Jack Wishna

Jack Wishna is president and CEO of CPAmerica, a consulting firm for gambling, hotel and leisure organizations, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also a founder of Rockrena Inc. which launched rockcityclub.com, a Social Music Network,[1]

Wishna has been called a "a wheeler and dealer in the gaming industry".[2] Wishna "put together a deal potentially worth $250 million for Wayne Newton" at the Stardust Resort & Casino, and has worked with celebrities such as Michael Flatley, Britney Spears, Richard Branson and Mohamed al-Fayed on projects in Las Vegas.[3] He has also partnered with Tony Orlando who was the youngest VP at Columbia Records, now Sony Music, and headed April Blackwood Music Publishing arm under the legendary Clive Davis.[4] According to Joe Delaney of Las Vegas Sun "Orlando's track record managing April Blackwood Music and since augurs well for this ambitious new enterprise with Wishna".[5]

He is credited with bringing Donald Trump to Las Vegas by facilitating the partnership between Trump and Phil Ruffin.[6] He is currently a partner with Donald Trump and Phil Ruffin in the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada.[3][7]

Wishna worked with Britney Spears on her career,[8] and conceived a 'resident headliner' comeback directly with Britney Spears, her management and her lawyers [9][10]

He also worked with Madonna on her career, creating a major $150 million dollar deal for her which she turned down [11] Madonna told Wishna at the time that she "liked living in England with her kids and didn't want to do a sit-down show" [12]

Wishna helped convince Michael Jackson to return to America after 18 months in exile, and worked with him for seven months in an effort to create his comeback.[13] According to Norm Clarke, Wishna "was instrumental in having the pop icon move back to the United States."[3] Jack Wishna created rockcityclub.com with input from Michael Jackson, and according to Robin Leach "Michael Jackson’s Dream of Global Talent Search is coming true now that Wishna launched rockcityclub.com" [14] Wishna was Jackson's friend and worked on several projects with him [15] including Jackson and Wishna presenting Cirque du Soleil with the idea to do a Michael Jackson show based upon the Thriller song and Jackson's many #1 hits.[16][17]

After their championship win, J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff, who won Season 13 of "Dancing With the Stars" contacted Jack Wishna to help work on their careers.[18]

Jack Wishna founded Rockrena and the Rock City Club brand with the late promoter Don Kirshner.[19] Wishna created a Producer's Circle at rockcityclub that includes Ron Dante and Phil Ramone[20] Grammy Award winning producers behind Chicago, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart [21][22][23]

References

  1. ^ Caballero, Martin (October 12, 2011). "Rock City Club opens doors on Web for aspiring bands". REUTERS. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/12/us-rockcity-idUSTRE79B5NN20111012. 
  2. ^ "The last days of Michael Jackson". Irish Independent. August 23, 2009. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/the-last-days-of-michael-jackson-1867400.html. 
  3. ^ a b c Clarke, Norm (December 24, 2006). "Michael Jackson landing on Strip?". Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, Nevada). http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Dec-24-Sun-2006/news/11612290.html. Retrieved March 17, 2011. 
  4. ^ Delaney, Joe (July 19, 2002). "Head for The Orleans for an Orlando vacation". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2002/jul/19/columnist-joe-delaney-head-for-the-orleans-for-an-/. Retrieved 20 November 2011. 
  5. ^ Delaney, Joe (July 19, 2002). "Head for The Orleans for an Orlando vacation". Las Vegas Sun (Las Vegas, Nevada). http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2002/jul/19/columnist-joe-delaney-head-for-the-orleans-for-an-/. Retrieved March 17, 2011. 
  6. ^ Clarke, Norm (August 1, 2004). "Broker Wishna swings big deal". Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, Nevada). http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LVRB&p_theme=lvrb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1043F10A628903DB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. 
  7. ^ Martindale, Stone (November 9, 2006). "Britney's next reveal a Vegas comeback?". Monsters & Critics. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1220163.php/Britney_s_next_reveal_a_Vegas_comeback. 
  8. ^ "Rock City Club Opens Doors On Web For Aspiring Bands". MSN. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44877786/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/rock-city-club-opens-doors-web-aspiring-bands/#.TsliC2NFuso. 
  9. ^ "Spears Sets Sights on Sin City". E! Online. August 31, 2005. http://www.eonline.com/news/spears_sets_sights_on_sin_city/50584. Retrieved 20 November 2011. 
  10. ^ "Britney Spears looking at Vegas contract". UPI News. September 1, 2005. http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2005/09/01/Britney-Spears-looking-at-Vegas-contract/UPI-28121125599997/. Retrieved 20 November 2011. 
  11. ^ "Madonna Turns Down Offer". SPIN. August 16, 2005. http://www.spin.com/articles/madonna-turns-down-vegas-offer. Retrieved 20 November 2011. 
  12. ^ Clarke, Norm (August 23, 2010). "Madonna Punted on Move". LV Review Journal. 
  13. ^ English, Whitney; Natalie Finn (Jul. 10, 2009). ""It's Going to Be a Disaster": Associate Says Jackson Was Too Weak for Major Comeback". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b133691_its_going_be_disaster_associate_says.html. Retrieved March 17, 2011. 
  14. ^ Leach, Robin. "Michael Jackson’s dream of global talent search is coming true". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/oct/17/michael-jacksons-dream-global-talent-search-coming/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
  15. ^ Tresniowski, Alex. "Michael Jackson's Kids: Inside Their World". People Magazine. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20060327,00.html. Retrieved 20 November 2011. 
  16. ^ "Cirque du Soleil to stage 'Michael Jackson show'". The Telegraph (London). April 21, 2010. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/7612712/Cirque-du-Soleil-to-stage-Michael-Jackson-show.html. 
  17. ^ "Cirque du Soleil plans Jackson show". MSN Music. http://music.uk.msn.com/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=153115115. Retrieved April 21, 2010. 
  18. ^ Clarke, Norm (December 2, 2011). "The Scene and Heard". Review Journal. http://www.lvrj.com/news/older-rebels-fan-got-carried-away-134891873.html?ref=873. Retrieved 3 December 2011. 
  19. ^ Castellanos, Melissa (January 18, 2011). "Rock Promoter Don Kirshner Dies at Age 76". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20028794-10391698.html. Retrieved March 19, 2011. 
  20. ^ Peoples, Glenn (September 15, 2011). "Business Matters: Rock City Club". Billboard. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/indies/business-matters-rock-city-club-joins-long-1005355442.story. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
  21. ^ Leach, Robin (October 19, 2011). "Strip Scribbles". The Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/oct/19/strip-scribbles-15-million-bellagio-fountains-holi/. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
  22. ^ Simon, Scott. "Producer Phil Ramone". NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4189025. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
  23. ^ "Phil Ramone and Danielle Evin". Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-ramone-and-danielle-evin. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 

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