[RazzMan]

Does anyone know how well Trump Tower II is selling????Since the Apprentice show has the hyped slowed down...I'm wondering if this reservation process is just to test the waters on the market and if not enough interest, they will pull the plug on the 2nd Tower prior to hard contracts. I assume if T II gets cancelled, nothing will be able to sell after advertising on National TV for 1 hour.

[justdefended]

MGM President Jim Murren told the LV Business Press this week that Circus Circus will not be torn down in the near future and will be reinvested in.

"Circus Circus will be around longer than I will and I hope to live a long, healthy life," he said. "It's not for sale. It won't be torn down. It will be reinvested in."

Besides, Murren has a personal stake in Circus' survival. "I'm a father of young kids and if I did anything to hurt Circus Circus, I'd be kicked out of the house."

Looks like that clown really ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon.

http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2007/04/27/news/iq_13965707.txt

[mdiederi]

CB Richard Ellis executive John Knott is vice president of CBRE'S Global Gaming Group and worked on Sahara-owner Gordon Gaming Corp.'s behalf -- first on the casino sale to SBE, then when MGM purchased the company's 26-acre parcel across the Strip. He says the move northward was always in the cards.

"It's pretty clear that people who want to expand on the Strip have to go north," he opined.

Knott compares it to Manhattan, where high-density development in the south and south-central sections gives way to lower density in the "20" and "30" blocks. "Those areas are prime opportunities. The north end of the Strip was where it was all happening in the 1970s and '80s," Knott said.

As far as developments go, he predicts the Stratosphere will have some tall company. "People are going as high as possible," Knott said, illustrating the point by describing how companies can squeeze more return out of denser developments.

[BruceH]

MGM President Jim Murren told the LV Business Press this week that Circus Circus will not be torn down in the near future and will be reinvested in.

"Circus Circus will be around longer than I will and I hope to live a long, healthy life," he said. "It's not for sale. It won't be torn down. It will be reinvested in."

Besides, Murren has a personal stake in Circus' survival. "I'm a father of young kids and if I did anything to hurt Circus Circus, I'd be kicked out of the house."

Looks like that clown really ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon.

http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2007/04/27/news/iq_13965707.txt Isn't it up to the MGM Mirage shareholders to decide? A publically traded company's shareholders expect major return on investment and CC is not pulling its potential weight. If it can't be made over then expect shareholder pressure to match the high end properties like Echelon, Palazzo, Fontainebleau etc. Even the Sahara makeover is now going to take 2 to 2.5 years, not just a paint job. North Strip is on fire and MGM will have to play in the same ball game or get pressure from its shareholders big time.

[Silas]

MGM will land bank the entire parcel and ensure North Strip to be relative dead zone. It is very clear. Look at VegasTAT dude's 'Who Owns What' map to see clearly that MGM has every incentive to keep North Strip a dead zone. Nine of their ten resorts are South/Mid Strip. Why, why, why would they want to enhance North Strip experience for everyone else at their own expense? They would not.

And the part about shareholders having a say about anything that any company does. Yeah right.

[StatenIslander237]

I don't really like the idea of major developments in that part of Las Vegas. The Arts District is like Vegas' SoHo. It should be left alone, even if Downtown and the Strip are going vertical north and south of them. No one is Vegas knows streets, and classic urban spaces. Mega resorts with casinos, and pedestrian bridges are the norm here, and that's ok. But let the arts blossom in Vegas, not everything needs to be bulldozed if it doesn't turn a profit immediately.

[LMich]

As someone from back East, I always liked the feel of the Arts District. It's really not much, but it's gritty, pedestrian-oriented (at least more so than most parts of the valley), and reminded me a little of home. I agree, I'd like to see it largely left alone. An extra Metro presence couldn't hurt it, though.

[BruceH]

MGM will land bank the entire parcel and ensure North Strip to be relative dead zone. It is very clear. Look at VegasTAT dude's 'Who Owns What' map to see clearly that MGM has every incentive to keep North Strip a dead zone. Nine of their ten resorts are South/Mid Strip. Why, why, why would they want to enhance North Strip experience for everyone else at their own expense? They would not.

And the part about shareholders having a say about anything that any company does. Yeah right. Just like I got the negative feedback on this forum when I predicted MGM would buy the land all the way down to the Sahara lot and they did. Don't know where you get your information but our contacts tell us a very different story. North Strip is going to be developed and is very hot now with many projects underway in the billions. So interesting you have such a negative view of North Strip and believe MGM won't act on their North Strip land holdings. I'll bet otherwise.

