Beyoncé Brings Destiny’s Child Reunion to Las Vegas in Show-Stopping Tour Finale

Las Vegas rolled out the red carpet for music’s biggest stars this summer, hoping such high-profile performances will help counter a slump in visitor numbers. Beyoncé’s final stop on her Cowboy Carter Tour had Allegiant Stadium in a roaring boil Saturday night, with a surprise Destiny’s Child reunion and guest spots from Jay-Z and Shaboozey electrifying the Strip.

Vegas Remains Popular with Music Legends

The performance was a remarkable spectacle by any measure. Beyoncé, accompanied by her former bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, adorned in resplendent gold outfits, opened the mini-reunion with “Lose My Breath” before tearing through hits like “Energy” and “Bootylicious.” This occasion marked the first time the trio performed together on stage since Coachella in 2018.

Jay-Z also performed together with his wife for a high-energy performance of “Crazy in Love.” Meanwhile, country-rap crossover Shaboozey contributed to the genre-blending vibes with  “Sweet Honey Buckiin’.” Beyoncé closed the night with a curtain call alongside her daughter, Blue Ivy, wrapping up a three-month tour across Europe and the USA.

Bruno Mars, a Strip staple, also enjoys enduring popularity. The Grammy Award-winning vocalist recently added more dates to his scheduled performances at Park MGM’s Dolby Live, with his 100th performance slated for August 22. The additional dates come amid rekindled interest in residency performances as Vegas works to reassert its pre-pandemic tourist appeal.

Broader Tourism Figures Do Not Inspire Confidence

Despite the efforts of performers like Beyoncé and Bruno Mars, tourism numbers remain disappointing. Las Vegas welcomed 1.15 million fewer visitors through May, a 6.5% year-on-year decline. Hotel occupancy has also suffered, recording one of the most significant drops in the US this summer. Resorts have rushed to adapt, with some eliminating or lowering resort fees, hoping to entice visitors back.

Steve Hill, heading the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, remains cautiously optimistic. He attributes the decline to broader uncertainty, stemming from economic anxiety and international travel disruptions. Hill notes that Vegas will likely bounce back, especially with high-profile events and performances anchoring the Strip’s calendar.

“The last couple of months haven’t been quite as good, and things are down a little bit, as everybody knows.”

Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Despite Hill’s reassurances, many industry stakeholders are apprehensive. If Las Vegas can’t ride out the storm with Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and a flashy roster of music icons illuminating its stages, then something far deeper could be amiss. For the moment, the city is playing to its strengths, remaining loud, star-studded, and impossible to ignore.