Las Vegas
- At press time, Nobu Hospitality was about to open Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace (702.731.7110; www.nobuhotelcaesarspalace.com), which is situated in the former Caesars Palace Centurion Tower. The upscale restaurant chain’s first hotel has 181 guest rooms and an 11,200-square-foot Nobu restaurant and lounge.
- The former Lady Luck Hotel & Casino, closed since 2006, is slated to reopen by year’s end as the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino. Fifth Street Gaming (www.fifthstreetgaming.com), a casino management company, is restoring the 650-room property as part of a new 3rd Street mixed-use project.
- In December, Caesars Entertainment renamed the Imperial Palace The Quad Resort & Casino (702.731.3311; www.thequadlv.com). Renovations that began last fall are slated for completion by late this year and will include a gaming floor expansion and improvements to the exterior facade, porte cochere, front desk, hotel lobby, and retail and dining areas.
- At press time, Caesars Entertainment was set to close Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon (www.billslasvegas.com) at the Strip and Flamingo Blvd. Feb. 4. It is converting the 197-room property into a boutique hotel casino that is slated to open in early 2014. The project includes the renovation of guest rooms, the casino and common areas, and a new rooftop pool and dayclub/nightclub. Caesars acquired the hotel, formerly Barbary Coast Hotel & Casino, in 2007.
- Tropicana Las Vegas (702.739.2222; www.troplv.com) and DoubleTree by Hilton announced a franchise agreement in October to reflag the 1,600-room resort the Tropicana Las Vegas—a DoubleTree by Hilton. The conversion was scheduled to take place at press time. The resort, which has spent $200 million in renovations in recent years, opened the Bagatelle Beach & Nightclub in October.
- MGM Grand (702.891.1111; www.mgmgrand.com) recently completed a $160 million renovation of the 3,570 guest rooms and 642 suites in its main tower. The resort will also open Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant and Nightclub this spring.
- Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas (702.632.5000; www.fourseasons.com/lasvegas) completed a guest room renovation, including the addition of two spacious hospitality suites, at the end of last year.
- Bellagio (702.693.7111; www.bellagio.com) completed a $70 million renovation of all 2,568 guest rooms in its main tower at the end of 2011, and its Spa Tower renovation, encompassing 819 guest rooms and 109 suites, was finished at the end of last year.
- Palms Casino Resort (702.942.6804; www.palms.com) is transforming its Palm Tower guest rooms as part of the first phase of a $50 million renovation that began last summer.
- The former 624-room Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel on downtown’s Fremont Street was renamed the D Las Vegas Casino Hotel (702.388.2200; www.thed.com) in October following a renovation that included remodeled rooms and suites, a new lobby, two new bars and reconfigured meeting space.
- Opened in 1906, the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino (702.385.1906; www.goldengatecasino.com) at One Fremont Street recently completed its first expansion in 50 years and a renovation. A 16-suite, five-story luxury tower was added, the casino floor was expanded, and the lobby and 106 rooms, which date back to the opening, were remodeled.
- A new waterpark, the $50 million Wet ’n’ Wild Las Vegas (702.765.9700; www.wetnwildlasvegas.com) is expected to open on Memorial Day. The 41-acre waterpark will feature more than 25 slides and attractions near Summerlin. The original Wet ’n’ Wild Las Vegas, which was located on the Strip, closed in 2004.
Henderson
- In March 2012, the former 493-room Loews Lake Las Vegas became the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa (702.567.6000; www.westin.com) after undergoing a $4 million renovation that included upgrades to all guest rooms. The property has 94,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.
- In December, Dolce Hotels and Resorts announced it had been retained by Newage Lake Las Vegas LLC, the new owner of Ravella at Lake Las Vegas (702. 567.4700; www.ravellavegas.com) to continue managing the 349-room property in Henderson. Dolce had reopened the Henderson property, formerly The Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, in February 2011.
- Ground was broken in December on the 23-acre Cowabunga Bay Water Park (801.553.1000; www.cowabungabay.com) on Galleria Drive at Sunset Mall. It is expected to open in June and is under the same ownership as Cowabunga Bay Water Park in Draper, Utah. It will be divided into three themed zones.