LAS VEGAS | Boom Project Rundown! 2.0

[ScottG]

check out these new projects:

http://www.perlmandesigngroup.com/content/view/111/46/

http://www.perlmandesigngroup.com/content/view/112/46/

http://www.perlmandesigngroup.com/content/view/110/46/

http://www.perlmandesigngroup.com/content/view/113/46/

http://www.perlmandesigngroup.com/content/view/66/46/

[tumbleweed]

Set date for Stardust Close.... get your t-shirts and mugs while they last.. haha

Reuters
Boyd to close Stardust casino in Las Vegas
Tuesday September 5, 10:25 pm ET


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Casino operator Boyd Gaming Corp. (NYSE:BYD - News) on Tuesday said it planned to close its Stardust Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on November 1 to make way for its planned $4 billion Echelon Place project.
Boyd will begin demolition of Stardust, its aging casino on the Las Vegas Strip, in the first quarter of next year, it said in a statement.

Boyd has said that the Echelon project was expected to open in mid-2010.

The company said in January it planned to replace the Stardust with four hotels, with a total of 5,300 guest rooms and suites. Boyd has deals with partners to build some of the hotels and entertainment facilities.

Of the total $4 billion, Boyd has said it will invest $2.9 billion in the wholly owned Echelon Resort, which includes one tower with 2,600 rooms, another with 700 suites, a 140,000-square-foot casino and 25 restaurants and bars.


http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/060905/leisure_boyd.html?.v=2

[NYC2ATX]

Those 5 new projects are really awesome! It's amazing the development in southern Las Vegas. If it keeps up at this rate the "Welcomt to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada" sign will start to seem a little out of place. :haha:

[future29]

if just half of those new perlman projects ever get built i will be impressed.;)

[Patrick]

I'm suprised no one has said anything on the New Stanhi, has anyone seen my last post??

[BrandonJXN]

Is there anything planned for that huge dirt lot near Sky?

[sky-of-webs]

I'm suprised no one has said anything on the New Stanhi, has anyone seen my last post??

The picture and the text don't quite jive. It says 65 stories, but only counts out to around 47. Their web page does say "50 to be exact".
I prefer the old design myself, but I can see where the multi step gives a nice architectual break-up. One point against the new design is the wider tower sets right on the property line, and if elite is built, it to sets right on the property line. That is very bad planning, all of the west facing units lose their value.

[sky-of-webs]

Is there anything planned for that huge dirt lot near Sky?
Gordon gaming corp. owns it and the Sahara hotel. There is no plans or rumors for either location.
MGM ought to be looking into buying those two props, the old wet n wild site, and team up with Turnberry on the Fontainebleau site. MGM Signature Towers-- the partnership already exists.

[CHAPINM1]

I'm suprised no one has said anything on the New Stanhi, has anyone seen my last post??

I was just gonna mention that, it got so overlooked by everything else. :hell:

They're stalling that project too long also!

[BruceH]

Fontainebleau went before the planning commision on Sept 5. Next meeting before the commission is Sept 20. Project is still very much alive.

[BruceH]

Is there anything planned for that huge dirt lot near Sky?

Yep - Maxim but who knows if it will get built.

[David J]

Regarding Stanhi...

The image on the WPH website does not do it justice. The final product is terrific, with an elegant curve and subtle architectural elements that will greatly enhance the LV skyline.

The gentleman who stated the project is stalling simply has no idea what goes into the making of a building of this size. There is no room for error. Every detail is painstakingly gone over and over and over. I can asure you it is moving ahead swiftly. Mr. Cherry is uniquely gifted in this arena.

As far as setbacks go, everything is accounted for. All the neighbors know of one another.

Charleston to Boneville, Main to LV blvd - 18b, Nocha (north of charleston) or the Downtown Villiage. Whatever it winds up being called, it is going to be a special place.

[The_Analyst]

Lots of nice pictures, Patrick!

A few rants and raves:

So, One Las Vegas is adding what looks to be hotel towers with a South Florida circa 1980's design to them. I guess that is an upgrade from the circa 1950's housing project style of the condo towers behind. I would hate to have been a buyer of a west facing unit thinking I would have a nice view toward the Spring Mountains and now I will be looking at a hotel wall. I wonder if buyers were informed of potential development there.

I like Stanhi design. It's a little more conservative than some of the designs thrown out there but it's classy conservative rather than just cheap conservative. I like the red accent along the first floor. Adds a little pizzaz. I hope they keep that.

I've never noticed the back side of Metropolis before. It looks like a midwestern grain elevator on that side.

Views from the top of Sky are quite amazing! Personally, I am not sure I'd want to live that high up. I've lived as high as 24th floor and I like high rises and the view from on high but not sure I'd want to be much past 30 stories.

[Bender13]

Red Rock Condos cancelled, for now...
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Sep-07-Thu-2006/business/9493146.html

Sep. 07, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Station Casinos kills high-rise condo project

By HOWARD STUTZ
GAMING WIRE

Station Casinos has scrapped a high-rise condominium development next to its Red Rock Resort in Summerlin after the company's partnership with a pair of developers dissolved.

Scott Nielson, Station Casinos' chief development officer, said Wednesday the company is looking at various alternatives for the five-acre parcel in Summerlin Centre, south of Red Rock Resort and near a planned outdoor shopping mall.

However, he didn't count the twin tower condo project out of the picture.

"We need to consider what is the best use for that site," Nielson said. "We're not saying the condos won't be built, but we have to consider all our alternatives for that location."

He said a preview center inside Red Rock Resort near the property's movie theaters had closed.

"We had about 3,000 expressions of interest so we know the condos are a viable concept," Nielson said.

Nielson couldn't give a time table on any decision about the site. Station Casinos has several development opportunities throughout Las Vegas and in Reno.

The company has said publicly its next project would be the $450 million Aliante Station in North Las Vegas.

Station Casinos is also interested in developing its two sites in Reno, one near the convention center and another on the highway toward Mount Rose.

The company recently began construction of a 150,000 square-foot corporate headquarters behind Red Rock Resort.

In addition, Red Rock's second phase, 450 hotel rooms and an expansion to the spa, are expected to open early next year. Also, construction has started on the property's bowling center.

The $925 million Red Rock Resort opened in April.

Under the initial plans, announced last year, Las Vegas developers Steven Molasky and Steven Cloobeck planned to build twin 300-unit condominium towers on the site.

[CHAPINM1]

Is the Stratosphere webcam down? On the site it says it is, but I'd like a second opinion of what's goin on.

I also read that Trump is progressing by one floor every four days. Just to point it out, I think Trump Tower Las Vegas officially has 60 floors, there has to be no 13th floor among a few others others. If anyone could verify this please let me know, thanks in advance! ;)

[MsuMix]

I worked for Perini this summer, and I know the Trump crew averaged a floor a week (5 days) and that will probably maintain that rate until they top out. It is 64 stories minus the 13th floor.

I'm hired to work on Cosmo starting January.. can't wait!!

[ScottG]

check check check check it out!

http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/sands2.jpg
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/0333_0054_CP.jpg
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/0263_0620international_postcard.jpg
^^^international=las vegas hilton
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/hd999g254m47x_GNstrip.jpg
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/HD_9999_G254_M444_mgmlion1.jpg
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/HD_9999_G254_M444_mgmlion2.jpg
http://gaming.unlv.edu/centennial/web/luxor2_concept.jpg
^^the luxor was called 'project x' during the design phases
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~baldwin/mgmstrip.gif
^^whats missing?
http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/events/stern/circuscircusprime.jpg
http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/events/stern/ThunderbirdLasVegas699.jpg
^proposed thunderbird tower (never built)


OLD CONSTRRUCTION FOTOS
http://www.we-r-here.com/traveling_lens/photos/vegas/luxor_constructionb.jpg
http://www.casinocity.com/image/00578.JPG
http://parked.pcap.com/alad2.jpg
http://www.mesquite-nv.com/bellagi3.jpg

[Lecom]

The construction photo of Luxor is amazing. Thanks for that.

[Patrick]

Wow Great find. MGM sure looks cheap before the renovations.

[CHAPINM1]

Has there been a sales center opened up at Club Renaissance?

