Casa de Shenandoah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casa de Shenandoah |
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Aerial view of Casa de Shenandoah in May 2015
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| Former names | Sunset Springs Ranch (2013–2014) |
| General information | |
| Address | 3310 East Sunset Road |
| Town or city | Paradise, Nevada |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 36°04′14″N 115°06′09″W / 36.070530°N 115.102457°W |
| Completed | 1978 (main house) |
| Opened | September 18, 2015 |
| Renovated | 2013, 2015 |
| Closed | April 24, 2018 |
| Owner | Smoketree LLC |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m2) (main house) |
| Grounds | 39.5 acres (16.0 ha) |
Casa de Shenandoah was the amazing home of famous singer Wayne Newton. He also used the property as a ranch for many different animals. It is located on about 39.5 acres in Paradise, Nevada, near Las Vegas.
Newton first bought five empty acres of land in 1966. Over time, he added more land and built several houses. The main house was finished in 1978.
In 2010, Newton wanted to open his home to the public. He thought it would be a cool place for people to visit. However, some neighbors were worried about extra traffic. County officials approved his plan, but there were some delays. Legal disagreements in 2012 paused the project.
After these issues were sorted out, the property was put up for sale in 2013 and 2014. Finally, it opened as a public attraction on September 18, 2015. Wayne Newton himself was involved in the tours. The attraction closed for updates on April 24, 2018. Newton hoped to reopen it, but he and his wife later decided not to. The property was sold in 2019 to a company called Smoketree LLC. They put it up for sale again in 2020.
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What Was There to See?
Plans for Casa de Shenandoah as a public attraction were announced in September 2010. Visitors would get to see many exciting things.
Amazing Collections
Tours would include Newton's awesome collection of cars. You could also see his private Fokker jet! Imagine seeing a real airplane up close.
Animal Friends
Shuttle tours would take visitors around the ranch to see Newton's special zoo. This zoo had many animals, including African penguins and peacocks. There were also more than 70 beautiful Arabian horses.
Museum and Theater
The project also planned to have a dinner theater, a museum, and a gift shop. These would all be on ten acres of the property. The museum would be a bigger version of Newton's "Red Room." It would show off items from his long career. It would also feature items from other famous Las Vegas entertainers. Newton wanted it to be like a hall of fame for stars. He mentioned legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.. Newton hoped to add new entertainers to the hall of fame every year.
The theater was designed to look like Newton's favorite showroom, the Copa Room. This was a famous place at the Sands Hotel and Casino. The theater would have 600 seats, and Wayne Newton himself would often perform there. The museum and theater were planned for a building that used to be a pottery and floral store.
Public Opening Plans
A meeting about the project was held in September 2010. Many neighbors were concerned about the extra shuttle bus traffic. Even though the museum and theater area was already set up for businesses, Newton's home needed a special permit for tours.
During a town board meeting, many people spoke both for and against the project. In November 2010, the Clark County Commission approved the plans. To help with the neighbors' worries, the public entrance to Casa de Shenandoah was moved to Sunset Road. This was instead of a smaller street called Tomiyasu Lane. Plans for a wedding pavilion were removed, but Newton could still host private weddings at his home.
Casa de Shenandoah was first expected to open in February 2011. However, work on the project went slowly. The museum was then expected to open by the end of 2011. In October 2011, Newton thought the estate would be ready for public tours by February 2012. Work on the project stopped in May 2012 due to some legal issues.
In April 2013, these issues were settled. Wayne Newton and his family moved out of Casa de Shenandoah in June 2013. They bought a new home nearby.
Later Sales
Casa de Shenandoah was sold to Smoketree LLC in July 2019. In August 2020, Smoketree put the estate up for sale again.