[mdiederi]

MGM will land bank the entire parcel and ensure North Strip to be relative dead zone.
MGM management is obviously implementing a growth strategy. "Land banking" aimed at depressing a market is not a growth strategy. All of MGM's current properties south of Spring Mountain are maxed out with 85-100% occupancy rates and there is no land left for another magaresort down there, just little slivers of land where they can plug in a skinny boutique hotel or condo hotel here or there. Besides, it's too late to land bank the north end of the Strip, there are already 9 condo towers north of Spring Mountain and the Fontainebleau and Encore resorts are already under construction and Echelon starts in a couple months, and the Sahara has an extremely capable new owner -- all of which is being developed even with the empty land on the corner before MGM bought it. Now, financial power house Goldman Sachs just entered the fray and the MGM purchase might have been the final impetus that motivated them to go ahead with the Strat purchase, so the land banking theory might have already backfired because it's motivating others to buy-in and build. MGM would be shooting themselves in the foot not to build new revenue streams on the north end where the new synergy is brewing, they would get clobbered on Wall Street if they didn't have a future growth path after CityCenter opens. Maybe land banking works as a strategy in other cities, but I don't see evidence of it in Las Vegas. Up until now the Strip has always had big empty lots, it used to be the middle of no where. Mirage was a big empty lot for decades but Caesars had no problem making a killing next door. CityCenter has always been a big empty spot on the Strip but Bellagio had no problem raking in the cash next door. I don't know where the land banking theory comes from. Although, I kind of understand what you're implying, because the south end of the strip will always have an advantage over the north end because most tourists enter the resort corridor from the south, either from the airport or driving from L.A., and that's the first thing they see.

[mdiederi]

The Arts District is like Vegas' SoHo.
It probably has more in common with NYC's Chelsea art district than SOHO since it's mostly a gritty industrial and warehouse area, especially over there by the Neon Nights proposal, but it has comparatively none of the influx of money and talent that the NY districts have. The Las Vegas Arts District was well intentioned, but it has mostly been a flop in terms of creating an art market. The only time gallery goers go to the Arts District is for the First Friday street party every month and that's mostly just a freak show with a bunch of college kids on the make, and you know they don't have any money to buy art. The rest of the time it's dead except for the zombie homeless people who live in the alleys. Aside from the poor quality art, part of the problem with the Arts District is that the buildings down there don't really lend themselves very well to a live-work type of set up for artists and the architecture has absolutely zero style or charm or cohesiveness or functionality. The street layout is tightly woven, by Vegas standards, so it would be a good walkable area if it had the right type of buildings, but it doesn't. There aren't any buildings at all with residential lofts or apartments upstairs and shop space down stairs. Hopefully all the highrise condo proposals will generate a better market for galleries and specialty shops and restaurants in the area and more live/work type of buildings will be built. Holesome Lofts is a good attempt at what the Arts District should do with some of the existing buildings, but most of the businesses in there are hurting pretty bad from what I've heard because the rents are higher than places like the Arts Factory and there isn't a strong clientele in the area. There are quite a few empty lots and condemned buildings down there right now. Not sure how Neon Nights is configured, but if they put the arena and casino towards the railroad tracks on the west side and put the condo towers on the east side, it might actually help development of an urban village setting in the arts district. But, If they put the casino and arena on the east side of the site it would definitely hurt the development of an urban village in the Arts District. I did notice the other day a couple more proposals in the city planning agendas for live/work type of buildings around 4th street and Charleston.

[LMich]

mdiederi,

You make a good point, but that is what worries me about the success of the Arts District (i.e. that it's not built for such a conversion), and it's really the problem of Vegas if you're hoping to create pedestrian-friendly, hemmed-in, authentic neighborhoods.

I mean, yeah, you could bulldoze most of this and put in a Disney-like Arts District, but that would defeat the purpose of such a disitrict in the first place. Worst yet is that anything that's bulldozed is probably going to shoot up in value, lending itself to a district where only rich hipsters could live, further defeating the purpose.

We can already see the gentrification of creeping up on this hood with developments like SoHo and Newport. It seems like this area is simply destined to become a high-rise "Midway" district that will connect the Strip and Downtown, anyway.

That said, I think a really great place to create something authentically and historically Vegas would be along East Fremont just east of downtown. This may get some laughs from you guys, but I think this could be a very interesting and liveable hood in the future.

BTW,

I remember back in the run-up to the construction of Stratosphere "Stupak" Tower that the developer aquired a butt-load of land, I heard, to force people out of the surrounding areas (a really shady hood...still is) to make it more desirable. Does anyone know approximately how much land they own around the tower, and in which direction, or is this just a rumor.

[MrVegas]

Steel is beginning to rise for the Fontainebleau Tower.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8606/newfontgy4.jpg


Two tower cranes at the Planet Hollywood Towers site are being assembled.
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1193/phtowersok0.jpg

[VegasBound]

Why, why, why would they want to enhance North Strip experience for everyone else at their own expense? They would not.

I am with those that disagree with this statement. The only thing that would stop MGM from going full throttle ahead with enhancements of their North Strip properties would be a general downturn in the Vegas economy. I would never say that could never happen but it is not going to happen any time soon.