[GeorgeLV]

I wish they had gone with the design of the Mirage seen it that model with the set back penthouse level instead of the Las Vegas cliche of putting the logo on top of the hotel tower.

[ScottG]

Project CityCenter Already Causing Traffic Trouble
It hasn’t even opened yet and Project CityCenter is already affecting Las Vegas traffic and not in a good way. Now that the massive $7 billion project (between Monte Carlo and Bellagio) is officially under construction, the reality of what it takes to build something this big seems to be sinking in.

Frank Sinatra Drive, the recently opened road that offers terrific “back door” entry to hotels from Mandalay Bay to Caesars Palace has seen major lane closures and traffic tie-ups, turning what was a good alternate to the crowded Strip into a “please get that cement mixer out of the way” pain in the butt.

And now the back door to one of those hotels has been eliminated entirely, with the closure of the Monte Carlo parking structure. That garage is being torn down to make way for a new, bigger one that will serve both properties. In the meantime if you’re heading to Lance Burton or something else at the Monte, you’ll have to valet or park next door at New York-New York and hoof it.

The affect on The Strip itself seems to be minimal so far but this is just the beginning of the project so that could very well change over the next three years as construction continues And that doesn’t even count what will happen when the thing opens and adds more than 6,000 hotel and condo units to the South Strip.

[future29]

i sincerely hope those in charge have looked into the traffic concerns on the strip in the near future. it always seems like things are done when its too late when it comes to transportation. i would hate to see a transit system put in after the fact when it could be done now with less impact during construction than 10 years from now. its the shortsightedness of the community that lets traffic problems occur in the first place. monorail is not enough. there needs to be a line down the strip, whether it be light rail, monorail, or a dedicated bus lane, and the sooner the better. if someone would have been forward thinking and planned for this 15-20 years ago, things could have been different. with underground passages along the strip from casino to casino under Las Vegas Blvd(like is used in Tahoe) that would have no impact on the surface traffic, which could then be linked later to rail stations/stops on the surface. instead we now have pedestrain bridges that are at every intersection and make it difficult to plan an elevated rail directly in the middle of the strip.

[CHAPINM1]

This will definetly speed up the monorail progress!

[asylum23]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but Cielo Vista is on hold. Talked to the sales mgr. and he said they want to change it from 414 units to about 120 b/c of construction costs. Sorry if this was already mentioned.

Also, here is the latest Red Rock info. we have:

"Dear Prospective Buyer,

I regret to share the news that Stations Casinos is NOT moving forward with residential towers, at least not in the near future. The resort is a tremendous success and it is too soon for them to know if they will need the property for parking or another amenity to support the casino and hotel.

We are all disappointed because we know that the residences were going to be beautiful, popular and in a premier location!

I am very familiar with the real estate markets in Las Vegas, Florida, CA and Mexico. If you are not already represented by an agent, I would be happy to discuss other real estate opportunities with you.

It was a pleasure meeting you!

Sincerely,

Jeneva Bell

Sales Executive

(702) 951-2702"

[mdiederi]

New here.

Start off with a couple shots of CityCenter and the Cosmo hole viewed from the Bellagio parking garage roof ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/Misc/PCCcrane1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/Misc/PCCcrane2.jpg

[jai0707]

Does anybody know where they are with The Place? Was it approved? What about thw W?

[jai0707]

Does anyone know if the W has broken ground yet? sorry Ive been in Texas the past year.What is the new news about the Conrad?

[CHAPINM1]

What building is in front of Sky Las Vegas on the webcam? It's just to the north on the strip, kind of a tan building and appears to be roughly the same height.

[vegasrain84]

What building is in front of Sky Las Vegas on the webcam? It's just to the north on the strip, kind of a tan building and appears to be roughly the same height.

That is the Hilton Grand Vacation Club Timeshares. I believe it is 40 stories tall.

[GeorgeLV]

^^, yep, but they are nowhere near roughly the same height, it was a perspective issue. Sky is something like a 100ft taller.

[ScottG]

i am checking out vegas TAT and looked into the resort ratings (5 stars, 4 stars etc). what is required to get higher stars? there are a couple of things that suprised me about the list.....

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/ratings.htm

wynn should nto be a 5 star, bellagio definitly deserves it but wynn? (i guess so- what ever)

i thought the golden nugget was downtowns only 5 star holder, here it shows as a 4 star (demotion?)

im also suprised mandaly bay, and red rock are not 5 stars

im SHOCKED aladdin and venetian has 4 (should be 3 if monte carlo has 3)

i think the luxor and hard rock to not deserve 3 they should have gotten 4, comparing luxor to hooters (which has 3- crazy)

why does the stratosphere only have 2 stars. the location is would probably hurts it, but with all its renovation, its no circus circus (anymore)

i love the one star comment: 'too low to show like the hoe'

any one why hotel get their rating and how star ratings are done?

[future29]

stars are based on the level of service you recieve at the hotel and how luxurious it is. the Wynn is definately a 5 star hotel i dont know what makes you think otherwise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_star_hotel

[CHAPINM1]

^^, yep, but they are nowhere near roughly the same height, it was a perspective issue. Sky is something like a 100ft taller.

I just checked the stats on Emporis and you are right, it's 295 feet/ 26 floors where are Sky Las Vegas is 500 feet/ 45 floors. Over 200 foot difference...

[GeorgeLV]

I just checked the stats on Emporis and you are right, it's 295 feet/ 26 floors where are Sky Las Vegas is 500 feet/ 45 floors. Over 200 foot difference...

Still not quite there. HGV tower 1 is the short one, the one you were looking at was HGV tower 2 which is approx 400ft / 40 floors.

[ScottG]

im stting in the unlv library (studying my butt off) and thought i'd let you in on what i am looking at.

the library is 5 stories tall with great views of the strip...

i see the construction of:
vegas grand- those weird concrete walls are goin up.
turnberry tower 1 is peakin over the hilton hotel. getting very tall approaching the height of turnberry place. and tower 2 about half way behind

i see newport in the distance- really making an entrance and world market center tower 2 done and streamline getting off the ground.

i barely see the crane for -i think- the molasky corporate tower. the palazzo now is putting steel up for the tower- and lots of it, there are now at floor 10 maybe- theres just alot....trump seemed to be slowing down, but it is a bar of gold for sure. i see theparking garage for harrahs/venetian- HUGE. the fascade is about to be put up.

the howard hughs tower is about to get its fascade and interior stuff as well.
encore has THREE erect cranes and 3 other tall cranes as well. as most about half that of city center (wich is some great to see all the work goin on there) sky is almost complete .

i count over 50 cranes. :)

[mdiederi]

As I drove by today I noticed that the Monte Carlo parking garage has been demolished and is a big pile of rubble now. Might have happened a while ago, but I just now noticed. I had heard that PCC was planning on putting up a much larger garage on that same site, probably the same size as the new one they just put up behind Bellagio.

Also saw that they were dismantling one of the tower cranes on Sky, so that's coming to completion.

[ScottG]

i just got word from someone that works in the grand chataeu- that the PLANET HOLLWOOD TOWERS SITE HAS FOUNDATION WORKING AND LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS GOIN ON. can anyone confirm?!

[ScottG]

an evolution lofts sales event took place at the opld icon sales center- check out the scoop- by the looks of the pictures- there werent alot of people there....http://www.manhattanization.com/news/evolution-lofts-event-las-vegas.rub

[GeorgeLV]

i just got word from someone that works in the grand chataeu- that the PLANET HOLLWOOD TOWERS SITE HAS FOUNDATION WORKING AND LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS GOIN ON. can anyone confirm?!

I drove down LV Blvd today and couldn't really tell if anything was going on with the Planet Hollywood site (lots of work on the new entrance and they're almost done painting the hotel tower white on one side.) Maybe it's more apparant from the Harmon side.

In other news...

Encore is going vertical, there are already 2 or 3 levels of concrete and rebar.

Fontainebleu is drilling and has a dozen or so staffed construction trailers on site. Not bad for a project that was allegedly "cancelled". (The fake news was of course from someone with no posting history on this site.)

[Bender13]

Good article about Turnberry and the hi-rise market in Vegas. Among other things it says that Turnberry Place 4 is completed, and Fountainbleau is alive and well.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Sep-15-Fri-2006/business/9592347.html
Sep. 15, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

A SHIFT TO THE SKIES

Turnberry Place helped push LV development higher

By JENNIFER ROBISON
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Start with an empty piece of land along Las Vegas' resort corridor.

