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  #61  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2011, 2:25 PM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Originally Posted by Las Vegas Sun





Strip development ongoing, but it looks different
By Delen Goldberg (contact)
Las Vegas Sun
Tuesday, 16 August 2011, 2 a.m.

Among the assumptions of the Las Vegas business model is that something big — think opulent resorts — should open every few years to keep the town fresh and give tourists a reason to return.

Instead, resort construction has stalled because of the toxic economy, and big-name investors have abandoned projects once hailed as transformative. Returning tourists today will see the same vacant lots and incomplete buildings they saw two or three years ago.

That isn’t to say development is dead. It’s just not what we had grown accustomed to. Investors are adjusting to a new economy and banking on tourists still being pleased by what they see.

“It’s easier to get $50 million these days than to get $5 billion, so you can make more cosmetic changes on the Strip without building a megaresort,” said Randy Fine, a casino marketer-turned-industry consultant.

Thus, the Strip is entering an era of smaller-scale entertainment ventures, with developers and tourists alike tightening their belts.

Chief among the changes awaiting tourists on the Strip: two Ferris wheel projects, one at an amusement park being built across from Mandalay Bay, and another between the Flamingo and O’Sheas that will include a 325,000-square-foot outdoor corridor of bars, restaurants and shops. Also being pitched by a developer who needs a place to put it: Parabounce Vegas, an aerial bumper car game featuring people strapped to helium balloons.

Elsewhere along the Strip, the Flamingo is turning part of its casino floor into Margaritaville; Treasure Island is building a Strip-front Starbucks; and Bellagio is refurbishing rooms, as Wynn Las Vegas did this spring.

Investors are backing less-ambitious projects that can generate quick returns. This is the first year in decades without plans for construction of a resort.

“In an environment where there are not big resort openings, companies are hoping with all these smaller projects they can still create a buzz and attract customers,” said Patrick Bosworth, an industry consultant and former business strategist at Wynn. Even relatively minor changes such as room renovations can keep a property fresh and justify maintaining room rates, Bosworth said.

Caesars Entertainment breaks ground this month on a $500 million mid-Strip development that will feature a 550-foot observation wheel and entertainment district. The project includes the “reskinning” of the Imperial Palace and O’Sheas facades to give them new looks.

Developers of a 500-foot Ferris wheel and amusement park across from Mandalay Bay launched their project in May. When completed, that wheel is expected be the tallest in the United States.

Howard Bulloch of Compass Investments, lead developer of the project, said his company studied the economic potential of a Ferris wheel and amusement complex and found it to be a sound investment. Las Vegas tourists want the biggest bang for their buck. An observation wheel with views of the city and a low price tag offers that, Bulloch said.

“When they come to Las Vegas, they can spend so much gambling and it’s gone in two minutes, or they can spend the same amount and go to a nice dinner or see a good show. Or they could spend it on an amusement. People are being conscious of how they spend their money and are looking for all the different opportunities,” Bulloch said.

Whether the development of two giant Ferris wheels on the Strip will help or hurt one or the other remains to be seen.

“If we can come up with fun things for people to do, it can’t be a bad thing for Las Vegas,” Fine said. “But they need to be unique or interesting.” And he suggests that two big observation wheels is overkill, especially because there are other high vantage points along the Strip to view the area.

But it has long been true in Las Vegas — at least until lately — that the more resorts and attractions, the better, because of the synergy they create in attracting tourists, just as auto dealers frequently seek to congregate along a single street or mall because of the drawing power of so many cars at one venue.

And tourists have shown a liking for attractions. Last year, a fifth of Las Vegas visitors spent time at an attraction other than a show, such as a thrill ride or theme park. Turnout was up 4 percent from the previous year. In Singapore and London, Ferris wheels are top tourist attractions.

“It’s human nature that people want to check out the newest thing,” said Kevin Bagger, senior director of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “In Las Vegas, we benefit from a lot of really smart marketers who work to keep their product exciting, and it’s keeping our economy going. Beyond a new resort opening, the individual hotels are very proactive about keeping their product current and fresh.”

The challenges facing Las Vegas are shared by the city that most competes with it, Orlando, Fla.

When the stagnant economy caused profits to dip at Walt Disney World at the East Coast’s tourist mecca, Disney abandoned the building boom it adopted during the flush years, when it regularly introduced new theme parks and rides, and instead redesigned and relaunched aging ones and embarked on a marketing campaign that tried to entice visitors to stay longer and spend more.