Although I would love to see Circus Circus scraped or at least majorly remodeled, I hope the rush to luxury that seems to be happening does not leave the strip short of middle tier and family friendly offerings. A good mix will be healthiest for the strip overall.

[sky-of-webs]

Exactly! I read everyone's posts almost on a daily basis, but rarely post myself - mainly because I believe CC is just another HUGE tourist trap. To me, that project makes a lot of sense for MGM, and people who have more money than they know what to do with and just want to be able to say that they own something in CC, or on the strip. To think that someone would consider living in that project on a full time basis, or even a second home that they plan on spending any good amount of time in, is a joke! I have lived in Vegas for almost ten years, and I avoid the strip like the plague. If you lived in CC, and worked in CC or neighboring property - okay, maybe. But honestly, have these buyers ever driven LV BLVD, or any street that runs perpendicular? To deal with that mess on a daily basis, you'd have to be out of your mind. Yes, I am a huge fan of downtown, because after all, it is the true center of the city, and the only place in Clark County that makes sense for people to live in a high rise on a full time basis. I know there are other projects like One LV, Queensridge, and even Sullivan Square - but where are they, and walking out the front door of the lobby, what do they have? They have the developer's idea for restaurants and shops, and the other amenities of the complex. It isn't the same as other great cities across the country where those who live in the true core of the city have the freedom to step out of the lobby and walk to other buildings for all of their everyday needs and wants - without having to fight with hundreds of thousands of tourists each day. Architecturally, CC is may be the next wonder of the world - but let's get real - it is the next "newer, bigger, better" LV tourist trap.LVHIGHRISE

It's more like urban versus suburban living. Our clients who bought CC already come from cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, London, Toronto, NYC etc where they are use to urban and high rise living. I live on the Strip in a high rise and love it. Can't stand the traffic going to suburbia. I can get to restaurants, airport, services etc all around the Strip in 15-20 minutes. Trip to Summerlin now takes about 30 to 45 minutes or worse depending on traffic. Demand for CC is high as are luxury condos like Sky Las Vegas (http://www.luxuryrealtygroup.com/sky-las-vegas.html), Turnberry Place (http://www.luxuryrealtygroup.com/turnberry-place.html) and Turnberry Towers etc for residential living in the core Strip area. It will only get better with the billions of dollars being invested in all the new casino hotels in the main and North Strip areas.

LVHIGHRISE is pointing out the fact that there is no residential component to the casino condo towers beyond the living space. If someone lives in these props including sky,turnberry, and allure the only place to eat is a couple of 5 star restraunts costing a fortune or the casino food court or buffet. There is no supermarket and never will be. At CC a resident is locked into a tourist geared setting with no easy access to the real world. People from the highrise cities mentioned are accustomed to urban living yes, but having a home in the center of Disney Land is not the kind of place a majority of people rich or not are looking for.

A quick poll here. With the current allignment of the casino and other towers, who here thinks Echelon has any chance of being a profitable property.

I don't.

[LMich]

As with countless other downtown redevelopments across this country where residential come first, and then amenities later, this will be no different. Why you're painting this as entirely different situation is beyond me. I know from my little city center undergoing redevelopment residential is being built without even a hint of amenities to service these in sites. For awhile, people will have to commute outwards to get serviced, but as the number of units becomes self sustaining the retail will follow just as it always had and always will.

[ScottG]

one las vegas - tower 2 is not topped out (we havnt really followed up on this project much)

trump tower 2 will make its appearance on the apprentice sunday (today)

the teams have to come up with marketing plans.


get this,
apparently trump las vegas tower 1 and 2 is trump most expensive project to date

[SpeedyFarrar]

trump tower 2 will make its appearance on the apprentice sunday (today)

the teams have to come up with marketing plans.


That episode aired 2 weeks ago.....

[mdiederi]

Some where I read that CityCenter will have a grocery store. I think you can also order groceries over the internet from Albertsons and they will deliver them.

....

I think the humongous convention center planned at Echelon Place is a big part of their strategy for filling rooms. But I too hope the towers get a redesign.

....

Noticed that they are dismantling the tower crane at Spanish View Towers, after being stalled for almost a year. Not sure if they are totally giving up or if they got a new contractor who wants to replace it with their own crane?

[williasj]

i have heard that a whole foods is planned as a part of the turnberry town square project. So there will be a grocery just south of the mandalay bay. There are other grocery stores in the area, not on the strip give you, but not to far either. Everything is an evolving process

[Vtown420]

...part of the problem with the Arts District is that the buildings down there don't really lend themselves very well to a live-work type of set up for artists and the architecture has absolutely zero style or charm or cohesiveness or functionality. The street layout is tightly woven, by Vegas standards, so it would be a good walkable area if it had the right type of buildings, but it doesn't. There aren't any buildings at all with residential lofts or apartments upstairs and shop space down stairs. Hopefully all the highrise condo proposals will generate a better market for galleries and specialty shops and restaurants in the area and more live/work type of buildings will be built. Holesome Lofts is a good attempt at what the Arts District should do with some of the existing buildings, but most of the businesses in there are hurting pretty bad from what I've heard because the rents are higher than places like the Arts Factory and there isn't a strong clientele in the area. There are quite a few empty lots and condemned buildings down there right now. Not sure how Neon Nights is configured, but if they put the arena and casino towards the railroad tracks on the west side and put the condo towers on the east side, it might actually help development of an urban village setting in the arts district. But, If they put the casino and arena on the east side of the site it would definitely hurt the development of an urban village in the Arts District. I did notice the other day a couple more proposals in the city planning agendas for live/work type of buildings around 4th street and Charleston.

