Happenings

• Caesars Palace (702.731.7110; www.caesarspalace.com) is undergoing a $1 billion expansion that includes a new 665-room hotel tower and 110,000 square feet of meeting space, bringing its total square footage of function space to 300,000. The expansion will also include two new swimming pools and adjoining outdoor function space. The project is set for completion in early 2009.
• Starwood Hotels and Resorts (www.starwoodhotels.com) plans to open an aloft hotel just off the Las Vegas Strip in 2009. The hotel will feature 4,000 square feet of meeting space and 225 guest rooms, all appointed with high-tech entertainment and office features.
• Construction is under way on the $675 million Aliante Station (702.594.3000; www.stationcasinos.com), located on a 40-acre site in North Las Vegas. The 202-room hotel, set for completion at the end of the year, will offer six restaurants, an ultra lounge, 14,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 16-screen, all-digital theater operated by Regal Entertainment Group.
• Harrah’s Entertainment (702.407.6000; www.harrahs.com) is developing a 20,000-seat sports and entertainment arena one block east of the Strip. The facility, which will be available for special events and exhibitions, is expected to open in 2010.
• Construction is under way on MGM Mirage’s CityCenter (702.590.7171; www.citycenter.com), a resort complex located on the Strip between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio resorts. Components will include a 4,000-room casino resort and several non-gaming properties, including the 400-room Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, the 1,543-room Vdara and the 400-room Harmon. Set for completion in late 2009, CityCenter will offer over 300,000 square feet of meeting space.
• The Fontainebleau Las Vegas (www.fontainebleau.com), under the same management as the Fontainebleau Miami, is scheduled to open on the Las Vegas Strip in fall 2009. The 63-story, 3,812-room resort will include a 60,000-square-foot spa, a 3,300-seat performing arts theater and more than 250,000 square feet of meeting space.
• Construction is under way on Encore at Wynn Las Vegas (702.770.7000; www.wynnresorts.com), which is scheduled to debut in early 2009 with 2,042 rooms, a casino, multiple restaurants, and meeting space.
• The 64-story, $500 million Trump International Hotel and Tower Las Vegas (877.878.6711; www.trumplv.com) is scheduled to open this spring with 1,282 residences and hotel units, a spa, restaurants, and meeting facilities.
• The White House Las Vegas (702.735.1111; www.thewhitehouselasvegas.com), a conference and training facility located across from the Las Vegas Convention Center, will be moving to a new and expanded site in downtown Las Vegas this summer.
• Elad Properties, which owns New York’s Plaza Hotel, plans to develop the Plaza Las Vegas (www.eladproperties.com) on the site of the recently imploded New Frontier & Casino. The $5 billion luxury resort, slated for completion in 2011, will feature 3,500 rooms, 300 residences and convention space.
• The South Point Casino (702.796.7111; www.southpointcasino.com) is in the midst of a $95 million expansion that includes an 830-room guest room tower, two new restaurants and a 10,000-square-foot conference center. The project is set for completion in July.
• The Las Vegas Hilton (702.891.1200; www.lvhilton.com) recently unveiled 221 Resort Club rooms and a new Resort Club lounge in its north tower.
• The Hampton Inn Tropicana (702.948.8100; www.hamptoninntropicana.com) recently completed a renovation of its 319 guest rooms and 3,000 square feet of meeting space.
• The Blue Man Group (702.492.3960; www.blueman.com), a popular entertainment troupe combining music, comedy and multimedia theatrics, recently launched a corporate events division. The group is available for off-site performances or for customized performances at their theater in The Venetian in Las Vegas. Group ticketing and buyouts can also be arranged.

Henderson/Lake Las Vegas

• The $1.8 billion M Resort, Spa and Casino is under development on an 80-acre site at St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Blvd. The 390-room resort is scheduled for completion in spring 2009 and will feature a full-service spa, multiple restaurants, 40,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 100,000-square-foot pool area with waterfalls.
• Olympia Gaming is planning to develop the $2 billion Southern Highlands Resort (www.olympiagamingllc.com) on a 100-acre site across the street from M Resort, Spa and Casino. The first phase of the mixed-use project is slated to include 600 hotel rooms, a large-scale meeting and convention facility, and entertainment and retail venues.
• The MonteLago Village Resort (702.564.4700; www.montelagovillage.com) recently unveiled Riva di Lago Events Center, a 3,830-square-foot meeting facility that also offers a spacious patio area for outdoor events.

• The Aquarius Casino Resort (702.298.5111; www.aquariuscasionresort.com) is embarking on the first phase of a $20 million renovation. The 1,907-room property, formerly the Flamingo Laughlin, offers 35,000 square feet of meeting space.
• The Tropicana Express (702.298.4200; www.tropicanax.com), formerly the Ramada Express, recently completed an $11 million renovation of all guest rooms and public spaces.