Shaq’s Super Bowl ‘Fun House’ is a no-gouge zone (2024)

Home
>>Entertainment
>>Entertainment Columns
>>Kats

Kats

Shaq's Super Bowl 'Fun House' is a no-gouge zone

ByJohn Katsilometes/Las Vegas Review-Journal

January 15, 2024 - 7:21 pm

Updated January 16, 2024 - 6:53 pm

Shaquille O'Neal attends the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Shaquille O'Neal is shown on the red carpet at Sports Illustrated's Club SI in the Flamingo's Margaritaville space on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2023. (Amanda Sprague/RMG)

Shaquille O'Neal is shown onstage during The Event hosted by the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation on Oct. 7, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation)

Shaquille O'Neal is shown at his "Fun House" Super Bowl party in Phoenix on Feb. 10, 2023, before Super Bowl LVII. (Medium Rare)

Shaq’s an often exaggerated personality. But he’s had it with exaggerated pricing. He’s ditching that concept for “Shaq’s Fun House,” the Super Bowl sidecar event coming to XS Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas on Feb. 9.

“What I did for the people, this time, is $99,” O’Neal said last week in a Zoom chat. “I know we’re in Vegas, I know a lot of people are saying, for the Super Bowl, ‘We have a $200 room, let’s go $2,000.’ Uh-uh. We want everybody to show up, and the earlier you buy the more you will save (go to ShaqFunHouse.com for intel).”

Wynn Nightlife headliner Diplo leads this year’s lineup, along with rap star Lil Wayne; DJ Irie (the official DJ of the 2006 NBA champion Miami Heat), Shaq’s DJ/actor son, Myles O’Neal; and O’Neal’s own DJ Diesel stage persona.

O’Neal lives in Las Vegas part-time, residing in Atlanta when he is not here. He has hosted a “Fun House” alongside the Super Bowl since 2018.

“I’ve said this last year and the year before, the Super Bowl couldn’t get any bigger,” O’Neal said. “But we’re going to Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World, and I’ve partnered with Wynn and XS to bring the biggest event.”

That doesn’t mean O’Neal is apt to gouge visitors. He had a front-row seat to F1, when he and soccer great David Beckham co-hosted Sports Illustrated’s Club SI viewing party at the Flamingo’s Margaritaville venue the Strip.

“I don’t want to say people were taken advantage of, but they were making sure they got whatever they needed,” O’Neal said. “So, yeah, you find yourself paying $5,000 for a room. I said, ‘What the hell is going on?”

We spoke once more in what’s become an ongoing conversation about Shaq’s position as a potential investor in an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. During F1, he broached the idea of partnering with LeBron James in a new Vegas franchise.

O’Neal has not changed his hoop dreams.

“I don’t want to say something I’m not supposed to say, Whoever is involved, I would like to be involved with them,” the 7-feet-1 icon said, picking his words thoughtfully. “Could I could I see Shaq and LeBron? Of course. Could I see Shaq, with somebody else being a majority owner? Yes. I probably wouldn’t want to be a majority owner, yet. But if they want me involved, I would love to be involved.

Who Was Where

At Frankie Valli’s show at Westgate on Saturday night: ’70s hit maker Tony Orlando, appearing in what is billed as his “Farewell Shows” at South Point Showroom on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; the great composer and arranger Artie Schroeck (who arranged “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” among many other classics) and his wife, Linda November, who has sung thousands of commercial jingles (the Meow Mix cat-food theme is the favorite here); and cast members of “Jersey Boys,” opening Jan. 26 at Orleans Showroom.

