Las Vegas Weekly

May 17, 2010 · 4:23 PM

Phil Ruffin plans more changes at T.I.; Sirens shake-up in store?

By Robin Leach

The Sirens unveil a sign of the times.

Photo: KirvinDoak Communications

Billionaire Las Vegas hotel maverick Phil Ruffin is considering further acquisitions on the Strip. In fact, he admits that he’s even made some offers! In a private chat before the 2010 Miss USA Pageant, where he was a judge last night, he told me that he’s working on some expensive and interesting changes for his inherited Sirens show.

Phil told me: “Treasure Island is turning out well. It’s what we wanted, and I’m happy with it. My only complaint is that business is not yet as good as it should be. That will change as the economy keeps getting better.

“We have a great location, and we’ve just opened Gilley’s. It’s fabulous and doing well. We have more to do, though. We have more plans that we’re trying to develop. We’ll probably change Sirens. I know it’s free and it attracts lots of visitors, but we’ve got to get those people into the casino.

“We’re going to do some interesting things there. We’ll make some major changes. We’re already working on some expensive stuff.” I asked Phil if that meant there’d be no more Sirens, and he quickly replied, “You said that, not me.”

He quickly emphasized, though, that his contract with Cirque du Soleil for Mystere is solid at T.I. for another five years. “It’s a great show, and the ticket sales are going very well. We have great occupancy there all the time.”

Phil, with wife Oleksandra, told me as a Miss USA judge that he would be looking for somebody with sophistication: “We like a regal, sophisticated look. Somebody who can carry the title really well because you know we live with them for a year in that role.” After the show, he agreed that the judges had voted for the right woman.

I asked Phil, since Donald Trump had told me that the Miss USA Pageant will possibly be moving in Las Vegas, if he would host it at T.I. “For the right money, absolutely yes,” he laughed.

I asked Phil if he was in the market to buy more hotels as the economy begins to make a comeback. He told me: “Yes, I would -- but nothing’s really for sale right now. MGM has all the good properties, but Kirk Kerkorian doesn’t want to sell anything, and I got that straight from the horse’s mouth, so to say. I made some offers, but nothing’s on the market right now, and you can take that to the bank.”

Photo: Marsh Starks

Phil Ruffin, shown in a 2003 Las Vegas Sun file photo.

Phil said there are several hotels in the valley up for sale, but he’s only interested in the Strip. I mentioned one just off the Strip that I know is for sale.

“Who wants that?” he answered mischievously.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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