The approach paid off. Attendance rose at Disney properties. Just recently, a retooled Star Tours at Hollywood Studios caused so much buzz that the park extended its hours and doubled its tour schedule. Company profits increased, in part because of the larger attendance, but mostly because customers bought more food and souvenirs.

Resort owners and developers hope to see a similar result in Las Vegas. Analysts expect the trend away from megaresorts toward entertainment to continue for several years, until the economy rebounds. The challenge that comes with that is to offer entertainment options that aren’t found in other vacation destinations. And for Las Vegas, given the spread of gambling across the country, offering entertainment diversity has become all the more important.
Read More: http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/au...oks-different/
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  #62  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2011, 11:20 PM
skyscraperfan23 skyscraperfan23 is offline
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Next to Miami, Las Vegas is hot.
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  #63  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2011, 2:57 PM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Originally Posted by Los Angeles Times



Rick Caruso to develop $550-million open-air attraction on Las Vegas Strip
Caruso is tapped by Caesars Entertainment to oversee creation of the Linq, a retail and entertainment district crowned by an enormous Ferris wheel.
By Roger Vincent and Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times
August 18, 2011

One of the world's biggest casino operators has hired Los Angeles shopping center magnate Rick Caruso to develop a $550-million retail and entertainment district in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip crowned by an enormous Ferris wheel.

Caruso, who is weighing a run for mayor of Los Angeles, was tapped by Caesars Entertainment Corp. to oversee creation of the Linq, a new open-air attraction across Las Vegas Boulevard from Caesars Palace.

The outdoor venue would have more in common with Caruso's Grove shopping center in Los Angeles than it would with hermetically sealed casinos. City leaders hope the Linq with its bars, restaurants and stores will become a destination with special appeal to the gambling mecca's growing Gen X and Gen Y clientele.

"There are millions of people walking around the sidewalk in Vegas," Caruso said, "but they have nowhere to go except inside."

The Linq represents a new tack for luring visitors to Las Vegas, which has mostly relied on ever grander resorts to generate buzz in years past. A building boom and the recession left casino companies overloaded with hotel rooms and debt, pressing the city to find other ways to entice tourists.

This time, the new attraction will be the world's tallest observation wheel called the Las Vegas High Roller. At 550 feet, it is to stand 100 feet taller than the London Eye. Groups of up to 40 could fit into each of the 28 transparent cabins for the half-hour round trip.

Construction on the Linq is set to begin late this year and to be completed by 2013. The project has been approved by Clark County, Nev., officials and has financing, according to Caesars. The project would be a quarter-mile long and hold more than 200,000 square feet of shops, eateries and bars. Caruso said he would select retailers who did not already have outposts in Las Vegas, but he declined to name potential tenants.

Caruso, who also developed the Americana at Brand in Glendale, said the Linq would have a Vegas sensibility without being gaudy.

"We are not looking to reinvent ourselves," he said. "We are bringing what we do well."

Like the Grove and Americana, the Linq will have elaborate fountains and host events such as outdoor concerts. The design will include shading and heating elements to address temperature spikes in the desert.

Caruso also hopes to manage the Linq for Caesars after it opens, an arrangement that's still under discussion. It would be the first project that his company Caruso Affiliated would operate but not own.

It could be years before Las Vegas celebrates another major resort opening; the economy is soft and all the major casino companies are laden with debt from the building boom. But tourism boosters must still find ways to entice recession-weary visitors to the Strip. More modest projects such as the Linq give them a way to market something new.

Caesars has been planning the Linq since 2007, said Greg Miller, senior vice president of development.

"The conclusion we reached back even before downturn was that we didn't need more hotel capacity," and the search was on for something that Vegas didn't have, Miller said. "We looked at the Grove and said that's it."

For two decades Las Vegas went on a building spree, imploding run-down casinos and opening multibillion-dollar mega-resorts. In doing so, the Strip mostly sidestepped a quandary other tourist destinations faced: how to win over new visitors while bringing old ones back.

Tourists who had giggled at the Excalibur castle returned to gawk at the Luxor pyramid. When themed casinos gave way to upscale resorts such as the Bellagio, Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas, they tried to top one another in terms of opulence. The annual number of visitors soared from 16 million to 39 million in two decades. That's why tourism boosters crowed that in Las Vegas, supply created demand.