You’re absolutely right. It could be a great walkable neighborhood, all it needs are some better buildings where people can live. The streets downtown and in the arts district and are laid out so it can become a great urban area. Downtown has so much potential, I can’t wait until it becomes a better place to live, hell I might even condsider buying a condo down there some day. I hope in ten years it will resemble downtown San Diego. Right now, I don't think there is even a grocery store downtown.

I was really hoping the arena would be across from city hall or somewhere close by so the crowds could empty out onto Fremont Street. But now that I think about it, if they plan Neon lights right, it could really become an interesting area. It seems like they don't really have a plan for an arena. They keep throwing out new locations and are just desperate to get it built. So what do you guys think is the best location for a new arena?

[Vegas Grows Up]

SKY OF WEBS

You said "There is no supermarket and never will be"



There will be a small supermarket at Vdara, this is a fact and confirmed.

Whole Foods will now appear at Town Square from what I hear.

[gmcclenon]

Few days late on posting these. Took them on Friday 4/27.

LVTI lot is being used for Fontainebleau staging:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/LVTI/CIMG0673.jpg


Fontainebleau foundation really taking off now that they have fixed their original design:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/Fontainebleau/FontainebleauandTurnberry.jpg


Turnberry Towers don't get much attention:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/4-30%20uploads/TurnberryTowers.jpg


Trump/Echelon and Wynn-Wynn:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/4-30%20uploads/TrumpStardust.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/4-30%20uploads/Encore.jpg


And finally - one more HO on the street:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/Fontainebleau/HO.jpg

[mdiederi]

HA! LOL! I wonder if these sign people intentionally keep leaving the "HO" on the signs when ever they get the chance? LOL!

[mdiederi]

Fontainebleau foundation really taking off now that they have fixed their original design:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/Fontainebleau/FontainebleauandTurnberry.jpg

From ground level I couldn't tell if that was part of the hotel or the convention area, but your great vantage point makes it pretty clear that the hotel is rising. :tup:

[ScottG]

what do you mena after they redesigned fountainebleau foundation is goin fast- what redesign?

[beets281]

:cheers: Nice pictures!

[philip]

Did they redesign the Fontainebleau? They haven't even released the first official design yet.

[gmcclenon]

what do you mena after they redesigned fountainebleau foundation is goin fast- what redesign?

Hey Scott - there was no change in the shape of the foundation of the main tower just a change in the depth and strength. On the most easterly end and the middle portions of the foundation, they changed plans (or corrected errors) and had to dig out and jack hammer the concrete of the drilled and poured pilings. They left the remaining steel and dug much deeper and built larger re-bar reinforced footings around them and went from there. Here's the before/during and after/during shots.

You can see the guys standing on the exposed pilings starting the demo part of the redesign. Photo taken at the end of March:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/Fontainebleau/CIMG0595.jpg


And in this one you can see how much deeper they ended up digging. You can also make out how much concrete had to be jack hammered out in this after-shot taken on 4/27:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/gdog137/Fontainebleau/Mistake.jpg

[Silas]

Wow -- is that kind of blunder common?

Does anyone think that the overall integrity of the building will be in doubt?

[gmcclenon]

Might be a blunder or it might be a cheap hedge in case they get their original 1000 foot design ok'ed after their 1888' neighbor to the north gets approved tomorrow. Then I woke up.

[theWatusi]

I would hate to be the poor bastard that has to stand out in the sun all day long and jack-hammer out someone's clerical error.

[Silas]

Watusi,

It all pays the same.

[MrV]

I'm not really familiar with construction, but maybe it is just something normal. That they first pour concrete into the ground and then drill away all the concrete that is above the ground in order to make the steal coming out of the concrete 'connect' better with the rest of the foundation.

[ScottG]

more problems at new port - 2 workers critically injured as wind knocks down scaffolding.... (im not sure how old the article is)

http://www.manhattanization.com/news/wind-blown-mishap-at-newport.rub

[mdiederi]

I think that was about a month ago, a few days after the roof fell apart.

[StatenIslander237]

It probably has more in common with NYC's Chelsea art district than SOHO since it's mostly a gritty industrial and warehouse area, especially over there by the Neon Nights proposal, but it has comparatively none of the influx of money and talent that the NY districts have. The Las Vegas Arts District was well intentioned, but it has mostly been a flop in terms of creating an art market.

