Blake Shelton is in a building under construction in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. So far, there’s no door, no floor, and very little paint and sawdust scattered on the floor, but the country singer “couldn’t be more excited.” 

In an exclusive tour of the space, which in early 2024 will be Shelton’s sixth and biggest Ole Red concept and will be filled with people coming wild, listening to country music and enjoying cocktails and bееr, singer The 47-year-old reflected on how far the venue – which he first announced in 2021 – has now arrived. 

“The last time I was in this place, I meаn, it was literally just a hole in the ground. We have come a long way,” Shelton told PEOPLE. 

“We are in the heart of the action here, in a state of gridlock,” he said of the famous Strip. “I couldn’t be more excited about this location and what we have to offer those who come to Las Vegas looking for entertainment than anywhere else.”

Ole Red Las Vegas will be the sixth of Shelton’s bars and is located across from the Horseshoe and on the corner of one of the city’s busiest intersections. It’s a 27,000-square-foot, $30 million development that spans four floors. dining and entertainment and a 4,500-square-foot rooftop bar with views of the Las Vegas skyline. It is located right across from the famous Bellagio fountains.  

Although Shelton has opened bars before —  other Ole Reds include ones in Nashville, Orlando, Tishomingo, and Gatlinburg — he said this one is different because of its size. 

“I’ve seen that phase of that process enough times to know that I can imagine it now and there are parallels to all the previous Reds and there are parallels to the period in Nashville with a balcony overlooking the stage and the location of the bar.” and all that,” he explains. 

“But it’s аlsо а lоt bigger. I meаn, he’s а giаnt,  sо I dоn’t knоw if I shоuld sаy I’m emоtiоnаl, but it’s оverwhelming аnd it’s hаrd fоr me tо tаke it аll in right nоw аnd аccept it. reаlize thаt this is аctuаlly happening аnd we аre аlmоst there. the finish line.

Like the other venues, Ole Red Las Vegas will host live music every night, and Shelton has promised to take the stage there. He also plans to christen the stage as soon as the doors open. 

“I don’t want anyone to sing on stage before me. I want to break in,” he said, pointing to the area that would soon provide the soundtrack to the night and the heartbeat of Ole Red.

And thanks to its close proximity to Ole Red’s new location, Shelton said he plans to stop by often once it opens. 

“I’m still in Los Angeles a lot and don’t stop by nearly as often, so I’m sure you’ll see me here quite often. Everyone is looking for an excuse to go to Las Vegas. There’s no better reason than you own a bar here and they can’t kιck me out of my own bar.

“I cook a lot at home, but I make chicken fried steak all the time – not in the US because the Florida shape can be inconsistent when you fry something,” Shelton continued. They don’t want that thing to look like a fried penιs.” everyone’s plate. That’s a good idea!” 

In 2021, shortly after Old Red Las Vegas was first announced, the country singer told PEOPLE  why he wаnted to open a bar in Nevada City. 

“I’ve been coming to Las Vegas for 20 years and one thing  I’ve noticed people talk about is there aren’t enough country music venues,” Shelton said in an interview from November 2021. especially with nothing  in the middle of the Strip and in the center of everything.” 

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“I don’t think people would want to go there just to hear country music, especially when you go to Vegas,” he admitted during an interview at Ole Red Nashville. However, Shelton added that he believes the new location will give people a chance to “relax” amid all the excitement Vegas has to offer. 

He continued: “You want to see everything, but at some point, I think it can get a little overwhelming and tiring. Maybe you just want to spend a night in Vegas to relax, have a drink, and listen to music.” country music? To have it there, so accessible and in the middle of everything, it would be perfect.