The recession quashed that theory. A string of casinos has opened since 2007, when the recession began, but none of them has revived tourism like officials hoped. When the largest project, MGM Resorts International's CityCenter, opened in December 2009, Chief Executive Jim Murren predicted that it would woo at least 5% more tourists to the beleaguered Strip. Instead, visitation inched up 2.7%.

For years, resorts have slashed hotel rates — a key source of revenue — to fill tens of thousands of rooms. Although visitation, room rates and gaming revenue have picked up through the first half of 2011, national economic jitters threaten to wipe out what was widely viewed as a budding recovery.

Meanwhile, other hotel-casino projects on Las Vegas Boulevard stalled. The Fontainebleau and Echelon, abandoned midway through construction, have languished for years, while the Sahara recently went dark with no immediate plans to reopen. CityCenter's Harmon condo-hotel tower was lopped in half because of construction defects and the flagging economy. MGM Resorts officials this week asked the county for permission to implode it.

The Linq will replace a road that runs between the Flamingo and the Imperial Palace, Miller said. It is the first major project in Las Vegas to be announced since the recession humbled the city.

"It was good idea before the downturn," he said. "Now it's really a good idea. This symbolizes our confidence that the market is and will continue to be the most important entertainment destination in the country."
Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,1733774.story
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  #64  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2011, 2:24 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Originally Posted by Transworld Business

Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort Goes All In On Expansion
By Mike Lewis
Transworld Business
Wed, Aug 31 2011 4:00 am

Besides partying and gambling, Las Vegas will soon be known for its riding. The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort announced that the Humoldt-Toiyabe National Forest Service has accepted its Master Development Plan (MDP) to improve the resort over a ten to twelve year span.

Included in the MDP are additions to the area including adding 50 trials and ten lifts, increasing snowmaking capacity and parking, upgrading equipment, and adding guest facilities, all of which will be designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment certificates.

We caught up with Kevin Stickelman, LVSSR’s president and general manager to learn more about the resort’s plans to grow the mountain into a major attraction for Sin City and beyond, and lessons in navigating Forest Service approval.

I understand that the overall development plan is slated to take place over the next 10-12 years. Can you break down what the schedule will look like?

What you’ll see first is some infrastructure replaced. That includes chair lifts that are reaching the end of their life span. The first is to be replaced by a high-speed quad that’s now a double. That lift would service the main terrain load and skier load for our expansion. Once that lift goes in, you’ll see some additional trails cut that are accessible off our existing chair lifts. We’re in the process right now of working with the Forest Service in identifying which trails come first, second and third, just based of our terrain capacity that’s outlined in our master plan.

There will also be some immediate snowmaking upgrades prior to this season. We’re looking at installing some higher efficiency guns, running electrical service to some areas that have only been serviced by air and water in the past, so that we can put some fan guns in those places for better early season snow conditions. You’ll see expanded outdoor seating and patio area with a bigger capacity grill and things like that for our guests. That’s one of the things that Vegas has here at this ski area is the outdoor atmosphere. The days are mostly blue skies with decent temperatures…winter high is in the upper 20’s. You can have a burger and beer on the deck and it’s a great experience. We’re also, prior to this coming ski season, installing a couple yurts to house ski school programs. It’s about 1400 sq. ft. of space for our kid’s ski and snowboard school. It gives them a better check-in areas and an area to house rental skis/snowboards for that program.

We’ll see some terrain park upgrades this year—some additional features put in which would have happened even without the master plans acceptance, but the snowmaking upgrades will definitely enhance the terrain park experience here on the mountain this season. It’s going to be great and that’s one of our huge focuses going forward. We’ve seen a lot of success these past two years with grassroots park and slopestlye and rail jam events. We’ve got four main events coming up this winter. It was a pretty good party last year. Coors Light and Monster sponsored it. It drew several hundred spectators and cash prizes. We’re looking for that event to really grow. It’s Vegas-the nightlife here is huge and to be able to have something on the snow in the winter is big with the local ski and snowboard crowd.

It seems like there’s a pretty decent scene in Las Vegas on the snowboarding side for sure.

Totally.

How long have you guys been working on the MDP?

