- Work is expected to begin soon on a $737 million enhancement to the Las Vegas Convention Center (702.892.0711; www.lvcva.com), slated for completion by late 2010. The project includes a renovation of the facility, additional meeting rooms, 100,000 square feet of new general session space, a new front lobby connecting its three halls, police and fire department substations, and a new monorail station.
- The 255-suite Platinum Hotel and Spa (702.365.5000; www.lvplatinium.com) debuted on East Flamingo Road, one-and-a-half blocks from the Bellagio, in October. A member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the condo-hotel has more than 7,000 square feet of meeting space, two restaurants, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a spa.
- In October, the first new Playboy Club in more than 25 years opened atop the new 40-story, 347-room Fantasy Tower at the Palms Casino Resort (702.942.7777; www.palms.com). Additionally, ground was broken last year for the last phase of the property’s $650 million expansion: Palms Place, a 50-story condo-hotel.
- Signature at MGM Grand (702.891.7777; www.signaturemgmgrand.com) opened last May with the completion of the first of its three 576-suite towers. The second tower opened Dec. 20, and the third is slated to open this May. The second and third towers have meeting facilities.
- The $1.8 billion Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino (702.215.5500; www.cosmolv.com) is expected to open in fall 2008. Hyatt Hotels will operate the project’s 2,700 hotel and condo-hotel units. Other features will include more than 150,000 square feet of meeting space, a 50,000-square-foot spa, a casino, and a 500-seat cabaret theater.
- The Las Vegas Sands plans to open the $1.8 billion Palazzo Casino Resort (www.lasvegassands.com) this fall. The 50-floor, all-suite casino hotel tower will include 3,025 suites and 450,000 square feet of meeting space.
- The 64-story Trump International Hotel and Tower Las Vegas (877.878.6711; www.trumplv.com) is scheduled to open in early 2008. The $500 million property will include 1,282 residential and hotel units, a spa, restaurants, a business center, and meeting facilities.
- Construction is scheduled to begin in April on the Conrad Las Vegas (www.conradhotels.com), an $825 million, 60-story condo-hotel with 216 hotel units, 696 condo-hotel units and 76 residences of Hilton’s new Waldorf=Astoria Residences brand on the top 10 floors. Slated to open in 2009, it will include a spa, three signature restaurants, 56,000 square feet of retail space, conference facilities, and a business center.
- Steve Wynn’s $1.74 billion Encore at Wynn Las Vegas (www.wynnresorts.com) is scheduled to open by early 2009. It will include 2,042 rooms, a 54,000-square-foot casino, a nightclub, restaurants, and additional meeting and convention space.
- MGM Mirage plans to unveil its $7 billion, 66-acre Project CityCenter (www.citycenter.com) in late 2009. The development’s first phase calls for 4,800 hotel rooms, a casino and 550,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space. Hotels will include a 400-room Mandarin Oriental property and a 1,500-unit condo-hotel.
- Boyd Gaming closed the 1,134-room Stardust Nov. 1. Scheduled for implosion in the first quarter of this year, the site will make way for the company’s proposed $4 billion, 63-acre Echelon Place (www.echelonresort.com). Expected to open in early 2010, it will feature 5,300 guest rooms in four hotels, including a 400-room Shangri-La hotel; a casino; spas; theaters; shops; restaurants; and more than 1 million square feet of meeting and exhibition space.
- The 1,907-room Golden Nugget Las Vegas (702.385.7111; www.goldennugget.com), with 20,500 square feet of meeting and function space in downtown Vegas, completed a 14-month, $100 million renovation in November. The project included new bars and restaurants, and a new three-level pool with a 200,000-gallon shark aquarium. The property was acquired by Landry’s Restaurants in September 2005.
- The former Hotel San Remo became the 700-room Hooters Casino Hotel (800.522.7366; www.hooterscasinohotel.com) in February 2006 following a $130 million renovation that included new restaurants and bars.
- The South Coast Hotel and Casino became Michael Gaughan’s South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa (702.796.7111; www.southpointcasino.com) in October following its purchase from Boyd Gaming by Gaughan, a veteran casino executive. The 1,350-room property features a 64-lane bowling center, seven restaurants, a 16-screen theater complex, a spa, and a convention and equestrian center with 150,000 square feet of space.
- The $100 million-plus renovation of the 2,500-room Aladdin Resort and Casino (702.785.5555; www.aladdincasino.com) and its rebranding as the Planet Hollywood Resort, a Sheraton hotel, is slated for completion this spring.
Summerlin
- The $925 million Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa (702.797.7625; www.redrocklasvegas.com) opened last April. The property has 415 rooms, 11 restaurants, a nightclub, a spa, and 94,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. An additional 436 rooms will open during the second quarter of this year.
Henderson/Lake Las Vegas
- Loews Hotels acquired the 493-room Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas, which has more than 40,000 square feet of indoor function space, in December and renamed it Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort (702.567.6000; www.loewshotels.com). The resort is undergoing renovations that include enhancements to its ballroom space.
- In October, the 496-room Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino (702.617.7777; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com) unveiled a $110 million expansion. The project included 14,000 square feet of additional meeting space, bringing the property’s total square footage of meeting space to more than 64,000. A 500-seat entertainment venue will open at the resort this spring.
- Last summer, Fiesta Henderson (702.558.7000; stationcasinos.com) finished a $70 million expansion that included a new hotel registration area, a new business center, additional parking, and additional casino space. A 12-screen movie theater will open at the property later this year.
Laughlin
- The former 1,907-room Flamingo Laughlin, with 35,000 square feet of meeting space, was rebranded as the Aquarius Casino Resort (702.298.5111; www.aquariuscasinoresort.com) in November. The property completed a $40 million renovation of its casino, restaurants and public areas, and room renovations are planned.