I'll rephrase it....It could be Las Vegas' SoHo/Chelsea.

What I meant before is that it will never have a chance to be something like that if it becomes twenty more condo towers. This is like kicking the tortoise out of the race just because he's a little slow. This district could be a true arts community if it utilizes a resource very rarely seen in Vegas...time.

When you say empty lots, you are talking about the Strip itself, correct? The tentative Arts District and "Neon Nights" are in places that do not have empty lots, but like you said, have abandoned warehouses and the like. These are starting points that we can very easily save, just as easily as we can erase them.

Arts and culture are building blocks for a true metropolis, at least IMO. ;)

[ScottG]

check this out:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=468829

scroll kinda towards themiddle- some construction photos of maccau.

mgm - kinda weird / good looking.

wynn maccau - puney

and the HUGE ventian. i dont think i like the super sized version

[lfc4life]

check this out:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=468829

scroll kinda towards themiddle- some construction photos of maccau.

mgm - kinda weird / good looking.

wynn maccau - puney

and the HUGE ventian. i dont think i like the super sized version


MGM looks kinda cool but another Wynn and another Venetian.... WHY????

In Venetian Macau case who honestly wants to see a copy of a copy????

[beets281]

:previous: you act like this is the first time a hotel has made a copy of itself. As of right now there is only one Venetian hotel/casino in the world which billions of people have never set foot in. The new Venetian located half way around the world and will give access to millions of people who will never come to Vegas.

[philip]

MGM looks kinda cool but another Wynn and another Venetian.... WHY????

In Venetian Macau case who honestly wants to see a copy of a copy????
You forgot that this is in China, the CopyLand, and people like to see copies, use copies and live in copies. :haha: :haha: :haha:

But you brought up a very good point which shows that MGM is more creative and original. :tup:

[justdefended]

I love the MGM Macau design, very unique three strata tower and somehow the colors seem to fit. As for Macau, most likely will not be heading back to see any of these new properties in person.

[hotdog]

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6461201&nav=9qrx

Some accident at Streamline.

[mdiederi]

A "building collapse"? Yikes that doesn't sound good.

Edit: Now Channel 3 in Vegas is reporting a crane rescue, but no other details. Probably a crane fell over in the wind maybe?

Edit again: Here's the story (http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6461961&nav=menu107_2).

Construction accident and crane rescue downtown

High winds are to blame for a construction accident that severely injured a worker. It happened at about 2 in the afternoon Wednesday at the Streamline Towers on Las Vegas Boulevard across from Neonopolis.

Clark County Fire says strong winds caused some planks of wood to fly into the air and knock the worker over. Both of the worker's legs were broken. Crews had to lower him down from the 23rd floor with a crane. The worker was taken to the hospital where his injuries are said to be non life-threatening.

[Vegas Grows Up]

A "building collapse"? Yikes that doesn't sound good.

Edit: Now Channel 3 in Vegas is reporting a crane rescue, but no other details. Probably a crane fell over in the wind maybe?

Edit again: Here's the story (http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6461961&nav=menu107_2).

Construction accident and crane rescue downtown

High winds are to blame for a construction accident that severely injured a worker. It happened at about 2 in the afternoon Wednesday at the Streamline Towers on Las Vegas Boulevard across from Neonopolis.

Clark County Fire says strong winds caused some planks of wood to fly into the air and knock the worker over. Both of the worker's legs were broken. Crews had to lower him down from the 23rd floor with a crane. The worker was taken to the hospital where his injuries are said to be non life-threatening.

How did this turn into LAS VEGAS HIGH RISE COLLAPSES breaking news headlines?!

I received multiple emails from sources saying this including a very reliable news channel. I had literally just left the sales center an hour earlier. Scared me!

[weathermanstar]

Las Vegas still growing?

[LMich]

No, it disappeared, last night. Didn't you hear?

[ScottG]

a single engine plane just crash landed on las vegas blvd and warm springs (near the las vegas outlet mall a.k.a. the beltz mall.)

apparently it hit several cars.....

[DMaldon762]

http://www.lvrj.com/news/7350231.html

[colemonkee]

Thankfully - and surprisingly - no one was seriously hurt. Perhaps it's because Wyatt Earp was there to save the day. ;)

[mdiederi]

Random progress shots:

Streamline (looks like the news reports of the building collapse were wrong, LOL).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/sl.jpg

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

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

Lady Luck Renovation (actually, this is a no-progress shot).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/ll.jpg

What's going on with the old Post Office building downtown? Is Christo in town?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/po-1.jpg

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

Cosmo & CityCenterl. You can see that some of the Cosmo steel is already half the height of the Jockey Club.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Cosmopolitan/cos1-1.jpg

Palazzo
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Palazzo/p3-2.jpg

[Fido]

Amazing shots! Thanks!