Draw up plans for a series of high-rise condominium towers. Set prices in the millions. Market the condos to out-of-staters looking for second homes near the Strip.

That business plan is common in Las Vegas today, with more than a dozen high-rise condo towers completed or under construction on or near the Strip, in downtown Las Vegas and even in suburban Peccole Ranch.

And though the luxury-tower boom might seem a product of the past two years, a pioneering Florida developer was laying the foundation nearly a decade ago for Las Vegas' growing high-rise market.

This week, Turnberry Place, a 778-unit high-rise community at Paradise Road and Riviera Boulevard, obtained the certificate of occupancy for its fourth and final 40-story tower. The paperwork capped off what was -- along with Irwin Molasky's long sold-out, 84-unit Park Towers at Paradise and Flamingo Road -- the earliest local project in the current wave of high-rise development.

"Turnberry Place was the turning point, along with Park Towers," said Bruce Hiatt, broker-owner of Luxury Realty Group in Las Vegas. "They really were the beginning of the emerging market for high-rises in Las Vegas. They were the true test of whether high-rise could be successful here."

Florence Shapiro, a broker with Prudential Americana Group, Realtors, agreed.

"(Turnberry) basically put high-rise on the map in Las Vegas," Shapiro said. "Because of their success, new high-rises came into the market. Turnberry showed other developers they could do it."

Selling out a high-rise community wasn't always a sure bet in Las Vegas.

Turnberry Associates had done well in Florida, developing the city of Aventura and its tony Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. Before the company's foray into Las Vegas, it had built about $1.5 billion worth of projects in the Sunshine State. In Las Vegas, Turnberry officials saw a warm-weather winter-tourism dynamic similar to the one that made south Florida a haven for Midwesterners and Northeasterners looking to thaw out on vacation.

So in 1996, Turnberry hired a California consulting firm to perform a marketing analysis. The firm came back with a warning.

"They told us we were out of our minds," said Bruce Weiner, President of Turnberry Ltd. "They told us that people in Las Vegas don't want to live in vertical housing, and they told us people wouldn't want to be anywhere near the Strip."

The best Turnberry could hope for, the consultant said, would be to sell 30, maybe 40, units a year.

That forecast didn't feel right to Weiner and other Turnberry executives.

They saw the luxury megaresorts on the drawing boards -- Bellagio, The Venetian, Mandalay Bay -- and they had confidence in the city's bid to go high-end with fine dining and upscale shopping. On weekends, Weiner said, the Strip's hotel rooms were booked solid, leaving few options for affluent Californians who enjoyed frequent spur-of-the-moment trips to their backyard playground. The city had Wolfgang Puck outposts and would soon be home to its first Chanel boutique. Perhaps, Turnberry executives thought, it was time for a marquee name in high-rise development to enter the market as well.

Their instincts proved sound.

In Turnberry Place's first year of sales in 1999, brokers sold just under 200 units. Prices ranged from just under $400,000 to about $3 million, while the market's overall median new-home price was $142,000. Yet the community's first tower sold out in about 15 months -- half the time Turnberry executives had predicted.

With the exception of a few months following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Turnberry Place steadily churned through 150 units to 200 units annually, until its last few homes sold earlier this year at prices ranging from $500,000 to $7 million. With its final certificate of occupancy this week, Turnberry is complete a full three years ahead of schedule, Weiner said.

"That (early delivery) is gratifying. From an overall standpoint of quality and profitability to Turnberry Associates, Turnberry Place has been very good," Weiner said. "It gave us a lot of confidence in the market and gave us the ability to commit to many other projects."

Turnberry Place's success has also been a sunny respite from a tempest of high-profile condo failures, including Ivana Las Vegas, Las Ramblas and Icon Las Vegas.

Weiner said the market is substantially different today than it was in the late 1990s, with higher construction costs and land prices making building tougher. Turnberry bought Turnberry Place's 15-acre site from ITT for a $20 million in 1997; today, the parcel could cost as much as $20 million per acre, Weiner said.

Those stark realities ran head-on into a glut of high-rise supply in 2004 and 2005, as developers -- some with no high-rise experience -- blanketed the market with about 100 condominium-tower proposals totaling more than 50,000 units.

"Developers tend to follow trends as soon as they hear someone is doing well (with a project)," Weiner said. "Unfortunately, the market will absorb only so much naturally on an annual basis. There just wasn't enough room in the market for as many towers as were proposed."

So what determined which projects have survived?

"Execution," Weiner said.

"The conversation stops at a certain point, and that's when you have to perform," he said. "You're only as good as your reputation. People who were inexperienced at building condos or experienced in the way (development) works elsewhere said, 'Let's go build condos in Las Vegas.' But you still have to go through a learning curve and learn local customs. Many of them said, 'I'll do what I want to do.' They were arrogant. Now, most of them are gone."

Hiatt said Turnberry's reputation followed the company from Florida to Las Vegas, and that renown helped the company fare well here. When he works with people interested in buying into a high-rise, he said, they ask for Turnberry by name.

"We still have to teach them who the other (developers) are," he said.

But Hiatt, who's brokered sales to clients living at Turnberry Place, said branding alone doesn't explain the community's brisk sales pace.

The amenities at Turnberry Place, such as its Stirling Club and its guard-gated entrance, are very upscale, Hiatt said. Plus, the towers have larger units than the projects coming online today. Homes at Turnberry Place range from 1,600 square feet to 11,000 square feet, while land prices have forced many newer developments to plan homes with less than 1,000 square feet of space.

"The trend today is toward smaller units and a higher number of units per floor," Hiatt said. "(Turnberry Place's) kind of true luxury is really hard to find today."

Shapiro, who's also sold homes within Turnberry Place, said the project's rapid sell-out resulted from Turnberry officials' willingness to take an early chance on the demand for second homes in Las Vegas.

"It was an idea whose time had come," she said.

And it's an idea that's going to stick around for a while, Weiner said.

Though it's closing the book on Turnberry Place, Turnberry Associates is far from finished with the Las Vegas market.

Across Paradise from Turnberry Place, north of the Las Vegas Hilton, construction is under way at Turnberry Towers, a 638-unit community with two 45-story towers and prices ranging from $550,000 to $1.3 million.

Turnberry is also developing The Residences at MGM Grand, a three-tower condo-hotel property with 1,727 units.

The company is a partner with Centra Properties in Town Square, a 1.5 million-square-foot retail center at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sunset Road, and it plans to build the 4,000-room, $1.5 billion Fontainebleau resort on the Strip just north of the Riviera.

Weiner said the local market could absorb as many as 1,200 high-rise condos annually over the next few years, as more people retire to Las Vegas or relocate here to do business.

"We believe Las Vegas will continue to grow," he said. "It may not be the pace we saw the last two to three years, but it will be an orderly growth. In the end, the well-conceived, well-located developments presented by reputable, experienced developers will win out."

[ScottG]

The Harrah’s Rumor Mill Keeps Churning
September 11th, 2006
Norm Clarke reports that Harrah’s is on the verge of a corporate name change(Today in the RJ, Norm! speculates that Harrah's may be changing its corporate name to Caesars and the long rumors Bally's/Horseshoe switch may be in the works:), Bally’s is set to become the Horseshoe and Prince will be headlining in Las Vegas soon. Norm has a great track record with this kind of stuff (although I’m still waiting for Aladdin/Planet Hollywood to follow through on his report more than a year ago that Motley Crue would be the hotel’s regular headliner).


Flamingo Las Vegas Announces Initial Phase of State-of-the-art Room Renovation

Smart Multimedia Gallery
Flamingo Las Vegas introduces all-new guest rooms that offer modern decor and technologically advanced amenities. This is the first of many additions that will reinvent the legendary Strip property. New guest rooms go on sale September 2006. (Photo: Business Wire) LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 29, 2006--The famous Flamingo Las Vegas has commenced an extensive room renovation that offers elevated accommodations with modern decor and technologically advanced amenities. The overall guest experience will be enhanced through this hip take on classic Flamingo style, with sleek new designs that feature sophisticated entertainment systems and MP3 player docking stations.


