We went to The Hook. Just like Absinthe, it is a variety show in the Las Vegas tradition. However, we were told that this is the last year for the show. Spiegelworld is giving up on trying to run a show in Atlantic City. Have they concluded that their only target audience is vacationers in Vegas? Is giving up on running a show outside of Vegas a major setback for the company?
Tellingly, we didn’t know The Hook even existed until its demise was announced. It labored under obscurity, even by Atlantic City standards.
Given that Spiegelworld is currently running three production shows on the Las Vegas Strip, along with restaurants and lounges, we doubt that retreating from the Boardwalk is that much of a setback for Ross Mollison's outfit.
Our initial response from Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison ran, “Creating an original resident show at Caesars Atlantic City was an ambitious undertaking. The fact that we will have seen over 1,000 performances and an unprecedented four happy summers in our wonderful New Jersey home makes me so proud of our incredible performers and crew. And this year looks like it will be our best season yet.”
Mollison’s canned remarks begged several questions. Such as why will an “unprecedented” run be wrapped over Labor Day weekend? And why is the “best season yet” also the final one? Why did he target Atlantic City for a nightly variety show? Did Caesars Entertainment give him a bum steer in that regard?
In a statement received by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in mid-June right after the closing notice went up, Mollison threw host Caesars under the bus. He wrote, “Caesars Entertainment is of course an incredibly supportive partner and their decision was not made lightly.” Catch that? “Their decision.” So Caesars clearly gave The Hook the old vaudeville hook.
Fortunately for LVA, just as we were scheduling the truncated version of the QoD, Mollison replied to questions we'd emailed to Spiegelworld. He backpedaled somewhat on his blaming of Caesars, reiterating, “Caesars is an incredible partner to Spiegelworld. We have seen much success in what we have achieved, and we have learnt so much from The Hook. Despite this setback in A.C., I look forward to the new developments we are planning together in Vegas.”
Of The Hook’s box office performance, Mollison allowed that “It was OK. After all, the show has played through four summers. Could it have improved over the next decade? I guess I won’t find out. That will be another producer’s opportunity or graveyard. However, I don’t think it is totally off the cards for us to return one day. I do love America’s Playground.”
As for the future of the cast, Mollison said, “The Hook continues to perform five nights a week at Caesars Atlantic City, through to September 6, and has been attracting some of our best audiences yet. After that, our performers will have no problem moving into another fantastic production somewhere in the world. They are all very much in demand. I think they will greatly miss A.C.. Many have been in The Hook for over three years, as they love the show and they love living in A.C.”
While LVA is skeptical that Spiegelworld will launch another production show outside Sin City, Mollison maintains otherwise: “Spiegelworld will always consider non-Vegas markets for our shows, where there is opportunity. We are currently assessing projects in five different markets outside Las Vegas and I have no doubt that Spiegelworld will become an international operator over the course of the next two years.”
So was Atlantic City a bridge too far? Mollison says no. “Atlantic City has had quite a significant investment and with 17,500 hotel rooms, it can become a major player in the convention market on the East Coast. Many of the rooms, including the Caesars properties … have seen substantial upgrades. This has improved the A.C. experience greatly.
“We have been surprised by the resilience of the non-summer months, with our show experiencing demand across all weeks of the year. As well as the visitor market, the surrounding areas have seen significant changes over the last five years, with more and more people deciding to live there year-round. Hence, demand for hospitality and entertainment is improving.”
Tomorrow: Our analysis of Spiegelworld’s fate in Atlantic City.
