For nearly eight decades, the Flamingo Las Vegas has embodied the glitz, risk, and reinvention that define the Las Vegas Strip.
The Flamingo also has a more storied history than most other Las Vegas Strip resorts.
Opened in 1946 by mobster Bugsy Siegel, it was the first true resort-casino on Las Vegas Boulevard (Siegel allegedly so feared for his life that his personal suite had concrete walls that were four feet thick).
The iconic hotel has had a starring role in movies like “Viva Las Vegas” and “Ocean’s 11,” and been the home for dozens of music residencies, like Donnie and Marie Osmond’s 1,730 show run.
Now the Flamingo is ready for another reinvention: a country-music-powered transformation led by Luke Combs, one of the genre’s biggest global stars.
A legendary venue gets new life
Combs will open a 34,000-square-foot entertainment complex on the site formerly home to Margaritaville at the Flamingo, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The new venture, called Category 10, will combine a live-music hall, rooftop bar, and immersive nightlife space.
The name nods to Combs’ breakout hit “Hurricane,” and the design aims to channel that same high-energy storm.
Backed by Ryman Hospitality Properties and its Opry Entertainment Group, the venue will debut in fall 2026 in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, which operates the Flamingo.
I’m stoked about bringing this to Las Vegas— it takes everything I love about live music to the next level.
Luke Combs, speaking about his new venture in Las Vegas
Las Vegas: a city in transition
The Flamingo’s reboot arrives during one of the Strip’s most turbulent economic cycles.
Visitor volumes remain shy of their pre-pandemic highs: According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the city hosted 41.7 million visitors in 2024, still below the 42.5 million who came in 2019.
So far, visitor numbers are down in 2025, but room rates are up, and spending patterns have shifted toward entertainment and dining over gaming.
Related: Las Vegas Strip casino venue declares Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The Flamingo’s long-running Margaritaville closed in 2024, following other high-profile shake-ups like the closure of Mirage’s iconic volcano attraction and several restaurant turnovers at Bellagio and Luxor.
But things could be turning around.
“The success of Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Las Vegas location has paved the way for Luke Combs’ Category 10 and many more country nightclubs to open on the Strip,” says Kirk O’Neil, TheStreet’s Las Vegas expert.
Inside Category 10: A country hurricane on the Las Vegas Strip
Plans for Category 10 outline a four-level venue designed to blend honky-tonk energy with Las Vegas spectacle:
- Hurricane Hall: A first-floor stage surrounded by three bars and a dance floor, hosting nightly live shows and line-dancing lessons.
- The Beautiful Crazy Women’s Lounge: An extravagant women’s restroom lounge with a champagne bar (yes, you read that right) and full glam stations.
- The Still: A bourbon-centric upstairs bar curated by Combs, offering Strip views and small-batch selections.
- The Eye Rooftop: A third-floor DJ and dance terrace overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard.
Opry Entertainment executives say the project reflects the company’s push to export the Nashville experience to tourism capitals worldwide.
“Las Vegas is a global destination where music, entertainment and hospitality converge,” said Colin Reed, CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties, in the Review Journal report. “Category 10 is our biggest statement yet outside Nashville.”
Why Combs’ commitment matters for Las Vegas
The move signals a deeper trend reshaping the Strip: Experiences, especially music and sports, now drive revenue more than “heads in beds.” Live-music venues, celebrity-backed restaurants, and hybrid nightlife concepts have become the modern casino’s anchor tenants.
Combs’ broad crossover appeal — spanning country, pop, and even international fans —give the Flamingo opportunity to tap new markets.
Country music tourism is booming, too. Nashville drew a record 17 million visitors in 2024, according to the city’s Convention & Visitors Corp., and Las Vegas developers are clearly betting some of that momentum can travel west.
Reed also noted the brand’s global ambitions, citing the UK as a growing source of country-music fans and Las Vegas travelers alike.
A bright spot in a challenging Las Vegas market
Las Vegas’ hospitality sector is still recalibrating after pandemic-era disruptions, labor shortages, and rising costs.
But projects like Category 10 show the city can evolve; construction is already underway on the Flamingo site. If the concept proves to be a hit, it could start a comeback for this historic corner of the Las Vegas Strip.
As Combs put it, “Vegas is all about doing things big, loud and unforgettable—and that’s exactly what we’re building.”
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a trip.)
Please make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Related: Las Vegas Strip Sphere signs giant rock band for record residency
