🧐 Epstein’s Vegas connections

🚨 Custody Battle Preceeded Murder-Suicide at the Rio

In terrible news that’s difficult to even process, a mother shot and killed her 11-year-old daughter before turning the weapon on herself inside a Rio hotel room. The two traveled from Utah to Las Vegas for the Jamz Nationals cheer and dance competition at the Orleans this week. Court records show the mother had been in a years-long custody battle with the girl’s father, although police haven’t identified a motive in the case — despite a note left behind. [KLAS]

• The cheerleading community in the Salt Lake City area is mourning the loss of the young competitor, identified as Addi Smith, and raising funds to help cover the funeral cost. [KUTV]

🎰 Files Reveal Jeffrey Epstein’s Vegas Connections

I searched “Vegas” in the Jeffrey Epstein files on the U.S. Department of Justice website and came across pages of phone records and an email about booking tickets to Le Rêve on Vegas.com before I gave up. So I appreciate the Review-Journal’s ability to pick up the slack, digging through the files to discover what the child sex trafficker to the rich and powerful was doing in Vegas before his death in 2019.

• Epstein and his party of 10 booked a weekend trip to Vegas in 2013, five years after he was required to register as a sex offender in Florida.
• The itinerary included dinner at Nobu and tickets to Rod Stewart at Caesars Palace, as well as Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère at Treasure Island.
• Epstein turned down a meet-and-greet with Rod the Mod over time constraints.
• The trip was financed, at least in part, by Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, which had a majority stake in Caesars Entertainment at the time.
• Black submitted a handwritten poem to Epstein’s now-infamous 50th birthday book, which also includes messages from Donald Trump and Bill Clinton — although Black has “no recollection” of covering Epstein’s trip to Vegas.
• Epstein was also eager to attend the DEF CON hacker convention at the Rio.
• Always networking, Epstein helped others secure tickets to Celine Dion, Penn & Teller, and Michael Jackson ONE over the years. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

🌎 New Stuff Coming to the Sphere

The Sphere plans to release an “enhanced” version of its “Wizard of Oz” adaptation, which has already earned nearly $300 million in ticket revenue since opening last year. No word on what that means, but it could include alternate scenes trimmed from the original running time. The high-tech venue will also debut “From the Edge,” an extreme sports documentary, by late 2026 or early 2027. [Deadline]

• Tool is the latest band in talks to have a Sphere residency. [KLAS]

👠 Is A.I. Driving Sex Workers to Unionize?

For the first time in American history, sex workers are looking to unionize. City Cast Las Vegas explains why it’s happening now, the fuss over new contracts, and how artificial intelligence is a factor. We also hear directly from a woman who says she was wrongfully fired by Shari’s Ranch for supporting the union effort. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]