In my blog from yesterday, on Sinatra's Stamp ceremony at Bellagio Fountains, I talked about Frank's love of "5 O'Clock Vegas Blue"... referencing the colors of the skies here. I also mentioned that he was one of the main characters for making Las Vegas what it is today, and influencing it's growth.

If you can get past the 'Old Blue Eyes' and then the beautiful Dancing Fountains of Bellagio, in some of the pictures you may have noticed that Frank's influence to the growth of Las Vegas still goes on today. In the backdrop of those amazing blue Vegas skies you'll find a sea of cranes marking the building boom going on, the largest in Las Vegas history. Not only for the tens of millions of visitors that follow Frank's lead to the place to relax and unwind, but also the new residences along the Vegas Strip. I did a quick walking tour to show just a little of the construction, and if you haven't been here for a while, some of the existing and recent additions to the Strip skyline.

Flanking the Bellagio Fountains on the left is MGM's $9.2 billion Project City Center and $3 billion Cosmopolitan that are underway. Today the first building in City Center, the Vdara Condo Hotel will be topped off. MGM's city within a city is scheduled to open in November 2009. Hiring for the staff of 12,000 will begin in early 2009. This image only shows a small portion of the 76+ acre project.

 

On the other side of the lake, just across Flamingo is the Caesars Palace Augustus Tower that opened in 2005. The cranes to the left are for the under construction $1 + billion Octavius Tower that is also scheduled to open in 2009.

The front of the Caesars property will also be undergoing some building, expanding in both width and height, along with their Convention Center expansion and 3 new pools. Here's a wide angle view of what it looks like today, but the changes will also be happening by 2009.

Just north on Las Vegas Blvd. is the expansion of the Forum Shops that has an entrance right off of the Strip across from Harrah's. This is just one side of the addition, if you haven't been here in a while.

Across the street from Bellagio is Paris Las Vegas and the former Aladdin that has been redesigned as Planet Hollywood. The former Desert Passage of Aladdin is now the Miracle Mile Shops and is under renovations. Behind that is the under construction Planet Hollywood Condominium Towers, and a new 20,000 seat AEG Arena is being developed behind Paris and Bally's.

Back up the street to the north and next door to Caesars is the Mirage. There has been ongoing work there as well, from rooms to restaurants, and even the massive aquarium behind the front desk has been redone. At the moment the volcano in front is drained and crews are busy adding the latest in sight and sound special effects to make the 'eruption' more spectacular than ever. It's scheduled to reopen in late 2008.

Across the street is the Venetian, and it's recently opened Palazzo. The combined properties now have over 7,000 rooms, and they're still building as you can see from the crane on the right. There is also a condo tower being built behind the Palazzo between it and the Venetian. The next phase that's already under development is to build a new Sands Convention Center on property they own further down Sands Ave., then adding additional towers in the location of the current Sands Expo.

Across the street from Palazzo is Wynn Las Vegas where Tina and Nancy Sinatra went after their father's stamp events. Steve Wynn was a close friend of Frank, from his days of Frank headlining at Steve's Golden Nugget downtown. As you can see Steve's latest addition, Encore,  is well underway and is scheduled for a Dec. 15th 2008 opening. In the background to the left you can catch a glimpse of the under construction $2.8 billion Fontainebleau as it rises above the Riviera.

Just down the street you can see some of the development on the north Las Vegas Strip, including Sky Las Vegas and glimpse of Allure Condominiums behind it on Sahara and Fontainebleau beginning to rise above Riviera, next to Turnberry Towers. The Sahara hotel is also going to demolish and rebuild one of it's hotel towers, and across the street architectural work is being done for a joint venture project of MGM and Kerzner International, owner of Atlantis Bahamas and many other resort properties around the globe. Just behind the palm trees in the left forground, work is underway on Echelon Place, a $4.8 billion project on the site of the former Stardust. Next door to that is where the former New Frontier property has been cleared to make way for the $5 billion Plaza Hotel and Condo project, currently expected to start in 2009, and it's next door to the recently opened Trump Tower.

This is just a small sampling of the recent additions along the Las Vegas Strip, and what is yet to come. I have more Las Vegas construction photos in a slideshow, that include McCarran Airport's Terminal 3, Hard Rock on Harmon and Paradise Rd., and more of City Center and others. Those can also be viewed full screen. 

There is more being built all through the Las Vegas and Henderson area, with the opening of Cannery East Casino on Boulder Highway and Aliante Station in North Las Vegas this year. In Henderson, the M Resort is well underway by the son of construction giant Anthony Marnell, who was also the former owner of the Rio.

The construction doesn't only include resorts and casinos. Currently under construction is the 61 acre Union Park in Downtown Las Vegas. In addition to the World Market Center that is already open and continues it's build out, the Premium Outlets and the Clark County Government Center and Amphitheater, there will be new additions including the World Jewelry Center, Lou Ruvo Brain Institute and Access Medical, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and Symphony Park, and long with retail, hospitality, and residential in this new urban setting.

It doesn't even stop there, with continued commercial building along the Las Vegas Beltway and other areas throughout the Vegas Valley. It's really no wonder that so many new and exciting residential areas are growing in suburban Las Vegas. I've blogged and have posted pictures of just a few so far, including Tuscany Village, Toll Brothers at Inspirada, Anthem and Madeira Canyon, and Mountain's Edge, and that is only a small sampling of what is available. (I have more pictures from my buyer previews and will be adding them as time allows, but of course my clients have to come first.) There are many others around the valley that offer a wide variety of lifestyles and amenities, all within reach of the plentiful recreation throughout the area. All of this within a short drive to The Entertainment Capital of the World, the Las Vegas Strip with all it's events, shows, nightlife, dining and shopping. A vacation escape for a hours or days is always just a few minutes away.

If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like information on Las Vegas real estate, please email me roberta@search4lasvegashomes.com  or call me at 702-354-8988.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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