Construction Moving Along In Vegas
Caesar's Showroom, Mall's 'Cloud' Finished
Updated: 10:53 a.m. EST March 17, 2003
LAS VEGAS -- Some updates on construction currently happening at the major resorts on the Strip.
Caesars Palace:
Construction has been completed on Celine Dion's new, 4,000-seat showroom, and crews have moved over to begin work on the new Forum Shops expansion. The 250,000-square-foot addition will feature a raft of new stores and a new courtyard entrance directly on the Strip.
Fashion Show Mall:
The new metallic "Cloud" facing the Strip is mostly complete and quite an eye-catcher. It will feature giant television screens and a multimedia display, presumably designed to distract people from the pirate battle going on just across the street. Expect that to be up and running by late summer.
Flamingo:
Anyone passing by the Flamingo these days will notice that the northern end of the front of the building has been completely gutted as crews prepare the space for this November's launch of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. In preparation for the new club/restaurant, the Alta Villa and Peking Market restaurants have been closed. Two new restaurants, the Italian eatery Venuto and the Pan-Asian influenced Pink Ginger, will open in May in the space formerly occupied by the Flamingo Room.
Las Vegas Monorail:
A lot of construction action is happening now just outside of Bally's as workers stretch the existing MGM Grand line across Flamingo Boulevard. Additional work on the new, elevated track is happening in front of the Las Vegas Hilton, and a huge station is being built at the back of the Sahara, where the line will end. Officials still plan to open it by January 2004.
Mandalay Bay:
Things are pretty torn up around the Bay as the hotel contends with the beginnings of a 1,000-room tower under construction near the entrance to the main parking garage. The good news is that construction at the other end of the property on the new gigantic convention center is complete.
Paris:
The new entrance at the southwest corner of the casino is complete, and the new restaurant and nightclub that border it should be up and running by the time you read this.
Venetian:
The work on the new 1,000-room addition on top of the main parking garage is progressing nicely, with the bulk of the exterior facing complete. Although it still looks like it still has a way to go, officials are saying they will be able to meet the anticipated summer 2003 opening.
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Q: In honor of St. Patrick's Day ... On the front of which hotel would you have found a giant leprechaun named Mr. O'Lucky? ANSWER
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