[heyyoucharlie]

QUOTE: Origional post - mdiederi
What's going on with the old Post Office building downtown? Is Christo in town?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/po-1.jpg


... :jester: I like how the tarp was cut for the palm trees!!! It looks odd... tarped building with trees???

mdiederi..... :tup: Great shots!!! Looks like all those people who were talking about Cosmo troubles were WRONG... it's good to see the steel going up.

[DMaldon762]

Great pictures. Thank you.

[StatenIslander237]

This will be my you-know-you-don't-live-in-Vegas-when... comment.

There's an old post office building downtown? Where is it? What does it look like when not entarped?

[mdiederi]

It looks like this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/po.jpg

It's across from the Lady Luck on Stewart Street next to City Hall.

[kenratboy]

The Palazzo is looking MASSIVE!

Lots of action everywhere.

[heyyoucharlie]

Now that I think about it... are they covering the PostOffice to protect it from a downtown demolition, (maybe the Lady Luck) across the street??? :shrug:

[mdiederi]

!!BOMB EXPLOSION AT LUXOR!!

http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6478863

1 Dead in Luxor Parking Structure Explosion

May 7, 2007 07:33 AM

There was a deadly explosion early this morning on the top level of the parking structure located at the Luxor Hotel. The victim of the bombing was an employee of the Luxor. Another person was injured.

The explosion happened around 4 a.m. Reports were that the device was inside a backpack, which was either on the vehicle or adjacent to it.

The area is completely sealed off. Metro is on the scene. ATF agents have arrived on the scene. There are also two bomb-sniffing dogs inspecting every vehicle.

Luxor Drive is shut down both directions between Mandalay Bay and Reno.

[mdiederi]

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/13268708/detail.html
Metro police said they were treating the incident as a homicide with an unusual method. They said that there was no threat to customers at the Luxor, and that the victim was the intended target.

[reggiesquared]

Hey guys, I've been working on a picture/album hosting project and I just wanted to let you know for all you picture posters. It's at www.fojax.com. It's still in testing but id like to get some feedback and get people to start using it. Sign up for a free account and let me know what you think and report any bugs to support@fojax.com.

Thanks! :cheers:

[philip]

That's the nicest looking post office I have ever seen!

[LMich]

You haven't seen many, I take it? ;)

But, yes, that is a great-looking post office; probably Vegas' nicest and most prominent historic structure, and one of the few.

[StatenIslander237]

You haven't seen many, I take it? ;)

But, yes, that is a great-looking post office; probably Vegas' nicest and most prominent historic structure, and one of the few.

one of the few is right, I may not be from Vegas, but this is probably the only older building I've heard of there that looks like it was built before the strip came out in the '50s.

On that note, it is a very nice building. :D

[mdiederi]

There have been a few proposals to turn it into a museum of one kind or another, such as an art museum or a sports museum, but now the mayor wants to turn it into a mob museum, of all things.

[LMich]

We all know why Oscar wants to turn it into a mob museum, don't we? :) Seriously, Vegas has one of the most interesting mayors in the country. Love him or hate him, Oscar loves Vegas to death, and it shows in his often over-zealous support of many controversial things. lol

[ScottG]

soa couple days ago, someone jumped off the stratosphere (obviously suicide)

but you wont see it on the headlines.

it took cnn almost the entire day to broadcast the bombing.

negativity out of vegas is hard to advertise. the hotels have a big say in what gets out into the media. they dont want the properties to seem unfit.

[designer3d712]

soa couple days ago, someone jumped off the stratosphere (obviously suicide)

but you wont see it on the headlines.

Most news sources will not cover suicides.

[Silas]

Yeah why should some poor slob's suicide be on the news? Oh yeah, I forgot. CNN has now made this type of entertainment/death/murder/tragedy news a staple. It is very pathetic that the billionaire(s) such as Turner, and hypocrites as Fonda now maximize their $$ by showing personal tragedies on a daily basis. Also sad that this is what the public wants from their news shows.

Sorry for that OT rant. I love the Vegas photos! The more the merrier.

[beets281]

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/1218/img4280biv3.jpg
Back of Allure

[BrianFey]

Here are some pics I took yesterday in LV. They are mostly of Encore and Palazzo.

http://www.dangie.com/fey/veg0507/

Enjoy.

[ScottG]

am i only one who likes the back of allure more than the front?

[Fido]

Yeah, the back is as good as the front.:)

[GeorgeLV]

Yeah, the back is as good as the front.:)

Not quite. It loses some style points for going with an attached parking garage rather than an underground garage.

[philip]

Taken from MGM Mirage's May 9 UBS presentation slides:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e307/bigphilip/Architecture/MGMoverview20070509.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e307/bigphilip/Architecture/MGMoverviewdetail20070509.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e307/bigphilip/Architecture/CircusCircus.jpg

[LMich]

Yeah why should some poor slob's suicide be on the news? Oh yeah, I forgot. CNN has now made this type of entertainment/death/murder/tragedy news a staple. It is very pathetic that the billionaire(s) such as Turner, and hypocrites as Fonda now maximize their $$ by showing personal tragedies on a daily basis. Also sad that this is what the public wants from their news shows.

