Three Shows Circle Linq Hotel Residency, Magician Mat Franco Lands the Gig

The changes they are many at the Linq Hotel (formerly The Quad and Imperial Palace), but the one that interests us most is the one still under wraps, of course.

Three shows have come dangerously close to becoming the new resident show at the Linq, but “America’s Got Talent” alum Mat Franco is rumored to have snagged a coveted headliner gig at the ever-evolving hotel.

Update (4/2/15): Caesars Entertainment has confirmed our story. Mat Franco will begin his headlining gig at The Linq Hotel & Casino on June 24, 2015.

Mat Franco Las Vegas
Mat Franco is such a good magician, he could even make the period disappear at the end of this sentence if he wanted to

Mat Franco was the winner of the ninth season of the television competition show, “America’s Got Talent.” The program also spawned another Las Vegas headliner, season two-winning ventriloquist Terry Fator (who performs at The Mirage).

Franco was the first magician ever to win “America’s Got Talent,” and that’s probably because he’s got some serious magic chops.

Here’s Mat Franco’s official site.

About his headlining stint at Linq Hotel, Franco’s site says he’ll offer a “fresh, fun, and feel-good twist on magic that defies all expectations. In a full-scale production built on brand-new, never-before-seen material, the 26-year-old magician delivers his most spectacular performance yet, but still keeps his love of getting up close with the crowd at the heart of every show. With his signature brand of breezy humor, Mat mixes his amazingly inventive and always stunning magic with crowd-guided improv to create a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that’s completely unique to each audience and entirely unforgettable.”

Given his mastery of public relations speak, Franco should fit right into the Las Vegas entertainment community. (Mat, we kid because we love.)

And here’s a look at Mat Franco in action. This Las Vegas blog has done magic. This isn’t magic. It’s sorcery!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xifiXwJ41Q
Nearly as interesting as this news is which shows almost ended up at the Linq.

Producers of the stage version of “Magic Mike” (the movie featuring Channing Tatum) were interested in the Linq’s showroom as a possible venue at one point, but the deal was thwarted by a contractual hiccup related to the “Chippendales” show at Rio.

An agreement with “Chippendales” and Caesars Entertainment, the company that owns both the Linq hotel and Rio Las Vegas, precludes Caesars Entertainment from having another male revue at its Las Vegas resorts. So, no-go.

The other show in contention for the Linq showroom was a rebirth of “Peepshow,” which once ran at Planet Hollywood and closed on Sep. 1, 2013. No word on whether Holly Madison would reprise her titular role as Bo Peep if the show resurfaces at another Las Vegas hotel.

An announcement about Mat Franco’s residency at the Linq is expected soon, and is likely to coincide with news about a retooling of the Linq’s showroom, home to Frank Marino’s “Diva’s Las Vegas,” Jeff Civillico’s “Comedy in Action” and previously “Human Nature” and “Recycled Percussion.”

The theater will be converted into arena seating (adios tables and booths). From the looks of Mat Franco’s act, the Linq showroom will be going through a lot of seats!

Soon (translation: when we sober up), we’ll share updates about the latest developments in the Linq’s shopping promenade as well as the opening of the new Purple Zebra frozen drink shop (formerly Fat Tuesdays) and Nook Express snack shop, as well as details about the new hotel cafe that will replace the former Betty’s Diner, the Nook Cafe.

More. Better. Different. We flipping love Las Vegas.