Mark Wilson/Getty ImagesGarth Brooks already took Elvis' record. Now he's taking his town. Viva Las Vegas, y'all!
Just hours after the country superstar announced he was coming out of retirement—nine years after trading in his 10-gallon hat for a life of leisure—the honky-tonk ambassador confirmed that he would be taking up headliner residence at the Wynn Las Vegas.
"Steve Wynn has done what I thought was impossible. He has given me a chance to sing again for the people, while at the same time never missing a day with my children," says Brooks in a statement to E! News. "I am naturally nervous, but it feels good to be out from under the low ceiling of 'retirement' I put on myself."
The Sin City gig has long been rumored and, doing his best to play coy as long as possible, earlier this morning Brooks refused to confirm whether he was packing up his stagecoach and heading west.
"It's a proud day for me and my family to announce," he said. "We're going to take the retirement roof off over our head, and I already feel taller…As for touring, if I can't eat it, sleep it, breathe it, then it ain't me."
It also ain't without personal precedent.
Back in 1998, his series of four concerts on the Strip became some of the city's fastest-selling tickets ever, selling out four shows and more than 72,000 tickets in less than an hour.
This time around, he'll be filling the 2,000-seat Encore Theater, becoming the first permanent act to take over since the hotel's previous resident entertainer, the late Danny Gans.
As for Brooks, he shouldn't have any trouble filling the venue: Since his 1989 debut, he's sold more than 114 million albums and two years ago dethroned Elvis as the biggest-selling solo artist of all time.
He's just the latest in an increasingly steady stream of superstars to take up residence in Sin City. Recent years have seen Celine Dion, Elton John, Bette Midler and Cher.
And while he's coming out of retirement, his time on the Strip may prevent him from spending any quality time in the studio…for now.
Brooks said he's looking forward "to just go do whatever I want, and not have to worry about who I'm disappointing or what rules I'm sticking to."
"What people are going to expect from us is 110 miles an hour tomorrow, and the truth is, if we ever do tour again, if we ever do make new music again, it's still going to be another five years."
Shows start at the Wynn on Dec. 11, and tickets go on sale Saturday, Oct. 24.
Better book your flights now, then.
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It won't be long now until Garth turns up in our Party Pics: Vegas gallery!