The master plan has been in the works since Powdr Corp. acquired the area in 2003. We really got to the nuts and bolts of it in 2007 with the preliminary submission to the Forest Service, which came back with a number of things that we needed to go back to the drawing board on. Those things included: looking at the parking plan—we’ve added some mass transit into the plan that we actually started a couple of years ago.

So, shuttles up from Vegas?

Yea, shuttles out of Vegas…and some other parking areas down the road a bit that we’ll include in this. We also had to take a look at our base facilities and where we’d locate those. The Forest Service has asked that we design our buildings to LEED standards, which is something that’s a best practice anyway. We were happy to make that change.

Having LEED certified buildings is good marketing for you guys as well right?

It was a good thing to hang our hat on for sure. We also had to look at some of the sensitive plant and animal species that are here at the mountain and come up with mitigation, re-vegetation, species/habitat protection.

What are you going to do about that?

So, well one of the things is that we’ve avoided in this master plan a couple of the habitat locations for the Mt. Charleston Blue Butterfly-which is a very rare species of blue butterflies that just happen to occur here in the Spring Mountains outside of Las Vegas. Then there are a couple areas that are on the existing ski area that we’ve avoided from development, whether it’s mountain biking trails or hiking trails or additional snowmaking. We’ve changed some of our things to just stay out of those areas. And then some of those areas the other areas, what we’ve done is suggested a re-vegetation plan that looks at re-vegetating the areas that we’ve disturbed for ski trails, the lifts, snow making, etc… with some of the native plants specifies that encourage the butterfly habitat up here on the mountain.

How many skier-days did you guys do last year? What’s your goal going forward with this?

You know, we wont release that…but we do expect that this master plan will at least double, if not triple, our skier visits over the next 12 years or so. We’ve seen a pretty decent growth in local season pass sales, year over year over the past several years. Last year was great. We saw an 8% increase in season pass sales. We expect that trend to continue as we continue to market to the college demographic.

Is that your primary focus then, on the local community or are you guys also going to be expanding into more of a destination resort with the expansion?

It’ll be a combination of both. The population base in Vegas is two-million people. We’ve got a tremendous upside potential there to expand our season pass base and engage local families and local kids up here, but right now every year for the last five years 25-30% of our visits have come from outside of southern Nevada. We see a lot of people coming up here who are on a week-long trip to Vegas for the casinos, gambling and shows and all of that, who are looking for something to do during the days when they’re not down at the shows or having a fancy dinner.

We’re not ever going to be a Copper Mountain or Park City, but we could be a pretty solid regional destination. Our competition last year spoke to that. We had a lot of people driving in for our slopestlye competitions from southern California from Utah from AZ. We had decent purses as far as rewards went and our park got really good exposure. We’ve tried to put emphasis on that. Outside of the event draw is just the novelty to ski in the desert outside Las Vegas for the people who are here on vacation.

It’s about a 40 minute drive from the Strip. It’s easy to get to…it’s just one highway you take right from downtown.

Any advice for resorts or companies looking at submitting applications to the Forest Service?

Embrace the public lands and mission that they have, which is to provide recreation to the public. That was really one of the hang-ups that we suffered. Over the course of the last several years, we’ve learned the lesson the hard way. We were trying to do things that didn’t always fit with the overall mission of the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, which is where we sit. Eevery region, every forest, has a little bit different mission and recreation plan. We involved those guys in our master plan discussions. We had meetings in their office even, where we could get the stakeholders of the Forest Service involved and talking through some of these problems so that we weren’t trying to invent these solutions on our own.

A lot of times, a master plan process is invented by the ski area and you cross your fingers and wait for the approval. We took a little different strategy and involved those federal agencies, and they were with us every step of the way going through the different revision and descriptions and how things were worded. We relied on some of their resources as far as their botanists and ecologists to guide and steer us into the right direction. At the end of the day, we’ve got a plan in place now that will be really the cornerstone of recreation here at the Spring Mountains.
Read More: http://business.transworld.net/71591...-on-expansion/
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  #65  
Old Posted Oct 10, 2011, 9:30 PM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Originally Posted by Las Vegas Sun

DesertXpress hopes for federal loan, aims for 2012 start on work
By Cy Ryan (contact)
Las Vegas Sun
Monday, Oct. 10, 2011 | 1:55 p.m.

CARSON CITY – Officials with the proposed high-speed train linking Las Vegas and Southern California expect to get an answer in six to nine months on plans to borrow about $6 billion from the federal government.

