Undeniably one of the most-loved of Hollywood’s stars, Mark Wahlberg recently made the very public move to flee Los Angeles and set up shop in Las Vegas instead. Sin City may only be four hours northeast of the City of Angels, but the two couldn’t be more different in aesthetic, persona, and even tax rates. Even though Wahlberg is known for having a great sense of humour, the switch wasn’t a joke at all, and he’s already flexing his reach in his new home.
Recently, Wahlberg has been very vocal about why he made the shift to Nevada in late 2022, and while his tale isn’t as damning as many other high-profile departures from California, it is rather telling of the persona the Golden State has gained. Keen to work more locally, the star of Planet of the Apes (2001), Four Brothers (2005), Max Payne (2009), The Other Guys (2010), and Daddy’s Home (2015) has already embarked on his next Las Vegas-filmed production.
Mark’s making the most of his new surroundings
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Speaking to The Talk, Wahlberg stated that as he’s at home whenever he’s free, he wanted to enjoy life within that location, and that since moving to California to pursue acting, he’s only actually made a couple of movies there. The move certainly wasn’t a small decision as, in 2014, work was finally completed on his notorious dream home. He paid for six acres of Beverley Park to become a 30,000 square feet French chateau, costing $8 million in 2009. He put it on the market for $87.5 million in 2022, eventually selling it for $55 million.
As for his new home in Las Vegas, Wahlberg is said to have spent $15.6 million on a vacant plot within a luxury community just outside of Sin City proper. Not even a year after his move, the actor is already filming a new flick in his new home. He posted to his social media account to thank the Strat – a casino resort – for allowing him and the team behind The Family Plan to shoot on location. The film itself will also feature Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, Ciarán Hinds, and Saïd Taghmaoui, with Wahlberg also co-producing the action comedy.
It’s not just the new movie for Apple TV+ that he’s been lending his name to in Las Vegas, either. In late March 2023, it was announced that Wahlberg had opened up a second location for his restaurant chain Wahlburgers on the famed Las Vegas Strip. This second restaurant can be found inside the Shoppes of the Mandalay Place, with head chef Paul Wahlberg and brother Donnie Wahlberg running the show. To say that Wahlberg’s going all-in on his Hollywood 2.0 plans for Las Vegas might just be an understatement.
A grand setting for everything entertainment.
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Los Angeles and Hollywood may have lured in actors for decades so that they’re close to studios and executives, but the state of California can’t match the entertainment that Las Vegas has going on each night. For music, the many grand venues boast ever-flowing residencies of some of the world’s biggest stars. This spring 2023 alone has featured Adele, Maroon 5, Usher, Garth Brooks, and Miranda Lambert. Then you have those who come down for a concert, like Miley Cyrus, who starts trending from Sin City for getting a crowd chant going.
Of course, the most advertised allure of Las Vegas has long been its casinos and gambling houses. Las Vegas’ distinct persona lends an extra gravitas to its games. It’s why the online blackjack game Vegas Single Deck ranks as the most popular on online platforms like Betway. It stands ahead of Real Blackjack and even Classic Blackjack, with Vegas Downtown next – just ahead of the celebrity blackjack game.
While the city has revelled in this perception for decades to make it a hotspot for tourism, the Sin City persona actually dates back to the early 1900s. With the two names intrinsically tied now, movies can lean into the persona to offer a distinct sensation for audiences, clearly playing on the Sin City elements in Ocean’s Eleven, Domino, What Happens in Vegas, The Hangover, and Now You See Me.
Mark Wahlberg has made Las Vegas his home and place of work, and if his movies prove successful and his actor friends start itching for a new location, perhaps more celebrities will move to Sin City.
