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MGM lions set for final roar
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Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Children peer into the lion habitat at MGM Grand on Wednesday. Casino officials announced they will close the attraction Jan. 31. » Buy this photo
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Lions, such as this one shown Wednesday, have been living in the habitat at MGM Grand since July 1999. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal » Buy this photo
The MGM Grand's corporate symbol won't be stalking the premises in the flesh after Jan. 31, when the hotel plans to close the lion habitat it opened in 1999 for $9 million.
A free attraction can't compete with a revenue-producing replacement still to be announced for the space. The daily display of lions behind soundproof glass is "a free show and that's what killed it," lion keeper Keith Evans said. "I don't blame them. It's a lot of money for a casino to cover."
A large crowd watched two lions sleep on Wednesday, with kids pressing their hands and faces to the glass enclosure and adults snapping photos.
The attraction is obviously popular, but it's good that it's closing, said Georgia native Kelly Hull. She and her friend Shanna Brundage took a cab from The Venetian specifically to see the lions, but they weren't thrilled with the habitat.
"It's a cool attraction, but it's kind of sad," Hull said. "It did bring us over here, but they're exploiting these poor lions. And it doesn't look like there's a lot of space in there for them to run around, like they would in the wild."
The lion is associated with MGM, but live cats aren't needed when the hotel has the bronze lion statues, Brundage said.
"I actually stayed here once before and didn't even know they had real lions," Brundage said. "I don't think it makes a difference whether they have lions or not. People are still going to come."
The closing of the lion exhibit is part of a comprehensive MGM renovation, which includes the closing of the nearby Studio 54 nightclub on Feb. 4. The club space is said to be expanding into a much larger nightclub/dayclub operation, creating the possibility of incorporating the lion habitat's 6,000 square feet, plus about 3,000 square feet of connected retail space also set to close.
Evans has helmed the attraction from the outset, transporting lions back and forth from his 7.5-acre ranch southeast of the M Resort. He plans to make his land a public attraction called The Cat House.
"It will no longer be a free show, but you'll get to see more of them, and all at once," Evans said of his 40 exotic animals. "Everybody loves to see the lions. I just hope they'll still love to see the lions out here."
Evans said he has completed the zoning and permitting that will enable him to host private parties and tour groups. "I'm all ready to go. I've just been waiting for the hotel to make the announcement. I didn't want to go ahead of them."
The exhibit also might be open to the walk-up public, but Evans said he is still trying to work out logistics such as staffing. "I've never done this concept outside of a casino."
Contact Mike Weatherford at mweatherford @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288. Contact Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.
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Visit the lions where they have always lived at The Cathouse Zoo! Find us on facebook or check out our website www.thecathousezoo.com!
mark.haslem, lot of spare time on your hands, I take it?
"A free attraction can't compete with a revenue-producing replacement still to be announced for the space. "
If the replacement involves alcohol and scantily clad women, count me in!
JR how do you correlate closing the free lion habit with Murren running the company into the ground? Especially when the article mentions that they are making major renovation to the hotel. Renovating cost money
we're back to revenue with the Lions..oh please..the
casinos make plenty of money lions or no lions...
they would keep them if they could charge to see them...!
Just what we need. More space for retail!
@Mose.jeff: Thanks for the National Geographic update on Lions! LOL However, you proved my point in that watching a bunch of Lions sleeping all day is not exactly an 'attraction'. The MGM has been been horribly mismanaged, that's for sure. I'm just saying that this is finally a move that makes sense.
So no more Cougars at studio 54 and no more Lions at the habitat
Money must be really tight, Murren has ran the company into the ground.
The Lions seemed to be a lot of effort for little reward. I am sure the habitat needed to be updated and the expense of that and the on-going side show wasn't worth it.
The MGM floor is in a major need of updating. Always feel it is a claustrophobic maze of a casino to navigate through.