Sorry for that OT rant. I love the Vegas photos! The more the merrier.

Dud, get off the constant liberal bashing. You can't be serious, anyway, since Fox is known for their blatantly sensationalist 'journalism' more than any of the rest. They are all guilty, so get off your liberal-basing bent.

[Silas]

Dud -

It was not a political comment. It was a comment on the media. I did not mean to disparage your enjoyment of viewing personal tragedies such as suicide leaps.

[mdiederi]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e307/bigphilip/Architecture/CircusCircus.jpg

I didn't realize those land deals were going to close that fast, they must be paying cash. Maybe we'll see construction sooner than later if they have some anxious partners wanting to get in on the action.

[justdefended]

Hey philip, do you have the link to the full MGM presentation?

[Complex01]

Here are some pics I took yesterday in LV. They are mostly of Encore and Palazzo.

http://www.dangie.com/fey/veg0507/

Enjoy.

Those are some nice pics. Looking good...

[philip]

Hey philip, do you have the link to the full MGM presentation?
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=101502&p=irol-presentations

[justdefended]

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=101502&p=irol-presentations

Thanks, appreciate it.

[CHAPINM1]

Is Fountainebleau undergoing 24 hour a day construction?

[BruceH]

Is Fountainebleau undergoing 24 hour a day construction? No, starts at 5am (wakes me up) and ends about 3pm. Mon-Sat and sometimes Sunday. Making huge progress on the foundation. Will provide a progress photo soon.

[TheOldMan]

i am assuming Fountainbleu's actual design is still unknown to everyone? a rendering or two would be nice. i wonder why none have been released

[gmcclenon]

Maybe the Riv is serious this time. They actually hired some bankers (http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070511/riviera_holdings_alternatives.html?.v=1).
They might even actually consider this bid:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070511/riviera_holdings_acquisition.html?.v=1

[beets281]

I sure hope so. I am ready for the tidal wave of new projects that the north end of the strip will embrace. It is only a matter of time before the strip and downtown will dance.

[beets281]

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3506/aladdinbhu9.jpg
Incase you forgot.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8049/aladdinfsv0.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2138/boardwalkhos5.jpg
Anyone miss this guy?
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7351/dsc00942mg6.jpg
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9119/jockeyclubcfm3.jpg
Pretty soon this building wont even be visible.
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9378/majesticsr1.jpg
What a joke.
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8708/plazzo2yk9.jpg
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5645/plazzohu2.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8020/skybx0.jpg
The start of what is currently my favorite building.
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/4215/stardustrx7.jpg
I awarded this second place behind the Belliago's for best water fountain on the strip. Boyd should of kept this baby for its new plans.

[Superfish]

Planet Hollywood is putting up a tall hotel sign. I wonder what it will look like. Probably will have a giant LED screen like all the others? But PH's frontage already is covered with LED screens.

[Big Sands]

Deposits have been returned. Oh well.

[StatenIslander237]

Deposits have been returned. Oh well.

Awwww fuck, that really sucks, like really.
But honestly, I think it would be so much better, if W built a slender, sexy tower Downtown. just my opinion.
W needs to be in Las Vegas eventually though, its about the trendiest hotel out there, Vegas deserves only the most in vogue.

beets, when you said old, you weren't kidding! HA don't you just love how two-year-old pics (just a guess on time, correct me if I'm wrong) seem so dated in Las Vegas? pictures from 2005 (again, guess) in any other city would seem perfectly recent. :rolleyes:

[justdefended]

Deposits have been returned. Oh well.

That's a shame. The project looked like it would be one of the few that would make it in the biz. I think the nail hit the coffin when CityCenter came along and advertised units as low as $500,000. Compared to W's $650K and lack of capital I'm sure a lot of on the fence investors jumped ship to MGM.

[beets281]

yup those were taken from either may or june of 2005 :tup:

[Patrick]

negativity out of vegas is hard to advertise. the hotels have a big say in what gets out into the media. they dont want the properties to seem unfit.

I agree, besides this site, I havent heard of the Bomb or Suicide, and a Bomb at Luxor? Thats intresting stuff, yet if it wasnt for this site, I wouldnt know it happened.

[Silas]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=luxor%20bomb&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wn

[Silas]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wn&ncl=1116113798

[Superfish]

Review Journal has confirmed the W's demise. :(

DEVELOPMENT: W mixed-use project canceled

Edge Group folds plans after minority partner Starwood exits

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
REVIEW-JOURNAL

The W Las Vegas mixed-use project slated for almost 50 acres along Harmon Avenue was canceled Friday after minority partner Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide pulled out of the project.

