How Important Were Siegfried & Roy? An Open Letter to MirageInside MagicMagic News Updated Daily for the Professional Magician

There is an interesting, if self-contradicting, story in today?s Las Vegas Business. The report commemorates the start of demolition within the now-closed Siegfried & Roy Theater at the Mirage.

The paper quotes Mirage President and Chief Operating Officer Bill McBeath on several aspects of the transformation planned for the theater.

Mr. McBeath notes the $100 million dollar cost for the transformation is within reason ?in light of the loss of foot traffic with the demise of the Siegfried & Roy show. We lost 10,000 people a week flowing through the building. That made a direct contribution to the bottom line.?

Okay. Hold the cellular phone, Babe.

Mr. McBeath then apparently says the Siegfried & Roy show was on its way out anyway.

“[The Siegfried and Roy show] was starting to get tired,” McBeath says, “We reduced it from 10 shows to seven. We had talked about winding it down [before the accident]. Two years ago, [Mirage Resorts CEO] Bobby Baldwin was talking to Laliberte [Cirque du Soleil founder] about developing a show. When we got closer, it fell into place and made sense.”

Not to be cynical or bitter or angry but what the heck is he saying? I know Mr. McBeath cannot be saying, can he, that the tragic end of the Siegfried & Roy show came at a good time? Is he saying two years ago ? one year before Roy was nearly killed ? they were getting ready to…

There is an interesting, if self-contradicting, story in today?s Las Vegas Business. The report commemorates the start of demolition within the now-closed Siegfried & Roy Theater at the Mirage.

The paper quotes Mirage President and Chief Operating Officer Bill McBeath on several aspects of the transformation planned for the theater.

Okay. Hold the cellular phone, Babe.

Mr. McBeath then apparently says the Siegfried & Roy show was on its way out anyway.

Mr. McBeath was quoted in a 2002 Mirage press release touting the exciting new Darren Romeo show. “Siegfried & Roy have been integral parts of our family for more than a decade. When they introduced us to Darren, we saw immediately why they believe he is the star of the future. We agree and look forward to introducing all of our guests to this new experience.”

As long-time readers of Inside Magic know, we are not trouble-makers or rebel-rousers. In fact, it has been our philosophy to not be anything that includes a hyphen it its title.

In this case, however, we could take no more. We wrote the following email to Mr. McBeath asking him to clarify his apparent dissing of the Siegfried & Roy show and what could be interpreted as a classless dismissal of the duo?s importance.

Dear Mr. McBeath:

I am the Editor and Publisher of Inside Magic and The Inside Magic Daily Newsletter. Both publications are dedicated to the promotion of magic as entertainment, and the avid encouragement of magicians around the world.

I have been a frequent guest of The Mirage as well its sister properties in Las Vegas. I enjoy your staff?s attention to detail and insistence on quality. And of course, like most magicians and magic lovers, I was drawn to your resort because it was the home of Siegfried & Roy.

The magic community was devastated by the tragic attack that nearly took Roy Horn?s life in October 2003. I was not alone in praying that he would not only survive the mauling but, if it were in God?s will, return to performing.

Magicians understand the Siegfried & Roy show will not once again grace stage of their theater and that the venue will be transformed into the new home of an exciting new project from The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil. Inside Magic has posted favorable articles relating to the plans for the new theater and the new show?s innovative concept.

I was very concerned, however, by statements the Las Vegas Business Press attributed to you concerning the transformation of the former Siegfried & Roy Theater. The article to which I refer can be found here. You are quoted as both praising the SARMOTI?s drawing power (?10,000 people a week flowing through the building?) and seemingly dismissing the show?s vitality. “[The Siegfried and Roy show] was starting to get tired,” McBeath says, “We reduced it from 10 shows to seven. We had talked about winding it down [before the accident]. Two years ago, [Mirage Resorts CEO] Bobby Baldwin was talking to Laliberte [Cirque du Soleil founder] about developing a show. When we got closer, it fell into place and made sense.”

This latter quote could be read to indicate The Mirage intended to end the Siegfried & Roy show because it was ?starting to get tired? even if the show had not been so tragically curtailed by the horrible attack. While most in the magic community would disagree with the assessment that the show was ?starting to get tired,? I am more concerned with the tone and the impression the statement may be read to convey.

Your statement seems to discount Siegfried & Roy?s contribution and, tragically, makes the attack appear fortuitous and timely.

Could you please clarify your statement or perhaps provide the context in which it should be read? I am certain you are not saying the attack itself was welcomed in any way ? your willingness to keep the Siegfried & Roy marquee in place for six months post accident belies this interpretation ? but the statement could be read to suggest that the show?s abrupt end came at the right time. The statement could be misunderstood; the show was on its way out anyway and the tragic ending saved the duo from an ignoble separation from their home theater.

Thank you in advance for your response.

Tim Quinlan

We will keep you apprised of any response.