and wrapped it with shows on March 7, 8 and 9, 2025.
What to expect
Brooks has no current Las Vegas residency. When he wrapped the Caesars run, he said of another one, "Never say never," and joked it might be 10 years away. The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Wynn Las Vegas, the hotel built where the Desert Inn once stood, both still operate, but neither currently lists him.
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Las Vegas history
Good to know
- Brooks favored a $25 ticket for the Encore shows; Wynn resisted because scalpers would profit, and the two settled on $125 for every seat, the Las Vegas Sun reported.
- The first Encore Theater weekends were December 11-13, 2009, with one show on Fridays, two on Saturdays and one on Sundays.
- The Colosseum residency required phones to be locked in pouches, a policy first tried at his earlier one-man shows, according to the Review-Journal.
- Wynn Las Vegas, home of the Encore Theater, stands on the site of the Desert Inn, where Brooks played in 1991.
Questions about Garth Brooks
When did Garth Brooks play the Wynn?
Garth Brooks played weekend shows at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas from December 2009 through January 2014. The deal, announced on October 15, 2009, brought him out of an eight-year retirement for solo acoustic performances, with every seat priced at $125.
Is Garth Brooks doing a Las Vegas residency now?
No. His Garth Brooks/Plus One residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace opened May 18, 2023, and ended with shows on March 7, 8 and 9, 2025. Asked about another residency, Brooks said "Never say never" and joked it might come 10 years later.
Why did Garth Brooks agree to play Las Vegas in 2009?
Brooks had retired in 2001 to raise his daughters. Steve Wynn's offer let him keep that role: he played on weekends only, and Wynn provided a jet to fly him home to Owasso, Oklahoma, so he could still take his children to school and soccer games, he said at the announcement.
Did Garth Brooks play Allegiant Stadium?
Yes. His stadium tour played Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, July 10, 2021. The Review-Journal reported it was the first country concert at the Raiders' home stadium and drew about 65,000 fans. Trisha Yearwood joined him for "Walkaway Joe," after a playful on-stage argument over which key he had started the song in.
What was Garth Brooks/Plus One?
Garth Brooks/Plus One was his residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which opened May 18, 2023, in the 4,300-seat theater. He invited guests on stage, starting with his wife, Trisha Yearwood, and required phones to be pouched. It ran until March 2025.