If all goes according to plan, construction would start in the final quarter of 2012, said Andrew Mack, chief operating officer of DesertXpress. Mack briefed the state transportation board Monday on the private-public project that he says has been in development for 10 years.

Gov. Brian Sandoval said the high-speed rail plans have been rejected in two other states and questioned whether it would survive in Nevada.

Mack said the other states were planning to use federal stimulus money, and if the project failed, the states would have assumed responsibility. In this case, the federal government would be loaning the money, so if the project went bankrupt, the government would take over the train. The state wouldn't have responsibility.

He told the board that $34 billion in federal funds were available to finance rail projects across the country.

The proposed train from Victorville, Calif., to Las Vegas would run at 150 mph and cover 185 miles in 80 minutes. During peak periods, there would be trains leaving each location every 20 minutes.

In Las Vegas there are two potential depots – one south of Flamingo Road and the other on 60 acres across from Mandalay Bay. Mack said the route would run along Interstate 15.

Board members questioned why Victorville was selected instead of running the all-electric train into Los Angeles. Mack said there would be added expense and environmental issues by extending it to the city.

He added that 11 million motorists visiting Las Vegas use Interstate 15 in the area that runs through Victorville.

He said 45,000 questionnaires were distributed at the California agriculture border station and there was a 5 percent response rate, with an estimated 85-90 percent saying they would try the train.

He projects 7 million passengers would use the train during the first year and construction would generate about 80,000 jobs. Of that, 17,500 would be direct work in Las Vegas.

DesertXpress would be a fully electric train with overhead lines powering it. Mack said the utilities have enough capacity to supply the electricity. It wouldn't carry freight.

The project could be completed in the final quarter of 2016, Mack said.
Read More: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011...2012-start-wo/
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  #66  
Old Posted Oct 27, 2011, 3:18 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Originally Posted by Las Vegas Sun

Proposed DesertXpress high-speed rail line chugging along
By Richard N. Velotta
Las Vegas Sun
26 October 2011

A proposed high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California has received another federal government approval from a board that grants licenses to build new railroads.

The Surface Transportation Board last week approved an exemption from federal regulations permitting DesertXpress Enterprises LLC to build a 190-mile high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif. The board action was published today in the Federal Register.

“I’m pleased that the DesertXpress project is getting the green light to proceed, which will not only put tens of thousands of Nevadans to work, but ultimately bring more tourists to boost Nevada’s economy,” Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a release applauding the approval.

“I look forward to Nevadans being back on the job and more visitors from California choosing Las Vegas because of this high-speed rail option,” Reid said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration issued a record of decision — the final environmental review process — in July. The Surface Transportation Board exemption was another required administrative step toward beginning construction, probably next year.

Representatives of DesertXpress did not return calls seeking comments on additional details of its plans.

The Surface Transportation Board reviewed environmental implications of the project and the company’s financial and ridership analyses.

The company plans to operate trains traveling at 150 mph on dual tracks. The board decision lists the cost of the project at $6.5 billion, an increase from the $6 billion estimates previously given by DesertXpress.

The company is pursuing a $4.9 billion federal loan to build the line.
Read More: http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/oc...eed-rail-line/
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  #67  
Old Posted Oct 27, 2011, 3:24 AM
HX_Guy HX_Guy is offline
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I hope it happens...but why Victorville, CA? Why not take it into LA and what options are there for continued rail into LA?
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  #68  
Old Posted Oct 27, 2011, 3:53 PM
Leo the Dog Leo the Dog is offline
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Maybe the route from LA to Victorville has already passed these hurdles...
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  #69  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2011, 12:06 AM
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combusean combusean is offline
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The route from Victorville to LA requires travelling through the Cajon Pass, which would be prohibitively expensive.
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  #70  
Old Posted Nov 15, 2011, 2:48 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Las Vegas Sun



Water park near Summerlin selling tickets as construction under way
By Jackie Valley (contact)
Las Vegas Sun
Monday, Nov. 14, 2011 | 3:56 p.m.

The developers of a water park on the west side of the Las Vegas Valley started selling advance season tickets today for Splash Canyon, 25 acres of slides and pools expected to draw 5,000 people a day.

The park is under construction and is targeted to open Memorial Day 2012.