Major refurbishment of 54 rooms/suites is underway, with completion of a total of 636 rooms and suites slated for February 2007. Reservations for the new accommodations will be available beginning September 2006, online at flamingolasvegas.com.

The Flamingo room renovation announcement follows just two weeks after the debut of international recording star Toni Braxton at the center-Strip resort. Braxton's long-term engagement has brought a lavish production to the Flamingo, featuring a cast of talented dancers, singers and musicians.

"With Toni Braxton, edgy new guest rooms, and the best location on the Las Vegas Strip, the Flamingo is becoming more exciting and more fun," said Don Marrandino, president of the legendary Las Vegas resort. "The property has been a landmark for the past 60 years and now we are moving forward to take the resort into the future. An aggressive room renovation project creates a contemporary and entertaining guest experience."

The fresh Flamingo experience begins at hotel check-in, where guests will receive a CD of rock songs specially compiled for the hotel, along with newly designed room keys that complement the resort's new room decor. The contemporary atmosphere is carried all the way to the room via redesigned elevator banks and vibrantly striped hallways.

Floors 17-26 have a total of 54 renovated rooms per floor - 48 standard rooms, 4 mini suites and 2 Royal Suites. Floors 27 and 28 hold a total of 48 rooms per floor- 40 standard rooms, 4 mini suites, 2 Royal Suites and 2 Classic suites.

Guest comfort is at the forefront in the innovative bedroom and bathroom designs, with splashes of signature Flamingo pink accenting the space. Bedrooms feature oversized white vinyl headboards, posh carpet, and sleek, modern furniture. Ultra-soft pillow-top mattresses are tripled-sheeted with plush linens and are flanked with LED chrome reading lights. White drapery adorns the bedroom walls, adding an air of sophistication. Deluxe bathrooms include stylish frosted glass walls and doors, multiple jetted shower fixtures and luxurious bath amenities.

The new accommodations indulge tech-savvy guests with a host of cutting edge digital accessories. Living space becomes an area of leisure with a top-of-the-line sound system with MP3 player docking station, CD/ DVD player, electronically controlled window treatments and wireless internet connection. Rooms also are equipped with 42" flat panel, high definition television sets and built-in screens in the bathroom mirrors.

The innovative concept was developed by Cagley & Tanner, an interior design firm headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, specializing in both high-end residential design and upscale resort and casino design.

Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, the Flamingo Las Vegas features over 3,500 guest rooms and award-winning entertainment including comedian George Wallace and The Second City comedy troupe. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in December 2006, the resort is distinctive for it 15-acre tropical wildlife habitat and the popular Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. For more information on Flamingo, please visit www.flamingolasvegas.com.


....

Second Cannery to come.
By Howard Stutz.

Operators of the Nevada Palace told state gaming regulators Thursday they will replace the Boulder Highway casino with a newer version of the Cannery, a North Las Vegas casino run by the same management group.

The Gaming Control Board granted preliminary approval of a corporate restructuring of Cannery Casino Resorts, which operates the Cannery and the Rampart Casino in Summerlin. As part of the restructuring, the Nevada Palace will fall under the same management team. The Nevada Gaming Commission will vote on the issue Sept. 21.
...

ABOVE IT ALL
By Norm Clarke/Las Vegas Review Journal

The $7 billion MGM Mirage CityCenter will take the Las Vegas pool party scene to new heights.

At 10 stories up, the swimming pool deck at The Harmon — a 400-room, 240-condominium lifestyle tower — will offer the highest pool party view on the Strip. It will be operated by The Light Group, according to information leaked from Wednesday’s unveiling for senior MGM Mirage management.

Also revealed, the names of the other residential towers:

• A 50-story condominium hotel tower located between Bellagio and the as-yet-unnamed 4,000-room gaming resort at CityCenter will be named VDARA.

• Rising from CityCenter’s retail district will be VEER, twin 37-story glass towers with 358 condominium residences each.

• The 400-room Mandarin Oriental hotel will be topped with 227 condominium residences known as the Residences at Mandarin Oriental.

[ScottG]

CHECK THIS OUT!: http://www.ratevegas.com/extras/wynn_macau_video.wmv
ITS THE GRTAND OPENING CELEBRATION FOR wynn maccau---THEIR 'BELLAGIO' WATER SHOW IS ALOT BETTER- WITH MORE LIGHTS AND FIRE!...PLUS THE FIREWORKS WILL REALLY BLOW YOUR MIND! WATCH IT!

watch til the VERY end

[NYC2ATX]

WOWOWOWOWOW That was awesome, especially the thing at the end. :D

[GeorgeLV]

i just got word from someone that works in the grand chataeu- that the PLANET HOLLWOOD TOWERS SITE HAS FOUNDATION WORKING AND LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS GOIN ON. can anyone confirm?!

Follow, up from my last report... I went down Harmon today and they're excavating at the Planet Hollywood Towers site. The parking/podium expansion for Phase II of the Grand Chateau looks almost complete, so soon we should start seeing the second wing peek over the skyline.

[mdiederi]

Just heard this on the news.

Towers Collapse at Hoover Dam Bypass Construction Site

Sep 15, 2006
The Associated Press.

US-93 at Hoover Dam remains shut down in both directions after a pair of steel crane construction towers at the bypass construction site came crashing down Friday afternoon.

Officials tell Eyewitness News the steel towers held thick cable lines used to transport heavy materials needed for the project. These cables go above and across the canyon to help build the bridge below.

When the cables snapped, the two 300-foot-tall towers on either end of Black Canyon collapsed.

Authorities closed US-93 after debris fell on the roadway on the Nevada side of the Colorado River.

No contractors were working Friday because of high wind gusts.

There were no reported injuries.

There is no estimate on how long it will take to clear the highway of fallen debris, but it is very likely US-93 at Hoover Dam will be closed all weekend.

This will affect travel plans to and from Arizona.

The Nevada Highway Patrol advises drivers to take US-95 south through to Laughlin for eastbound travel into Arizona.

From Arizona, take AZ-68 into Laughlin, then NV-163 to US-95 north into Searchlight and Boulder City into Henderson.

[LMich]

Has anyone been by Club Renaissance, lately?

[mdiederi]

Update on the Colorado River Bridge disaster:

Crane tower collapse forces detour, might delay bypass project for months

Sep. 16, 2006
Las Vegas Review-Journal

By OMAR SOFRADZIJA

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/1crane.jpg

U.S. Highway 93 at the Hoover Dam probably will be closed through the weekend, and work on a dam bypass bridge could be mothballed for months after a quartet of construction crane towers collapsed amid wind gusts Friday afternoon.

No one was hurt after the two pairs of 280-foot-tall steel towers -- bookending the Black Canyon bridge construction site, a quarter-mile south of the dam -- fell around 3:30 p.m. Work on the bridge already had been suspended for the day because of high winds.

But authorities shut U.S. 93 after debris fell dangerously near the roadway on the Nevada side of the Colorado River. Dam traffic was diverted via U.S. Highway 95 to state Route 163 to the river crossing at Laughlin, a detour adding 23 miles to the trip.

The mishap also closed the Hoover Dam visitors center, and officials did not know when the facility would reopen.

Debris flattened some work site offices but no debris struck the dam itself. And it was not immediately clear how much debris, if any, might have fallen into the river below the dam.

"We just ask everybody to stay away and let us get the area secured," said Dave Zanetell, a Federal Highway Administration engineer overseeing the bridge work. "We'll sort through what caused it, fix it and get on with finishing the project.

"It'll take time to repair and reconstruct and analyze what happened," Zanetell said.

On Friday, authorities could not definitely say that wind caused the collapse, but they had strong suspicions that weather played some role in the incident.

The National Weather Service in Las Vegas reported wind gusts of up to 51 mph at Henderson Executive Airport and 37 mph at McCarran International Airport on Friday afternoon. The agency does not have wind monitoring equipment at the dam site.

Zanetell said work is suspended anytime winds are clocked around 25 mph to 30 mph. Normally, as many as 40 workers are at the site at any given time; a skeleton crew was on hand at the time of the collapse to keep an eye on the work area.

Zanetell said he could not offer a precise estimate of how long the $234 million bridge project will be on hold, but guessed it could be months before work resumes in full.

