Magician Burton to stay in Vegas 6 more years

updated 12:34 p.m. ET July 1, 2009

LAS VEGAS - Lance Burton and the Monte Carlo hotel-casino have agreed to a new contract that keeps his magic show at the Las Vegas resort for another six years, the illusionist said Tuesday.

"I thought about everything, I considered every option," Burton told The Associated Press. "I felt like I still had a few more shows in me."

Burton, 49, is recovering at home from a foot injury that has kept him offstage nearly two months, but he said he plans to return to the show on July 7. He broke his right foot while performing May 7.

He felt discomfort in the foot 15 minutes into the show, but didn't think it was serious at the time and finished the rest of the performance, his publicist Wayne Bernath said.

"It's getting there, still wearing the little moon boot," Burton said. "I'm going to try and switch to a tennis shoe, just try to let it keep it stable as long as I can because I'm going back to work in a week."

Burton, a magician for three decades, began his Las Vegas career 27 years ago with an eight-week trial engagement at "Les Folies Bergere," which turned into a nine-year run for him at the Tropicana hotel-casino. The topless revue closed in March after 49 years.

Before that run, Burton was the youngest magician to win the Gold Award for Excellence from the International Brotherhood of Magicians, which is the world's largest organization for magicians.

Burton has also made numerous appearances on late night television and has four cable television specials expected to air in July.

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He began his current 13-year run with the Monte Carlo on the day the resort opened in 1996. The new contract will extend his run to 2015.

"(It) seemed like forever at the time, but then you get there and you go, 'Well gee, where'd the 13 years go?'" Burton said.

He said he isn't sure whether he'll retire or extend his contract beyond 2015.

"That's hard to say — I can't look that far ahead of time," he said.

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