Cool Hang Alert

Alli Starr and the AlliKats (great name) continue to headline “Sultry Saturdays” from 9 to 11 p.m. at Cork & Thorn at 70 W. Imperial Ave. in the Arts District. Doors at 5 p.m. No cover. Enjoy hookah, food, drinks and cigars, in any order.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'READ MORE'; html += 'LIVE WELL'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'STORIES LIKE THIS'; html += 'CLICK HERE FOR MORE'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('livewell').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-sponsored-full').length>0) { return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-2023-year-in-review')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += '2023 YEAR IN REVIEW'; html += 'CLICK HERE FOR MORE'; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('2023-year-in-review').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-msg-sphere')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('tag-msg-sphere').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-jeff-german-murder') || $('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-remembering-jeff-german')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('jeff_german').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-911-anniversary')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'REMEMBERING 9/11: 20 YEARS LATER'; html += 'Looking back at the 2001 terror attacks and how they affected Las Vegas and the world.'; html += 'Read more'; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('anniversary-911').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-class-of-2021')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'MEET THE UNFORGETTABLE CLASS'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += '2021'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('class-2021').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-2022-election')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'ELECTION 2022'; html += 'Read more'; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'ELECTION RESULTS'; html += 'Click here'; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('election-2022').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-harry-reid-1939-2021')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'Harry Reid(1939-2021)'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'Senate leader and Nevada political titan'; html += 'Read more'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('harry-reid').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-henry-ruggs')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'HENRY RUGGSDEADLY CRASH'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'CLICK FOR MORE'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('henry-ruggs').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('category-homicides')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'HOMICIDE'; html += 'A STORY BEHIND EVERY NAME'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'TRACKER'; html += 'CLICK HERE FOR MORE'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('homicides').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-sheldon-adelson')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'Sheldon Adelson(1933-2021)'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'Las Vegas visionary and Philanthropist.'; html += 'Read more'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('sheldon-adelson').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-tony-hsieh')) { html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += ''; html += 'Tony Hsieh(1973-2020)'; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += ''; html += 'Ex-Zappos and Downtown Project CEO left a lasting impression on Las Vegas.'; html += 'Read more'; html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('tony-hsieh').html(html); return; } if ($('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-vegas-weekend')) { //vegas-reawakening html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'VEGAS REAWAKENING'; html += 'A year after the pandemic began, the first weekend of spring showed a perfect storm of promise for Las Vegas’ recovery and brought optimism that visitors would indeed return to the city'; html += 'Read more'; html += '

'; html += '

'; $('.nlsm-small').addClass('vegas-reawakening').html(html); return; } //add newsletters embed var default_category_to_show = ['News', 'Local', 'Life', 'Crime']; var newsletter_1st_lv = []; newsletter_1st_lv['default'] = {'id':'starting_point,pm_update', 'title':'LOCAL NEWS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free daily Morning and Afternoon Update newsletters.'}; newsletter_1st_lv['Sports'] = {'id':'sports', 'title':'SPORTS NEWS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free daily Sports Update newsletter.'}; newsletter_1st_lv['Business'] = {'id':'business', 'title':'BUSINESS NEWS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free Business Update newsletter.'}; newsletter_1st_lv['Entertainment'] = {'id':'','alert_id':'entertainment', 'title':'WANT THE LATEST ON LAS VEGAS ENTERTAINMENT?', 'subtitle':'Sign up for free entertainment email alerts'}; //newsletter_1st_lv['Nevada Preps'] = {'id':'nevada_preps', 'title':'HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Stay up to date with our free Nevada Preps newsletter.'}; //newsletter_1st_lv['Investigations'] = {'id':'rj_investigates', 'title':'INVESTIGATIVE NEWS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free RJ Investigates newsletter.'}; var cat_has_subcat = ['News','Business','Entertainment','Sports', 'Opinion']; var newsletter_2nd_lv = []; newsletter_2nd_lv['Politics and Government'] = {'id':'','alert_id':'political', 'title':'LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL POLITICS COVERAGE', 'subtitle':'

'}; //newsletter_2nd_lv['Politics and Government'] = {'id':'political', 'title':'ELECTION 2020: BE INFORMED', 'subtitle':'

