The Wait Is Over
Resorts World’ Edges Toward Its Las Vegas Strip Opening
By Maurice Draine
Unless you have been living under a rock with the Geico Insurance commercials’ cavemen of yore, you’ve probably heard some serious development buzz around Las Vegas. You might even be hearing it as you read. That’s because Sin City is taking its first shot in almost 10 years at reviving the northern tip of the Las Vegas Strip with a new hotel and casino attraction called the Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV).
If you’ve wondered whether to believe the hype, all signs point toward yes…but keep in mind that a “yes” isn’t always a given in this city. In Las Vegas’ illustrious history, it has created a far-reaching reputation for staying cutting edge by trying to build “the next big thing.” But when a city does this constantly, it can mean building many multi-million or billion-dollar resorts or development areas and hitting a home run with just one of them. Sometimes it works (City Center; Container Park); sometimes it doesn’t (Stardust Resort and Casino). The latter saw its doors forced closed in 2006 and its destruction just one year later in favor of another multi-million dollar failed project, Echelon Place. There are more stories like this (if you dig deep or have a great memory), but in a state that made almost $11 billion in 2014—with Las Vegas accounting for $6 billion—not much sleep seems to get lost over failed projects before the city buzzes again. And with all the features and amenities RWLV is boasting, once completed, this state-of-the-art hotel and casino should live up to its pre-development billing.
WHAT and WHY RWLV IS IMPORTANT
RWLV will be an Asian-themed resort with some of the most extravagant amenities this city has ever seen, such as a 50,000 square-foot aquarium and a water park. With the sheer size of this luxurious, super-sized hotel and casino, the construction will be done in stages, starting in 2015 and wrapping up in 2018.
Although completion is still a way away, this project will soon begin generating a plethora of jobs. It is estimated that to build RWLV, Genting Group (which owns the project), will need 30,000 workers in the first year. By completion, an estimated 12,000 permanent jobs will be created. Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchinson, who also heads our state’s Tourism Commission, predicts RWLV to be “a jewel in the desert.” With anticipated tax revenue estimated at $150 million per year, you can understand the excitement.
RWLV AMENITIES
When you say you’re creating the largest and best hotel and casino in the United States, congratulations…you’ve gotten everyone’s attention. Here is a pre-development list of what guests may expect:
- 3,500 slot machines and table games
- 3,000 hotel rooms
- 175,000 square-foot casino
- Panda bear exhibit
- Indoor waterpark
- Massive garden house
- Aquarium
- Movie theater
- Bowling alley
- Restaurants
Only time will tell whether RWLV becomes the hit that everyone is expecting; however, one thing is for sure: With a potential four-tower structure featuring Chinese architecture, combined with entertainment good enough to wet any visitor’s palate, RWLV has the makings to fulfill its promise and truly become Las Vegas’s next big thing.
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