The project was about halfway done before Friday's setback, with hopes of completing the 1,905-foot span approximately 890 feet over the river by the end of 2008. Work to extend bridge support arches over the canyon was expected to start as soon as next month.

The towers were part of a "high line" or "cable way" crane system, a sort of pulley crane that helped tote workers and materials over the gorge via 2,300-foot-long steel cables strung between the towers.

Those cables were more than 1,100 feet over the river, and could carry up to 50 tons of supplies.

A damage cost estimate was not immediately available.

Even before the dam bypass project began, officials indicated that wind would be the biggest foe in erecting the span.

"The big challenge is the wind," Zanetell said two years ago. "The bottom line is we expect for there to be 20 percent of days where the wind conditions will be such that they'll be unable to work."

The bridge itself has been designed to withstand winds of up to 100 mph, Zanetell said at the time.

It's not the first time that wind has hindered a Nevada bridge project. Earlier this year, Wisconsin-based Edward Kraemer & Sons pulled out of building a new bridge carrying U.S. Highway 395 over Galena Creek, between Reno and Carson City, citing concerns that high winds could pose a danger during final placement work on the bridge's arch, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

State engineers disagreed with that assessment. The phase of work that was of concern on that project had not yet started on the dam bypass project, which is being done by a partnership of two multinational construction firms, Obayashi/Mitsubishi PSM.

In Southern Nevada, the U.S. 93 shutdown was expected to effect traffic between Nevada and Arizona "quite a bit," said Bob McKenzie, a spokesman with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Typically, more than 13,000 cars travel U.S. 93 on the Nevada side of the river each day, according to state statistics.

On the Nevada side, U.S. 93 traffic was being diverted onto U.S. 95 near Railroad Pass. In Arizona, highway traffic was being detoured at state Route 68 near Kingman to Bullhead City and the river crossing there to Laughlin. Delays were expected.

"You're going to need to be patient," said Jodi Sorrell, a spokeswoman with the Arizona Department of Transportation. "That's the only detour and the only way around it."

People living or working inside the closed section of U.S. 93 were being given access to their homes and workplaces, according to McKenzie and Sorrell.

The closure of U.S. 93 also shuttered Hoover Dam to the public Friday afternoon. It was not immediately clear when the visitors center would reopen, and visitors were being asked to monitor local media today for any updates.

"We haven't made that decision yet," Bob Walsh, a spokesman with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the dam, said late Friday afternoon. "We'll have to take a look at that."

The collapse briefly knocked out an electrical link between the dam and the work site, but the dam itself and its electrical generation station were not affected, according to Walsh.

Roxanne Dey, spokeswoman for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, said no move had been made Friday to close the river to boaters because the security zone around the dam already bars boats from approaching the structure from downstream.

"Right now, the wind is so bad nobody's getting in a boat anyway," Dey said.

The collapse is the first major setback on the bridge project, which had weathered a number of work days lost because of high winds in the spring.

And a legal spat between Clark County and the project's sole concrete supplier, Casino Ready Mix Inc. of Las Vegas, has not disrupted work.

County officials want to shut down Casino Ready Mix's concrete batching plant after rejecting its land-use permit. Company officials believe that rejection was politically motivated, based on its use of nonunion workers.

Both sides have agreed to allow the plant to continue operating until a Clark County judge rules on the matter. A decision is still pending.

[CHAPINM1]

Has anyone been by Club Renaissance, lately?

I was wondering the same thing... :shrug:

[mdiederi]

Has anyone been by Club Renaissance, lately?

I was wondering the same thing... :shrug:

Went by the site today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Renaissance.jpg

[mdiederi]

Streamline Tower, downtown.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Streamline.jpg

[mdiederi]

Molasky Corporate Center, downtown.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Molasky.jpg

[mdiederi]

Juhl, downtown.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Juhl.jpg

[mdiederi]

Newport Lofts, downtown.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Newport.jpg

Oops, sorry about the phone lines.

[mdiederi]

Allure, north strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/alure.jpg

[mdiederi]

Turnberry Towers, north strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/turnberry.jpg

[mdiederi]

Sky Las Vegas, north strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Sky.jpg

[mdiederi]

Signature at the MGM Grand, south strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/MGM.jpg

[mdiederi]

Panarama Towers, west strip
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Panarama.jpg

[LMich]

Wow, great photos! I don't think there is one project currently going up in Vegas that I don't like. Really.

I guess this means Club Ren must be on hold, huh? I don't see any equipment. Plus, it broke ground way back in February.

A few more questions...

1. Last time I checked Spanish View Towers on the southwest side of the valley had halted construction (July/Aug.). Did construction ever resume in earnest?

2. Is Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Las Vegas Strip Phase II yet finished? I remember them wanting a summer 2006 completion.

3. I just noticed that on Las Vegas Today and Tomorrow that it appears that Phase II of the Red Rock Resort actually looks like it's being built directly onto Tower I? Is that the plan, and if so, is this like South Coast where they will function as one tower?

[ebatcave]

I'm sure we're all wondering when is Mr. Trump going to announce Tower II (I purchased one in Tower I so I'm definitely interested!). I just saw this article which is making Tower II a little closer to reality...Let's hope the new Apprentices don't mess it up!

"In other Trump news, rumor has it that The Apprentice season six, now filming in Los Angeles, will focus on the Las Vegas Trump International Hotel & Tower II. The first tower is under construction behind the new Fremont Hotel on the Strip. Since building one is sold-out, Trump is providing a second offering of his signature luxury residences.

If you lose sleep at night because you missed out on building one, you can rest easy because building two is on its way.

For Las Vegas, The Apprentice is yet another prime-time TV show to focus on the neon city. It will certainly be interesting to watch The Apprentice wannabees jockey for position and navigate the many development, marketing and sales tasks associated with the Las Vegas Trump Tower; not to mention watching a group of strangers live and work together, coping with numerous social challenges."

[mdiederi]

1. Last time I checked Spanish View Towers on the southwest side of the valley had halted construction (July/Aug.). Did construction ever resume in earnest?

2. Is Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Las Vegas Strip Phase II yet finished? I remember them wanting a summer 2006 completion.

3. I just noticed that on Las Vegas Today and Tomorrow that it appears that Phase II of the Red Rock Resort actually looks like it's being built directly onto Tower I? Is that the plan, and if so, is this like South Coast where they will function as one tower?

1. Spanish View hasn't risen one inch since then. It's weird that they would start construction and then go broke before they even got out of the basement.

2. So far all I see are the two towers, out of the four planned, not sure if it's open yet. Not my favorite looking building, so I didn't look too close. You can see part of the lower tower in the Sky photo above.

3. The Red Rock phase II has topped out, is fully cladded and extends from the side of the existing tower like as if they were one. They also started construction on their new corporate headquarters building on the same lot and have scrapped plans for residential towers there.

[ScottG]

confirmed- planet hollywood tower are underconstruction, looksl ike they are diggin to be level with the underground parking garage, theres signs showing a new-yet similiar rendering. looks the same but at dusk. nothin to special. also the front of aladdin is well under hay-wire. the left and right sides are all dismantled with new parts underconstruction. complete mazes directing foot traffic (which was ALOT for today-a monday of all days)

[ScottG]

http://www.vow2.com//library/images/reml/user/4/07f3721a4bc890a69b9e9859769ca21b.jpg

check out the sales center release for sullivan square - nice models too.

http://www.manhattanization.com/news/sullivan-square-highrise-launch.rub

...

new project- THE MERCER (midrise lofts)

http://www.manhattanization.com/las-vegas/the-mercer/profile.rub

[ScottG]

It’s Raining Money in Vegas
It’s one of those stories that can probably only happen in Vegas: a company puts up a billboard with a display case full of real cash, it gets broken into, and money rains down on The Strip as people scramble to pick it up.

The billboard in question was on The Strip near The Stardust and featured a large case full of $100,000 in one dollar bills as a publicity stunt for an online sports wagering company. It was supposed to be promoting several large cash giveaways on the site but they were also taking wagers as to whether or not someone would try to steal the money.

Sometime around 3am, as the security guard assigned to watch the cash took a break, thieves scaled the billboard, broke into the case, and took off with an unspecified amount of money. In the process, dollar bills fluttered down on The Strip and everyone who was in the vicinity scrambled to pick it up.

