'Queen of Sin City' tops list of 5 biggest Las Vegas draws ever
Billboard’s list of the highest-grossing long-term engagements in Las Vegas encompasses household names from Celine Dion to Britney Spears and Elton John.
And while the contest for residencies, as the engagements are known, may be heating up, Dion made it clear to the industry that she's the performer to beat. Dubbed by the magazine as the "queen of Sin City," Dion continues to occupy the top two spots; she's her own runner-up.
In a similar feat, Elton John occupies two of the top five spots, making him the second-biggest earner in Las Vegas.
Here's a closer look, based on figures reported to Billboard Boxscore that exclude any touring productions.
1. Celine Dion
Celine Dion ( Denise Truscello/WireImage via Getty Images)
Celine’s concert residency "A New Day …" was held at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from 2003- 2007. The series grossed $385.1 million from the 2,814,577 tickets sold across 714 shows.
2. Celine Dion
Celine Dion (Denise Truscello/WireImage via Getty Images)
Celine’s concert residency "Celine" began in 2011 and is currently at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The series to date has grossed $245.5 million from 1,520,455 tickets sold across 375 shows.
Overall, the two residencies grossed $630.6 million.
According to Billboard, the Celine residency has over 30 dates scheduled in 2019, allowing as much as $30 million more.
3. Elton John
Elton John (Denise Truscello/Getty Images)
Elton John hits the number three spot, but he ranks first for male artist.
His concert series "The Red Piano" was held at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from 2004 until 2009. It grossed $166.4 million from 982,090 tickets sold across 247 shows.
4. Britney Spears
Britney Spears (Denise Truscello/BSLV/Getty Images)
Britney Spears comes in at number four with "Piece of Me" running from 2013 to 2017. The residency was held at The Axis at Planet Hollywood and grossed $137.7 million from 916,184 tickets sold across 248 shows.
5. Elton John
Elton John (Mick Hutson/Redferns via Getty Images)
And back on the list at number five is Elton John. "The Million Dollar Piano" was held from 2011 to 2018 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
The residency grossed $131.2 million from 776,518 tickets sold across 189 shows. According to the report, his combined gross of $297.6 million from both residencies makes him the second-biggest earner in Las Vegas.