In the early ‘90s, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch exploded on to the music scene with their hit song “Good Vibrations.” You’ve heard the song, if not on the radio, then in one of over 25 movies and TV shows. It’s appeared in all types of films like The Mighty Ducks, Blades of Glory, Analyze This, Don Jon, The Do-Over, The To Do List, Fun Size, Rock Star, and more.

We all knew Marky Mark — a.k.a. Mark Wahlberg — as the younger brother of Donnie Wahlberg, a founding member of the trendsetting boy band, New Kids on the Block. While Donnie was cranking out pop hits, Mark was jumping into hip hop. And he did it while rocking his boxers, both as a Calvin Klein model and in the iconic “Good Vibrations” video.

Now, of course, Mark Wahlberg is known as a bona fide movie star and producer, responsible for hits like “Entourage” and “Boardwalk Empire” while starring in a slew of flicks including Boogie Nights, The Perfect Storm, Rock Star, Planet of the Apes, The Italian Job, The Other Guys, Daddy’s Home, Instant Family, and many more.

But it wasn’t just the two Wahlberg kids. Mark is actually the youngest of nine siblings. The rest of the clan includes sisters Debbie (who passed away in 2003 on the day Mark’s daughter was born), Michelle and Tracey, and brothers Arthur, Paul, James and Robert. Most of the brothers have dabbled in acting, but Donnie, Mark and chef Paul also co-founded the Wahlburgers restaurant chain.

The Wahlbergs’ Wahlburgers in Las Vegas

There are over 50 Wahlburgers locations in the country, including two on the Las Vegas Strip. One is at the Horseshoe’s (formerly Bally’s) Grand Bazaar Shops outdoor mall, and the other is a kiosk near the street. Despite the name, it’s not just a burger joint. There’s salads, sandwiches, chili, mac ‘n cheese, desserts and more.

So when Mark Wahlberg recently purchased not one but two properties in Las Vegas, was it so he could be close to these two Wahlburgers locations? Naw … there must be more to the story.

Mark Wahlberg Buys Las Vegas Homes

Mark recently purchased real estate in The Summit Club at the west end of the valley near Town Center and Flamingo. This exclusive guard-gated Summerlin community is near Red Rock Canyon next to the I-215 freeway, and it’s billed as “the only private lifestyle club community in Las Vegas.”

The Summit Club recently expanded with an additional 50 acres for custom-built homes, since the original lots are sold out. Wahlberg bought one of those few remaining empty lots, where he’s apparently in the process of building a luxury mansion. He also purchased a nearby 7,300 square foot villa where he and his family of six can live while the new home is being built.

Understandably, a luxury community like this doesn’t readily disclose information about their homeowners. However, we do know that other notable residents include singer Céline Dion, Vegas Golden Knight owner Bill Foley, and Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.

Wahlberg sold his Los Angeles mansion earlier this year for a whopping $87.5 million, which was more than enough to buy the Summit Club lot for $15.6 million plus the villa for $14.5 million. But why Las Vegas? Especially when his wife, former model Rhea Durham, apparently wanted to move back to her home state of Florida instead?

Las Vegas is Hollywood 2.0

Wahlberg recently appeared with co-star Kevin Hart on BeondTV’s “Lights, Camera, Vegas” hosted by Rachel Smith. “I live in Nevada. I plan on making, hopefully, a film studio, and we want to build a shoe factory in Nevada,” he told Smith. “We want to create a lot of jobs, and a lot of excitement. Hollywood 2.0.” He referred to Las Vegas as his hometown, and gave a shoutout to Bishop Gorman High School, where at least one of his kids now goes.

It’s not unusual for people to escape the expensive LA grind and head to Vegas, including celebrities. Other Hollywood mainstays who have made the move to Vegas over the years include Nicolas Cage, Carlos Santana, Nick Carter, Jerry Lewis, Tony Curtis, and Redd Foxx.

And to answer the previous questions, living in Nevada — and creating a film industry here — is a much better choice than Florida due to the beautiful weather, lack of natural disasters, and excellent business tax structure. And the proximity to Los Angeles, if needed.

Now’s the Time to Buy in Vegas

Mark Wahlberg has come a long way from Marky Mark, and he has more than proven his sharp business skills, from his music career to movie stardom to film producing portfolio to restaurant success.

So if you doubt whether it’s a good time to buy in Las Vegas, look no further than Wahlberg. Who knows? Maybe Donnie Wahlberg and his wife, “The Masked Singer” judge Jenny McCarthy, will follow suit.

Vegas is one of the few cities that always bounces back, no matter what happens. It survived a mass shooting and a pandemic that could have shut it down permanently. It’s the entertainment capital of the world, a culinary leader, and people will always want to experience it. All of that also makes is a great place to call home, whether your first home or a second one. Lots of snowbirds and business travelers will agree.

The good news is, it’s more than possible to find a good home in a great Las Vegas location, whether you’re looking for private luxury like Wahlberg, or you prefer something more down to earth. Many communities in Summerlin, the Northwest and Henderson give you the best of both worlds — a quiet, small town feel with easy access to world-class amenities.

For help finding your ideal dream home in paradise, look no further than community expert Dulcie Crawford, who was born and raised in Las Vegas and has deep native roots going back to the 1960s. Dulcie’s father, Joseph Crawford, was a Las Vegas lawyer during the mob years until the mid-1990s.

Like Wahlberg’s kids, Dulcie also attended the prestigious Bishop Gorman College Preparatory High School, graduating in the Class of 1986. Her mother and father settled in a historic Ranch Community home built by Collins Brothers Development, same as the Flamingo Hotel. Dulcie has now renovated the family Ranch Home and loves living in Central Las Vegas again, close to the pulse of the Las Vegas Strip.

Dulcie has over 24 years of local real estate expertise. She understands the city and its trends and opportunities more than anyone. Dulcie has watched Vegas rise and fall and rise again, and can help you pinpoint and locate the perfect home for you. To find out more about working with Dulcie and her award-winning team, or to get more information about the current housing market conditions, properties featured on this blog, or our Hot Market Listings, please contact Dulcie Crawford directly at (702) 505-2775.