Sounds like something straight out of a wacky movie, but totally true.

Police are still investigating to determine who may have taken the dough and, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, are even looking into the possibility that it may have been an inside job, something the sponsoring site denies vehemently. For their part the operators of the site say that the money was insured and they plan to put it back up there as soon as possible.



Red Rock Condos Quashed
The Red Rock Resort in west Las Vegas was supposed to be getting a pair of high-rise condominium towers to go along with its 800 room hotel but those plans have been dropped after owners Station Casinos dissolved their partnership with the company that was going to build them. Officials with the company say that condos may still be in the resorts future but for now they are going to go back to the drawing board to determine what the best use for the land surrounding Red Rock might be.

It wasn’t for lack of interest, officials say. The resort itself has been an out of the gate smash success and expansions are already underway on the hotel and casino portions. They even got thousands of people who were making serious inquiries into purchasing one of the condos but for now the project is dead.

Rising construction and financing costs have killed several high profile condo projects in Las Vegas recently including planned complexes from Ivana Trump and Michael Jordon.



Producers Tickets On Sale in October
Tickets for the Vegas version of “The Producers,” the Tony-Award winning musical from Mel Brooks, will go on sale October 27th at the Paris Las Vegas office. No ticket prices, show times, or casting information was announced but the press release did say that performances will begin in February of 2007.

The show, based on Brooks’ movie of the same name, will be an abbreviated version of the Broadway smash, running (as many other Broadway transfers have) at around 90 minutes. Brooks and the original Broadway director have been deeply involved in creating the new version so expectations are high that this won’t be a hack job like some other Great White Way to Sin City transplants have been.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Paris Box Office at 877-374-7469 or online at parislasvegas.com. Group tickets can be purchased for groups of 15 or more by calling 800-828-3830.


Monorail Expansion Back On Track
Despite its very public struggles, officials with the Las Vegas Monorail are moving forward with plans to expand the system to the airport and additional locations on and near The Strip.

The proposal is not finalized but early reports suggest that the expansion would send a spur east along Harmon Avenue with stops at the upcoming W Resort at Harmon and Koval and The Hard Rock at Harmon and Paradise before turning south on Swenson Avenue with a stop at the Thomas and Mack Center before heading into all of McCarran International’s main terminals.

Other spurs could link the main line to the upcoming Stardust replacement Echelon Place and according to monorail officials they are in talks to supplement or replace the people moving systems on the west side of the Strip from Mandalay Bay to The Mirage.

Additional stops are being considered on the main line at the Sands Expo and Convention Center and northward to The Stratosphere.

All of this is very ambitious for a system that has suffered from low ridership numbers that have been disappointing at best. Initially projected to carry 50,000 riders a day the system has been running lately at about half that and it has never turned a profit. Large cash reserves have kept the system running despite the fact that its bond rating has been reduced to “junk.”

So how would they pay for the expansion? Analysts suggest that with contributions from the casinos the system would link to and public support from same a new bond offering would probably work. The airport link would be a crucial one in the effort to boost traffic, which could ultimately lead to a more stable financial picture.

The monorail company is expected to make a formal announcement in early 2007 but even if all goes smoothly it will be years before the expanded tracks are ready for riders.

[ScottG]

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/544/snapshot200606291944017vr.jpg
im guessing that building to the right is the new parking garage for citycenter and montecarlo. to the far left should be the bellagio/city center garage. by comparison the newer garage will be HUGE!


heres another nice angle
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/4620/snapshot200606302044333of.jpg


....
theres been a 'spin-off' thread created under the highrises link.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=109405

its deticated specifically to city center (As some of you have already populated) theres a lot of good insight and pics posted!

[GeorgeLV]

The planning agendas indicate that the new City Center/Monte Carlo garage will have 13 levels, but it doesn't say how many spaces it will house. City Center should have 11,817 parking spaces "on-site", but I don't know how loosely that is definied (i.e. is the new Bellagio garage on-site?).

[vertex]

This probably doesn't mean much...

"Las Vegas Real Estate Overpriced, Analysts Say

Sep 18, 2006 12:54 PM

Two national housing analysts agree the housing in Las Vegas is overpriced. But local real estate observers disagree.

The Massachusetts-based local market monitor says Las Vegas has an average home price of nearly $297,000.

The monitor says that is 28-percent above what it should be.

A second Massachusetts group says home prices here are as much as 42-percent higher than they should be.

But local real estate watchers say the findings do not account for Las Vegas' strong job market."

http://www.klas-tv.com (http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5423590)

Everyone knows the average vegas salary can easily support these prices. Probably nothing at all.

[Don Pacho]

Excellent thread !!

:tup:

[mdiederi]

new project- THE MERCER (midrise lofts)

http://www.manhattanization.com/las-vegas/the-mercer/profile.rub
That's just a couple blocks from my house. Empty lots on two corners of that intersection.

[GeorgeLV]

I drove down the Strip today and noticed that the Fontainebleau is putting up their rebar column forms.

[ebatcave]

Found this snippet...

"TheStreet.com is reporting that Morgans Hotel, owner of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is working on a deal to build luxury condos. The project is said to be very similiar to the $1.2 billion project that Hard Rock founder Peter Morton scrapped before selling the site to Morgans. Several of the original investors of the Morton project are also expected to return to this project.

Some are, however, questioning the success of the project given current market conditions for luxury condos. Morgan paid $11 million an acre, or a total of $259 million for the land. If they are planning to offer units at $1,300 per square foot, around where Morton’s planned condos started, many believe it should really have something spectacular to attract potential buyers because today’s market will not as easily support the high asking price."

[mdiederi]

I drove by the Soho Lofts. Why didn't they paint the bottom of the balconies? They had white bottoms on the rendering.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/SohoBalcs.jpg

[mdiederi]

I drove down the Strip today and noticed that the Fontainebleau is putting up their rebar column forms.
Did they ever release a rendering of that one?

[mdiederi]

Trump, center strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/trump.jpg

[mdiederi]

Palazzo, center strip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Piazza.jpg

[mdiederi]

Encore, center strip. Had to splice this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Encore.jpg

[JonVegas]

Great photos mdiederi. you rock.

Anyone know if Club Ren is on hold or canned?

[ScottG]

lots of news today:

Harrahs To Blow Up Everything Except Caesars, Flamingo and ParisHarrah's Entertainment CFO Jonathan Halkyard recently spoke to a Bank of America conference - possibly to allay investor fears (or secure financing) - about the coming implosion/closure/reconstruction of many of Harrah's properties. He mentioned that Vegas and Atlantic City properties will be getting major makeovers as part of a "10 year plan" of Harrah's redevelopment.

Based on the bits and pieces we've gathered this is our mock up on how the Harrah's redevelopment project may go down:

The Imperial Palace will close in March 2007 and imploded 3-5 months later to make way for Phase 1 of "Harrahs America" After the first phase of Harrahs America opens in 2010-2011, the current Harrah's Las Vegas will close (2010 +/-) and be imploded. Concurrently with the first phase of Harrah's America, a major makeover will take place at Showboat/Ballys/Harrahs/Caesars Atlantic City - with Ballys being rebranded as a Horseshoe and Harrah's Atlantic City new towers built from the ground up.
http://investor.harrahs.com/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=84772&eventID=1390636 (some specs and drawings- i didnt see anything for vegas proposals here)

Back in Vegas, The Flamingo will continue its makeover, with an expansion to the East surrounding Barbary Coast into the soon to be vacated apartment complexes as well as the old Bourbon Street Site. Across Flamingo Road at Ballys, a team has been assembled to work on the "Ballys Project" - Ballys will be demolished and rebuilt as a Horseshoe in a multi-pronged attack. This will begin after a majority of the Flamingo renovations will be complete - existing Ballys customers will be filtered to the new Flamingo and higher end clientele to Paris and Caesars. How will this multi-pronged attach be done? Easy - Ballys strip frontage (the stream/circular walkway and Strip facing tower) will be redeveloped into a full casino + hotel tower, the remaining Ballys/MGM Grand towers will be taken down and replaced after construction is 70-80% complete in 2012(+/-). The mini-Horseshoe will attach with Paris' current casino structure on 2nd level over the driveway (a la Reno). (im guessing the rio stays put)

2007 - IP goes down
2008 - Harrahs America (IP) construction
2009 - Bally's #1 Goes Down
2010 - Mini-Horseshoe construction
2011 - Harrah's goes down, Harrah's America (IP) opens 2012 - Harrahs America (H) construction, Mini-Horseshoe Opens (late '11, early '12)? Ballys #2 goes down first
2013 - Harrahs America (H) construction, Horseshoe construction
2014 - Harrahs America opens
2015 -
2016 - Wayne Newton drowns in a vat of his own liposuction.