In a brief e-mailed statement, the Edge Group said its partnership with Starwood is scheduled to end and the project "could not overcome numerous significant challenges."

W Las Vegas was first proposed in 2005 for 22 acres on the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane. It was billed as a $2.5 billion mixed-use project with 3,000 hotel-condominium units, 10 restaurants and nightclubs, a 75,000-square-foot casino, 300,000 square feet of convention and meeting space, a Fred Segal fashion emporium and a spa. It was to open in 2008.

The Edge Group had bought the land from home builder D.R. Horton for $108 million. The W Las Vegas was to neighbor the 4,000-unit hotel-condominium project, Las Ramblas, tied to actor George Clooney and nightclub magnate Rande Gerber. But poor unit sales forced Las Ramblas' cancellation and it sold 25 acres and entitlements to the Edge Group for $202 million in June 2006.


A Starwood pullout had been rumored since late last year, but Edge officials maintained in the past few months that the project was proceeding and cited a $10 million investment by Starwood last year as proof.

Project Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Reagan Silber said in December that the company had hired financial consulting firm Credit Suisse to seek a joint-venture partner to join Edge Resorts and Starwood on the project. He added that rising construction costs and the extra land required a third party.

Edge spokeswoman Maggie Feldman said company officials could not comment further now but added that the group is selling assets including the land.

John Knott, executive vice president of the Global Gaming Group for CB Richard Ellis, said the land might fetch $12 million an acre if sold whole, or $17 million to $20 million an acre if broken up. He added that the property will interest mixed-use, urban developers and gaming companies.

"It's just an absolutely prime piece of real estate," he said.

The e-mail statement from Edge also said all condominium reservation deposits have been returned to the buyers. The company had held reservation agreements, but no hard contracts, for 750 units.

Jeremy Aguero, a principal at Applied Analysis, a Las Vegas financial consulting firm, said it shouldn't be hard to find a buyer for the land. He added that the parcel's size represents a significant development opportunity.

"Nowadays you see there is a desire for those larger areas because we are really taking a master-plan approach to resort development," Aguero said. "There are not very many 50- acre sites and this represents one of the last major development opportunities available."







JUHL is making quite an impact in downtown
http://i1.tinypic.com/5yx1213.jpg

So is Streamline
http://i8.tinypic.com/61vbybq.jpg

Newport's Crane is gone!
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/106/11785505458423261rn5.jpg
http://i7.tinypic.com/4vg7ea8.jpg

Trump glass nearing final floor, suppose the white part will then be installed.
http://i8.tinypic.com/669wvn7.jpg

Encore
http://i6.tinypic.com/5ymz8tk.jpg

[cosmo2k8]

Hi everyone,

Just received the Cosmo newsletter for May 2007

In it they reveal the glass facade for the 100 foot podium:

Nice Piece Of Glass

A 14,000-mile trip, just to look at some glass? Not just any glass of course. Attention to detail and the absolute finest materials are what discerning individuals like you demand in a residence. That's why Ian Bruce Eichner led a group from Perini Building Company (General Contractor for The Cosmopolitan) on a trip to Shenzen, China to examine the prototype of The Cosmopolitan's glass facade. Everyone was thrilled with the result. Customized to our exacting standards by Far East Glass, the facade is sleek, modern and striking. The dramatic contours of the glass have never been seen before in Las Vegas. Veering out and over the Strip, it acts as a translucent canopy. Innovative. Thought-provoking. Utterly unique.

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/825/cosmonewsletterversion2qy7.th.gif (http://img160.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cosmonewsletterversion2qy7.gif)

Cheers,
Kevin L. :yes:

[Silas]

I love the written description - but surely they are not referring to that UGLY thing in the photo, right?

:yuck:

[cosmo2k8]

http://i4.tinypic.com/4yjam15.gif
http://i4.tinypic.com/6f0gbc2.gif
http://i8.tinypic.com/63hfwqb.gif
http://i10.tinypic.com/6h8cc2g.gif
http://i1.tinypic.com/6bbbk1w.gif
http://i4.tinypic.com/52zb0bb.gif
http://i6.tinypic.com/67z3gc8.gif
http://i5.tinypic.com/5y81v69.gif
http://i10.tinypic.com/5zfz0k1.gif
http://i1.tinypic.com/4tung5l.gif
http://i1.tinypic.com/52kr2g7.gif
http://i2.tinypic.com/67qw0ly.gif
http://i10.tinypic.com/6evy0z9.gif
http://i1.tinypic.com/6b8vuyh.gif
http://i9.tinypic.com/68ctp3d.gif

Cheers,
Kevin L. :cheers:

[StatenIslander237]

I know I just commented about the W cancellation, but also, the W shouldn't bother with mixed-uses. I think they should just have a hotel, focus on making a fabulous hotel, and no condos, or hotel-condos or all that nonsense. I say a tall, sleek tower on a city block in Downtown. That would be soooo awesome.