FULL COVERAGE | ELECTION RESULTS

'}; //newsletter_2nd_lv['Debra J. Saunders'] = {'id':'44', 'title':'YOUR WEEKLY POLITICAL FIX', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free DC-LV newsletter with political stories from the swamp to the Strip.'}; //newsletter_2nd_lv['CES 2021'] = {'id':'ces', 'title':'CES 2021: STAY IN THE KNOW', 'subtitle':'

The Review-Journal is a media partner with the CTA. Click here for full coverage and live video from CES 2021

Sign up for our free newsletter below.'}; //newsletter_2nd_lv['TV'] = {'id':'tv_briefing', 'title':'GET YOUR TV LISTINGS', 'subtitle':'Your Weekly TV Briefing.'}; //newsletter_2nd_lv['UNLV'] = {'id':'unlv_rebel_news', 'title':'UNLV SPORTS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Stay up to date on the Rebels with our free newsletter.'}; newsletter_2nd_lv['Rodeo'] = {'id':'rodeo_nfr', 'title':'RODEO NEWS YOUR WAY', 'subtitle':'Don\'t miss any of the action! Click here for full NFR coverage or Sign up for our free newsletter below'}; newsletter_2nd_lv['Raiders News'] = {'id':'vegasnation', 'title':'WANT EVEN MORE RAIDERS NEWS?', 'subtitle':'Sign up for our free Vegas Nation newsletter.'}; newsletter_2nd_lv['Golden Knights'] = {'id':'','alert_id':'golden_knights', 'title':'WANT MORE KNIGHTS IN YOUR DAY?', 'subtitle':'Sign up for free Golden Knights email alerts for all the latest updates'}; var main_cat = ''; var m_hierarchy = []; var m_cat = []; var m_hl_cat = ''; if (window.dataLayer[0].metrics) { main_cat = window.dataLayer[0].metrics.section; //National Finals Rodeo m_hierarchy = window.dataLayer[0].metrics.hierarchy.split(' | '); //"Sports | Rodeo | National Finals Rodeo" m_cat = window.dataLayer[0].metrics.categories; //["National Finals Rodeo","Rodeo","Sports"] m_hl_cat = window.dataLayer[0].metrics['hl-category']; //Sports } var i, k, found, newsletter; newsletter = false; found = false; if (default_category_to_show.includes(m_hl_cat)) { newsletter = newsletter_1st_lv['default']; } if (newsletter_1st_lv.hasOwnProperty(m_hl_cat)) { newsletter = newsletter_1st_lv[m_hl_cat]; } // check main category if (newsletter_2nd_lv.hasOwnProperty(main_cat)) { found = true; newsletter = newsletter_2nd_lv[main_cat]; } if (!found) { // check in hierarchy (main category hierarchy) i = m_hierarchy.length; while (!found && i >= 0) { i--; if (i > 0) { if (newsletter_2nd_lv.hasOwnProperty(m_hierarchy[i])) { found = true; newsletter = newsletter_2nd_lv[m_hierarchy[i]]; } } else { // i=0, check first level if (newsletter_1st_lv.hasOwnProperty(m_hierarchy[i])) { found = true; newsletter = newsletter_1st_lv[m_hierarchy[i]]; } } } } if (!found) { // check in category i = m_cat.length; while (!found && i > 0 && cat_has_subcat.includes(m_hl_cat)) { i--; if (newsletter_2nd_lv.hasOwnProperty(m_cat[i])) { found = true; newsletter = newsletter_2nd_lv[m_cat[i]]; } } } if (newsletter !== false && !$('.rj-story-full').hasClass('tag-hide-newsletter') && !$('.rj-story-full').hasClass(' rj-story-sponsored-full')) { var alert_id = ''; if (newsletter.alert_id) { alert_id = newsletter.alert_id; } html = ''; html += '

'; html += '

'+newsletter.title+'

'; html += '

'+newsletter.subtitle+'

'; html += '

'; html += '' html += ''; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy and '; html += 'Terms of Service. Unsubscribe at any time.'; html += '

'; html += '

'; html += 'This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.'; html += '

'; html += '

FAQs

What is the theme of Shaq's Fun House? ›

Shaq's Fun House is renowned for its carnival theme, offering a variety of attractions and activities alongside the musical performances. From thrilling rides to interactive games, the festival provides a full carnival experience that delights attendees of all ages.