"In the near term -- the next 18 months to two years -- there will be some contraction as we see some supply, including ours, come out of the market," Halkyard said.

He noted that redevelopment of the 2,600-room Imperial Palace, which Las Vegas-based Harrah's acquired last year, would present the least disruption to the company's Strip portfolio of 18,000 hotel rooms.

"We will be very careful of taking out a lot of capacity at once. It is really a 10-year plan," the CFO said.

The company has said it plans to announce within the next several months plans for redevelopment of its Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Jersey properties.

And The Next Item Up For Bid: The Sahara Hotel and Casino

Norm Clarke in today's Review-Journal is reporting that a deal is in the works for the Bennett family to sell the Sahara Hotel and Casino. He goes on to say that the deal will be worth around $1B dollars. The question isn't "will" or "when" the Sahara will be sold - that's a given - but "who." There are many plausible suspects for a Sahara bid, and from the information we've gathered (and a little of our own secret sauce added) here's a run down of who the possible suitors may be, in order of probability.

Pinnacle Entertainment
Pinnacle wants into Vegas really really bad. After losing their takeover bid of Aztar (owners of The Tropicana Vegas and Atlantic City properties) Pinnacle snapped up the aging Sands AC for a puny $250 Million dollars - $75M of which came from Aztar as a result of their deal breaker agreement. Pinnacle's top brass toured the Sahara in the final days of the Aztar deal, probably after they decided to tap out. If the asking price for the Sahara is $1B (as reported by Norm Clarke), and the new Sands AC costs $1.5 B to build - Pinnacle will have gotten their AC and Vegas properties for just about the same price as they would've paid for the Tropicana, and one resort would be brand spanking new. This makes perfect sense, and is our guess on how we think the chips are gonna fall. Our odds: 3-1

Ameristar
Ameristar Casinos are a riverboat operator with 7 properties scattered about the Middle of America. Riverboat operators are all looking for a foothold in Vegas and AC. These properties are used as carrot incentives to get players to play, and lose more. Ameristar was in the Aztar fray for a while as well, but petered out when the bidding tipped over the $1B mark. It should also be noted that the person who was heading up Harrah's currently unannounced development plan, jumped the Harrah's ship to head up the Ameristar growth division in August - part of the reason why Harrah's announcement has been delayed (source: Q&A with Harrah's CFO Johathan Halkyard). Will Ameristar bite? Possibly. Our odds: 4-1

Colony Capital
Colony Capital - owners of the Las Vegas Hilton, recently snapped up numerous properties that fellout of the Harrah's/Caesars merger - Hilton Atlantic City, Harrah's East Chicago, Harrah's Tunica and Bally's Tunica. Colony Capital also threw their hat into the Aztar bidding war for a short period of time, but quickly jumped out. Colony Capital has a history of purchasing under performing gaming properties and transforming them to turn neat properties - the Las Vegas Hilton being a perfect example of this. Will Colony Capital be willing to shell out $1B for the Sahara is a big question - they want a Strip facing property and the North end of the Strip is the viable real estate left. Our odds: 6-1

Riviera Acquisitions Inc.
This group of investors was rejected for their lowball bid for the Riviera a few weeks ago, so it makes some kind of sense that they might want to take another stab at a Strip property before they dissolve their company. If they lowballed the Riv, they probably don't have the loot to make a play for the much better and slightly larger parcel of land (if you count "The Drive" out back). Long shot. Our odds: 22-1

Poster Financial - (Tim and Tom formerly of the Golden Nugget)
Tim and Tom made a sweet profit from their purchase and subsequent sale of the Golden Nugget a few years ago. These two knuckleheads love the gambling game and, with some partners, could probably scrape up the cabbage to take over the Sahara. Sahara was bandied about as a possible target of their takeover right after they sold the Nug. The Sahara has some serious swinging vibes and with a little bit of care and attention could be made over to accentuate a party atmosphere. Will this happen? Very, very doubtful - but at least worth a mention. Our odds: 40-1

Ski Themed Water Park Casino Movieplex Hotel Spa Mish-Mash Announced for South Strip
From today's "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" file comes the announcement of "Las Vegas Wet" (no, we're not joking). A brand new Water Park, Indoor Ski Bowl, Casino disaster spearheaded by a slew of knuckleheads who used to work at Universal Studios and Walt Disney. This is what these buffoons have in store for you:

State-of-the-art water park with themed “lands”
Dining, Retail, and Entertainment district
Sprawling Family Entertainment Complex
Two upscale 600 room Hotels
Dazzling tropical themed Casino
State-of-the-Art indoor ski area
Exclusive European style spa and beach club
Multiplex Cinema with high-end reserved seating component
Contemporary 5000 Seat Arena for concerts and sporting events

Uh... next!

[Boris]

Here's more on the new Theme Park:


Theme Park Vets Plan Billion-Dollar Resort
By Brian K. Miller

http://www.globest.com/newspics/lav_snowdome.jpg

LAS VEGAS-A $1.1-billion destination resort anchored by an indoor snow park and a massive indoor-outdoor water park is being planned for more than 100 acres on Las Vegas Boulevard south of Interstate 215 by a group of former Disney and Universal Studios executives, designers, architects and engineers. In addition to the ski and water park components, plans include two hotels, a casino, an events arena, a spa, a multiplex theater and several nationally recognized restaurants and retailers.

The developer is Las Vegas Wet LLC. One of the co-founders is Steve Dooner, who spent 30 years in development and operations with the likes of Disney, Universal, Paramount Parks, Raging Waters and other theme parks around the world. His work includes brands like Chuck E. Cheese and Discovery Zone, Club Disney, DisneyQuest, ESPNZone, and Universal Studios Japan. In addition to heading up Las Vegas Wet LLC, Dooner is a principal with Proteus Creative, an entertainment development company.

Dooner tells GlobeSt.com that he’s got $1.1 billion lined up from a consortium of banks and joint venture partners from New York, Connecticut and the UK. The cost to construct the resort will range from $800 to $850 million; most of the remainder will be used to acquire the property, Dooner says. The best case scenario has the development up and running by the end of 2008; the more likely scenario is the middle of 2009.

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The most unique part of the project is the indoor ski park, Dooner says. There are 40 “snow domes” worldwide, mostly in Europe and Asia, and no such facility in the US, though one is planned as part of Mills Corp.’s Meadowlands Xanadu development in New Jersey. Dooner says the one in Vegas likely will be in partnership with X-Leisure, a UK-based company run by a former Disney alum that has developed Xscape-branded facilities in Milton Keynes; Castleford, Leeds; and Braehead, Glascow.

As for the location, Dooner isn’t being too specific until he closes on the land, most of which is already under contract. All he’s willing to say now is that the land is located along Las Vegas Boulevard, south of I-215 and north of St. Rose Parkway.

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The water park will cover 30 acres and have several different themed areas. Luxe lagoon, the main entry and central hub, will include a giant wave pool and indoor beach, water slides and rivers wherein guests can float to other areas, such as Painted Desert Oasis, which will mimic Bryce Canyon National Park and include water slides, swirling pools and private cabanas; Survivor Island, a South Seas-themed area with beaches, pools, and water adventures; Glacier Bay, a family area with cold geyser fountains, mini slides, a pint-sized inner tube river, and squirt gun stations; and Riviera, a 21-and-over area with a beach, pools and hot tubs, a fine restaurant, bar and dance club.

http://www.globest.com/news/724_724/lasvegas/149168-1.html

[ScottG]

got the following from TWO WAY HARD THREE...apparently the city center model is in the bellagio....(pictures anyone?)