“As third-generation natives, we really wanted to build something that was for the community, for families,” said Roger Bulloch, co-founder and managing principal of SPB Partners, the developer and owner. “As we started this process, we said, ‘What can we do to rebuild a sense of community in this valley?’”

Their answer: a family-friendly, alcohol-free water play zone featuring 20 slides, a wave pool, lazy river, water playground and toddler pool, among other amenities.

Daily admission to Splash Canyon Waterpark will range from $22 to $30, with season passes available for as little as $99 on special.

Since the old Wet ’n Wild water park on the Las Vegas Strip closed in 2004, some people have been clamoring for a new park.

In the last week, major developments have been announced on two parks.

Another developer is now proposing a 22-acre park in Henderson, near Galleria Drive and Gibson Road. Financing for that project has not been secured, but the Henderson Planning Commission on Thursday granted a conditional use permit.

And if all goes well, SPB envisions opening other water parks across the valley, Bulloch said. It has already looked at potential sites in Henderson and North Las Vegas, he said.

The $18-million Splash Canyon at Fort Apache and Warm Springs roads is fully financed and will employ about 500 seasonal workers.

In addition to the plethora of thrill options — seven-story speed slides or the head-first mat racer — the park will feature private cabanas, a large picnic area, more than 1,000 lounge chairs and misters to keep customers cool.

The project is a partnership with The Howard Hughes Corp., the developers of Summerlin who own the land originally designated for a community park. SPB Partners signed a long-term lease with Hughes, which, in turn, will build an adjacent community park and indoor aquatics center as part of the project master plan.

Design and engineering, meanwhile, is under way for an eventual 15-acre expansion of the water park, bringing the total size to 40 acres, Bulloch said.

SPB Partners began working on the project more than two years ago, enlisting the help of other water park developers, conducting feasibility studies and making site views.

Harvest Family Entertainment, a Dallas-based company that oversees other water parks, invested in the project and will manage Splash Canyon.

Developers see the attraction as a “sanctuary for moms with young kids,” while providing a venue for community groups all year, Bulloch said.

“We want this to be a locals water park,” he said. “We want the entire valley to come here. That’s why we put it here. We’re 20 minutes from everywhere in the valley.”

Despite the recession, attendance has increased at other water parks operated by Harvest Family Entertainment, said Steve Mayer, vice president of Harvest Family Entertainment and general manager of Splash Canyon.

“In the end, people still want to have good fun with (their) family,” Mayer said. “Also, it’s a way to stay close to home.”

Mayer said he expects Splash Canyon to attract about 5,000 visitors a day, resulting in upwards of 400,000 customers each season. Splash Canyon will be open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend.

Season tickets went on sale today with a special $99 rate for a limited time. Regular season passes will cost $139 per person, with daily admission of $29.99 for those over 4 feet tall. Admission for children under 4 feet tall, seniors (55+) and military members will be $21.99.

Tickets can be purchased through the Splash Canyon Waterpark website.
Read More: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/nov/14/summerlin/
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  #71  
Old Posted Nov 19, 2011, 4:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Las Vegas Sun

DesertXpress project takes another step forward
By Richard N. Velotta (contact)
Las Vegas Sun
18 November 2011
11:58 a.m.

A third federal government agency has given a stamp of approval for a high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif.

The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday issued a record of decision for the DesertXpress Enterprises LLC passenger rail line in Clark County and San Bernardino County, Calif.

The decision authorizes the use of right of way to build the line on public land administered by the BLM.

The DesertXpress project received similar approvals from the Surface Transportation Board in October and from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration in July.

The BLM determined that about 821 acres of public land would be needed for the permanent right of way. An additional 95 acres would be needed for temporary construction use. The project also includes about 2,800 acres of private land.

DesertXpress plans to begin engineering and construction next year on the 185-mile double track that would run along Interstate 15.

The company plans to operate trains traveling at 150 mph, with ticket costs averaging $50 per passenger one way.

The company is pursuing a $4.9 billion federal loan to build the $6.5 billion project.
Read More: http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/no...-step-forward/
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  #72  
Old Posted Feb 25, 2012, 8:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Las Vegas Wet

Las Vegas Wet is the ultimate Vegas-style theme park that will be an environmentally friendly landscape of hotels, arenas, casinos, shopping and dining facilities. Las Vegas Wet will include the largest indoor waterpark in North America, a snow dome where guests can ski indoors year-round, and a destination for locals seeking either a day of fun with the family, or simply a night out on the town. Watch our progress as we grow and announce new developments about this exciting new location south of the Las Vegas Strip.

