Country music star Blake Shelton is teaming with Ryman Hospitality Properties to build Ole Red, a four-story entertainment-dining complex on the Las Vegas Strip that the singer hopes will serve as a permanent home for country music in the city.
Located at the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of Bally's, Ole Red will have a main dining floor, two floors overlooking a central stage and an additional live-music experience on the 4,500-square-foot rooftop. The menu will feature Shelton-inspired dishes and cocktails with a Southern flair.
Expected to open in 2023 at a cost of $30 million, the 27,000-square-foot Ole Red Las Vegas will have 686 seats.
Ole Red, inspired by Shelton's 2001 hit "Ol' Red," already has locations in Orlando; Tishomingo, Okla.; and Nashville and Gatlinburg, Tenn. Another at Nashville Airport is set to open next year. Ryman owns the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville as well as several meetings-oriented resorts.
"As we expand this brand into tourist and convention-focused markets, Las Vegas is a natural fit since many of its top feeder markets are home to high concentrations of country lifestyle consumers," said Colin Reed, Ryman's chairman and chief executive officer.
A Vegas home for country music
Ole Red is dedicated to finding country artists and providing vibrant showcases for both up-and-coming performers and established stars.
"I know what it's like to be a young musician playing bars and small venues, never knowing what to expect," Shelton said. "I'm proud that we're building a network of places where artists can get the kind of exposure playing live that is so critical for growing their fan base."
• Related: Bobby Flay burger joints opening in Vegas
Shelton, who has performed in Las Vegas for two decades, lamented the lack of a country music presence on the Strip.
"Concerts roll through, and people play a venue here and there. But as far as a home base … it ain't there," Shelton said. "[Ole Red's] going to be in the heart of everything. At some point, after you've seen enough magic tricks and things, sometimes you just want to hear some damn country music and drink a beer!"