When I arrived on Wednesday, the CityCenter sales office was still walled off in the area between the Conservatory and the parking garage. During the night Thursday, the walls came down, and it opened. It looks first class, and there is a large, lighted model which shows all the buildings which will go up at CityCenter. On the side nearest Bellagio, it looked unfinished. Then, I realized it’s the Jockey Club and Cosmopolitan site which is not part of CityCenter. Walking around the model, I got a better sense of the project, and I have to say it’s going to be terrific. The main casino hotel is huge and looks very interesting with its curved walls and contemporary appearance. It dominates the entire CityCenter. It’s too valuable to be second tier, so there is no question in my mind that it will supplant Bellagio as the premier MGM Mirage property. There will be five or six pools, all built above a garage or ground level offices. They’re on the west side of the property which will give good sun without shadows for the pool-goers. The casino hotel is set back so far from the Strip, probably about as far back as Bellagio’s Spa Tower, that I assume there will be some sort of people mover in from the Strip. It may be a high-end property, but it will still be dependent upon walk-in tourists. I wonder if it’s too removed from the Strip. The model also showed the tram between Bellagio and Monte Carlo which looks like it will make intermediate stops in CityCenter. Retail will begin near the Strip and go back toward the casino hotel, so maybe the retail will be the draw to get pedestrians in.

[JonVegas]

Harrahs stinks. Everything they touch turns to crap.

[mdiederi]

...apparently the city center model is in the bellagio....(pictures anyone?)
I just went over there to see it and they wouldn't let me take photos. :shrug: :koko:


According to the model, all the towers will be quite a bit higher than Bellagio and the Monte Carlo, but the scale might be off too.

[mdiederi]

A couple shots of the Cosmopolitan site.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Cosmo2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Cosmo.jpg

[PolyArch]

Checking out the mdiederi shot of The Encore in construction posted 9/19, could you mdiederi or any body else tell if this new hotel will be curved like the Wynn?
Also it seems a lot smaller than the Wynn, is that true or is it hard to tell the scale by the photo? Great pictures otherwise keep it up cause I don't when I can get over to "Fun City" again.

[mttbox]

Trump, center strip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/trump.jpg


i've been thinging to purchase one the the trump studio, now the tower are up to 39th floor now, it looks really nice, what do you guys think of this tower? any opinion of the hotel/condo concept? from what i understand is that Studios priced between $816,500 – 951,500, but the location are grade! its so close the convention center, i attn show all the time, its maybe just 10min walk.

[CHAPINM1]

That shot is a beauty! How the morning sun reflects off the gold like that with a little help from the reflection of Wynn Las Vegas as well.

[WonderlandPark]

At this rate, the entire City Center might be done before Cosmopolitan. I know its a big hole, but....

[ScottG]

i've been thinging to purchase one the the trump studio, now the tower are up to 39th floor now, it looks really nice, what do you guys think of this tower? any opinion of the hotel/condo concept? from what i understand is that Studios priced between $816,500 – 951,500, but the location are grade! its so close the convention center, i attn show all the time, its maybe just 10min walk.

i think high rise living would be awsome to do. however, do you want to pay for the 'name' you are living in or the views? remember, trump is RIGHT behind the treasure island, the first 30 or so floors have a view of the back of TI, then the higher up (and more expensive) floors look over the TI and have a great view of the strip. also 800Gs is high- thats the TRUMP style. youre paying for the name here. plus there are no balconies. being high up you should take advantage of that and be able to go outside.

Personally - if i had the money- i'd buy into the cosmopolitan beach tower (the smaller tower) its RIGHT on the strip either looking over the bellagio waters (NICE) or citycenter. AND those views are garainteed. nothing can be built in the way. with trump the montreux can get in the way and TI already is.

Look what happened with mgm signature towers. they are situated to face the south strip yet. the marriotte grand chateau was put right in front and then west gate is goin next to it. the only garunteed views or looking at the mountains.

and remember, the starting prices for these units are at lower levels. sure youre in a highrise but your view is looking at the roof of a 5 story building. like turnberry place. would you want to sit on the 10th floor overlooking the riviera?

i'd say the cosmo. theres nothing around to be an eye soar. and you have great views no matter where you are. plus the location cannot get any better.

and dont get me started about ANYTHING downtown. to pay a half million to live next to a bail bondman.....ha!

[mdiederi]

Checking out the mdiederi shot of The Encore in construction posted 9/19, could you mdiederi or any body else tell if this new hotel will be curved like the Wynn?
Also it seems a lot smaller than the Wynn, is that true or is it hard to tell the scale by the photo? Great pictures otherwise keep it up cause I don't when I can get over to "Fun City" again.
Yeah, it curves. The convex side is facing the existing tower. The perspective is skewed in the photo. It will also be close to the same height and the same color scheme ... I think? :shrug:

[mttbox]

i think high rise living would be awsome to do. however.....

thank you so much for your input, sorry I didn't mention this on my first post, my brother did purchase the trump tower, "above" level 45, he run into some problem and he just want me to take over the contract, his purchase price are $660k, I will take over at $700k, same studio selling at the same level are selling over $800k now, but anyway, money is the issue at this point, I just think its a amazing building and yes I do love the trump name it define super luxury . The unit are facing NORTH so we won't have the south strip view, so I won’t have the TI problem, but it will have all the view from the new project from the north like Montreux and echelon (stadust) and downtown.

[ScottG]

Yeah, it curves. The convex side is facing the existing tower. The perspective is skewed in the photo. It will also be close to the same height and the same color scheme ... I think? :shrug:

the encore will be taller than wynn. same color scheme tho.

below is a link to vegasTAT where jazfigr made his concept of what itll shape like.....

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/wynn.htm

[highriseLV]

.

[highriseLV]

and dont get me started about ANYTHING downtown. to pay a half million to live next to a bail bondman.....ha!


Yeah, that would be crazy to pay a half million and have to deal with living next to a bail bondman!

I'd much rather pay over a half million, have half the sf, AND be forced to deal with the congestion of the strip! Especially considering there isn't a whole lot happening Downtown. It would be different if there were new businesses going in to help support the growth of downtown. Well, I guess there is that home furnishing campus going up. Isn't it like a 2 billion dollar improvement that they can't build fast enough, so they had to bring in a bunch of temporary space to help meet demand? I suppose the 61-acres might also help once they get that going. Isn't there some type of performing arts center and research clinic that are supposed to be breaking ground soon? Molasky Corporate center could also be a step in the right direction. And I guess there's also the LV Premium Outlets - and they're expanding - so they must be doing okay. Okay, so there are a few things happening downtown. But, it would still suck to be that close to the 15 and the 95, and not be able to deal with the congestion on the strip!

And during the next three to five years when the population of Vegas continues to grow and bring new businesses in, and land prices and construction costs continue to go through the roof, I'll bet those who purchase in projects like Soho, Streamline, Juhl, Newport, Stanhi, and others will regret it! To purchase something, in an area filled with bondsman, a 12million sf home furnishing and design center, new regional justice center, Federal courthouse, New Molasky Corp. Center, the 61 Acres, new entertainment dist, etc. at $500,$600, or $700/sf is rediculous - compared to the strip at $1500-$1800/sf! I bet the prices in downtown won't even reach $900-$1000/sf for at least 2 or 3 years! Whoa! Hello bail bondman!!

[mdiederi]

the encore will be taller than wynn.
That should look good because the Wynn curves upward in that direction.

[ScottG]

Fire at the Venitian!

the faux 'clock' tower above the wax museum caught fire, but is ok now

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=5447704

[ScottG]

just saw the planning comission about fontainebleau. they ran into some trouble.

there is only one entrance/exit from turnberry place. and the planning commissioners are stumped to know that that 'slipped' by them and the fir department. that is an extremely dangerous intersection, with one way in and out. so they need a back entrance in conjunction with fountain blue. that and turnberry place has not enough parking spaces. so they need to use some of fountaineblues spaces.

[skyscraperfan23]

I Love those buildings in the sin city.

[future29]

Harrahs stinks. Everything they touch turns to crap.

agreed. Harrahs is a second rate company. their casinos cant even compare to places like Wynn, Venetian, Bellagio.

[Steven C.]

Encore, center strip. Had to splice this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Encore.jpg

here is a different one that i took... a little smoother and zoomed out.

http://www.snapdrive.net/files/115635/images/pano-fr-wynn.jpg