Wayne Newton has been as much a fixture of Las Vegas as his the ubiquitous casinos on the famous Strip, and his fame has afforded him a life of opulent luxury that is possibly best exemplified by his massive Casa de Shenandoah estate which is now open to the public.
Newton first purchased the land that would grow into his famous estate in 1966, expanding his raw land purchase into the current, 52 acre complex of Vegas excess. Hidden for decades behind walls and iconic golden gates, the estate has long been the target of curiosity and intrigue. Over the decades Newton built eight homes on the land, horse stables, little arenas, lakes, ponds, and enclosures for exotic animals like penguins, monkeys, and peacocks. Right in the midst of the Nevada desert.
The homes themselves are also opulent showpieces, housing memorabilia and vintage car collections. One of the homes even has a custom passenger plane built right into the wall, just for effect.
Mr. Las Vegas has long kept his family estate locked to all but the rich and famous who were lucky enough to be invited over, but as of October 2015, Newton has opened the gates to the public, offering a variety of tours of the site, where he still lives. The tours are a rare look into what may be the true heart of showbiz Las Vegas.