We are currently only answering inquiries by press and development partners, so stay tuned for public announcements.
Read More: http://www.lasvegaswet.com/
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  #73  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2012, 2:32 AM
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Last edited by dragonsky; Mar 24, 2012 at 2:44 AM.
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  #74  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2012, 4:44 AM
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When it opens July 4, 2013, it will feature 32 gondolas each holding 24 people to gaze above the Strip and the surrounding desert. Leila Navidi of the Las Vegas Sun and contributing photographer Tom Donoghue were there on the dawn patrol for our photo galleries.

Read More: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...tion-reopens-/

Last edited by dragonsky; Mar 24, 2012 at 4:56 AM.
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  #75  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2012, 11:42 PM
solediavolo solediavolo is offline
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The youtube advertisement above for this mentions how it will be cemented in the public consciousness.

Whether that turns out to be true or not, I am willing to wager that it will much more easily be cemented into the consciousness of those staying at the Mandalay Bay and Tropicana hotels. I'd be curious to see how often people staying at those and other nearby hotels ask not to be facing the wheel and its LED screen.
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  #76  
Old Posted Apr 1, 2012, 2:24 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Located across the Strip from Caesars Palace, David M. Schwarz Architects has designed a new street of retail, dining and entertainment venues.
http://www.dmsas.com/resources/docs/...ertainment.pdf
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  #77  
Old Posted Jun 8, 2012, 3:22 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VEGAS INC



DesertXpress inks deal to add train link from Victorville to Palmdale, making travel to L.A. possible
By Richard N. Velotta (contact)
Thursday, 7 June 2012, 10:54 a.m.

A seamless high-speed rail system linking Las Vegas with downtown Los Angeles is the goal adopted today by representatives of DesertXpress and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority.

DesertXpress Enterprises already is trying to build a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif. A new agreement signed today makes possible a second leg, linking Victorville to Palmdale, Calif., and eventually Los Angeles.

DesertXpress and MTA representatives signed documents that open the door to the Las Vegas-Los Angeles route. The agreement includes a strategy to plan and build a 50-mile high-speed line between Victorville and Palmdale, which would initially connect to Metrolink tracks and eventually be the connection point to California’s planned high-speed rail system.

The DesertXpress plan is part of a larger strategy envisioned by the Las Vegas-centered Western High Speed Rail Alliance to eventually tie into a regional high-speed rail network with routes to Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Denver.
Read More: http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/ju...-victorville-/
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  #78  
Old Posted Jun 13, 2012, 5:01 PM
VegasMatt VegasMatt is offline
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DragonSky,

You have some great updates.

You should join us on this thread:


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...00928&page=441
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  #79  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2012, 12:55 AM
dragonsky dragonsky is offline
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Video Link


Quote:
Originally Posted by Examier

Las Vegas’ Largest Buffet Set to Open

In an earlier era, Bacchanal at Caesars Palace represented the decadence of a Roman feast set within a fine dining atmosphere; before closing in 2000, the restaurant became famous for bringing Caesars Palace-style entertainment to the gourmet experience. Next month, Bacchanal will make its return to Caesars Palace as the new $17 million Bacchanal Buffet: a 21st century adaptation which will serve up an over-the-top feast created by a team of master chefs, offering the most variety on the Las Vegas Strip.

The 25,000 square-foot homage to eating will feature seating for 600 guests in a unique design canvas of glass, wood and steel, incorporating a modern aesthetic of clean lines, natural recycled and reclaimed materials, and a priceless view of the property's world famous Garden of the Gods pool complex.

Bacchanal Buffet will showcase a team of master chefs led by executive chef Scott Green, including an award winning pastry chef, and progressive presentations featuring individually-plated items, small plates, numerous cooking stations, and a staggering dessert display. With chefs front-and-center at Bacchanal Buffet, visitors will be awed by not only the vast choices, but the freshness of the food, and overall innovative design of the space.
Read More: http://www.examiner.com/article/all-...ing-like-a-god
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  #80  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2012, 5:23 PM
skyscraperfan23 skyscraperfan23 is offline
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I'll be ready to play the lotto and powerball in 2012, because in 2013, Las vegas is coming.
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