Wynn Las Vegas: The Unveiling
by Howard Stutz
Las Vegas Gaming Wire
As he was preparing for the opening of The Mirage in 1989, Steve Wynn seemed taken aback by the attention.
The resort -- the first new Strip development in almost two decades -- was the subject of lavish praise for its "tropical oasis in the desert" theme and financial scrutiny for its unheard of $630 million price tag.
Writers from national and local publications toured the property prior to its opening and authored glowing accounts of the white Y-shaped building, lush decor, expensive palm trees, faux volcano and the plans to bring dolphins to what once was mostly vacant desert land.
A pre-scandalized Michael Jackson made the yet-to-be opened Mirage his personal playground. The entertainer hung out with illusionists Siegfried & Roy as they prepared their new multimillion-dollar production show and even sat in during some of Wynn's media interviews.
Wynn, who had made his mark on Fremont Street spending millions to turn the Golden Nugget into a downtown landmark, feigned amazement at all the interest.
"It's just a hotel," he exclaimed with a Cheshire cat grin while shrugging his shoulders during one local television interview.
Changed skyline
Fast-forward 16 years and once again, Wynn is days away from unveiling another hospitality industry icon.
But even Wynn, now 63 and chairman of Wynn Resorts Ltd., would be hard-pressed to admit his newest creation is "just a hotel."
Wynn spent the past five years planning, designing and developing the 215-acre site that had been home to the Desert Inn. This time, the resort carries his signature: Wynn Las Vegas.
The cost, $2.7 billion, makes the 2,716-room hotel-casino the most expensive Strip endeavor of its kind.
Wynn has again changed the look of the Las Vegas skyline with the resort's 50-story, curved tower covered in bronze glass.
The resort connects to the once-famous Desert Inn Country Club golf course, now completely redesigned by famed architect Tom Fazio and carrying an expected per round cost of $500.
Acclaimed director Franco Dragone will present a multimillion-dollar water-themed production show in a 2,087-seat theater-in-the-round setting, which includes a 1 million gallon performance pool that doubles as a stage. The property, which opens Thursday, contains the usual Las Vegas accompaniments:
.111,000 square feet of casino space that houses 137 table games, 1,960 slot machines, a race and sports book, a poker room, keno lounge and baccarat salon.
.2,359 standard guest rooms at 620 square feet; 270 parlor and salon suites; 45 executive suites; 36 one- and two-bedroom fairway villas and six 7,000-square-foot private entry villas.
.18 restaurants and bars including six fine-dining restaurants overseen by renowned celebrity chefs.
.76,000 square feet of retail offerings including an on-site Ferrari-Maserati dealership.
.223,000 square feet of convention and meeting space.
The lavishness of Wynn Las Vegas is not lost on the competition, which welcomes the Strip's newest addition.
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