See Details ›

What hotel is hosting Shaq's Fun House in 2024? ›

At Wynn & Encore Las Vegas, every room and suite has been designed as a serene and stylish retreat.

View Details ›

Where is Shaq fun house? ›

Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall

Shaq’s Fun House / Location

Keep Reading ›

How much is Shaq's net worth? ›

He's also a successful entrepreneur, actor, investor, and philanthropist whose multifaceted career has significantly boosted his net worth. As of 2024, Shaq's net worth is estimated to be upwards of $500 million according to multiple sources.

Get More Info ›

What is the history of the fun house? ›

Originally starting in Coney Island in the early 1900's, the Fun house was initially a house or large building containing a number of amusem*nt devices (e.g. Mechanical versions of what can be found on a children's playground). The most common amusem*nts were: Slides - Some up to two stories high.

View Details ›

Why is Shaq hiding in his house? ›

Shaq May Be Hiding In His House To Avoid FTX Lawsuit.

Tell Me More ›

Who sold Shaq's house? ›

'This is Shaq, and I'm calling you to sell my home. ' I responded, 'It's about time you called me. '” listing agent Benjamin Hillman, of Premier Sotheby's International Realty, said in a statement.

Learn More Now ›

What restaurant did Shaq own? ›

Big Chicken is a fast casual restaurant chain in the United States. It was founded by retired Hall of Fame National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal, along with JRS Hospitality and Authentic Brands Group.

Find Out More ›

How much is Shaq's house in Florida? ›

Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal had more relists (five) for his Florida home than NBA championships (four), but the big man finally sold the mega-mansion for $11 million. That's a discount of roughly 60% compared with his original price of $28 million.

View Details ›

What state Shaq lives in? ›

Most recently, months after selling his mega-mansion in Orlando, Florida, the NBA legend purchased a five-bedroom, six-bathroom estate in the Dallas suburbs that occupies more than 5,200 square feet. He also has a 6,400-square-foot home in Sugar Land, Texas, records obtained by The Post show.

Learn More Now ›

What city does Shaq live in Georgia? ›

Atlanta, Georgia

Shaq O'Neal owns three properties in the McDonough neighborhood of Atlanta, indicating his obvious affection for the Peach Tree State. For $1.15 million, the stunning item pictured above was purchased in 2016.

Explore More ›

Did Shaq meet Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl? ›

Shaquille O'Neal Reveals What He Said to Taylor Swift When They Met at the Super Bowl (Exclusive)

Show Me More ›

Who is the 3 richest NBA player? ›

3. LeBron James, 38: US$1 billion.

Keep Reading ›

How many Papa John's does Shaq own? ›

He also owns 17 Auntie Anne's Pretzels restaurants and nine Papa John's franchise units. In fact, O'Neal is a brand ambassador for Papa John's and has been on the pizza company's board of directors since 2019.

Learn More Now ›

Where does Shaq o neal live now? ›

Learn More ›

Where did Shaq buy a new house? ›

Dallas, Texas

For an impressive $1.2 million, his new beauty was allegedly acquired in 2022. Even though it's not as large as some of his other houses, this five-bedroom, five-bathroom home is quite spacious.

Get More Info Here ›

Where is Shaq's new home in Texas? ›

Home surrounded with activities

Shaquille O'Neal's new home is located at 4012 Sahara Court in Carrollton, Texas, per Redfin. According to the small town's official site, Carrollton is a suburban community just outside the city of Dallas.

Keep Reading ›

Where does Shaquille o neal live in GA? ›

In that last few years alone, he purchased four different homes in McDonough, Georgia, with a combined 30 acres of land, which could indicate an intention to build a bigger estate. He also owns a 4,600-square-foot home in Hampton, Georgia.

Learn More ›