Unrealized Building Ventures in Las Vegas
Unfinished Dreams and Ongoing Ambitions: The Saga of Las Vegas' Unrealized Projects
Las Vegas, a city known for its grandeur and extravagance, has seen its fair share of unrealized dreams and unfinished projects. From failed casino resorts to stalled entertainment complexes, the city's skyline is littered with the remnants of ambitious plans that never came to fruition.
One of the most notable examples is the $900 million loss suffered by the El-Ad Group due to the failed New Frontier project. In 2007, Phil Ruffin sold the New Frontier development to the El-Ad Group, but the planned replacement resort, Las Vegas Plaza, never began construction.
Similarly, the Voyager Big Wheel, modeled after the London Eye, was proposed twice for construction on the Las Vegas Strip. In 2003, it was first proposed for construction at the Rio, and later on the site of the vacant Wet and Wild water park, but both plans ultimately failed.
The idea of a London-themed resort wasn't a one-time proposition either. Plans were proposed for a London Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, opposite the Luxor, featuring a Millennium Wheel, Harrod's department store, and Piccadilly Circus. Construction did not begin, and a second attempt was suggested for the old El Rancho site, but construction never commenced either.
The movie Titanic, directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet, was released in 1997 and became one of the most successful films of all time. It wasn't long before plans for a Titanic-themed resort in downtown Vegas were proposed in 1999 by renowned casino owner Bob Sturpak, but they were rejected by the Las Vegas Council. A second attempt to build the Titanic-themed resort on the Strip also failed.
The story of unrealized dreams isn't limited to the past. The global financial crisis in 2008 devastated many projects, including Boyd Gaming's Echelon Palace. The project, a big move into the luxurious casino resort sector in Las Vegas, never became a reality. Boyd Gaming sold the site to Genting Group in 2013 for $350 million, resulting in a $994 million loss for Boyd Gaming.
Even Max Bear, also known as Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies, had plans for a resort themed around the show in Reno, featuring an oil derrick and Granny's kitchen, but the project did not materialize.
However, the city of Las Vegas isn't giving up on its dreams. Some notable uncompleted construction projects in Las Vegas include the Las Vegas Athletics Stadium, the North Strip Margaritaville & Mixed-Use Development, The Fontainebleau Las Vegas Resort, Neonopolis Expansion, and a Five-Story Parking Garage at Casino Center Boulevard and Utah.
These projects represent a mix of entertainment, hospitality, and infrastructure developments at various stages of progress in Las Vegas, primarily focused on revitalizing portions of the Strip and downtown areas. The Fountainbleau Las Vegas project was bought by Carl Icahn in 2010 for $150 million and remains unfinished. Planet Hollywood, a top-class venue on South Las Vegas Boulevard, almost had a different existence as previous plans to start the venture failed, leaving the future of the resort in doubt.
Despite the setbacks, Las Vegas continues to push forward, its spirit undeterred by the ghosts of unfinished projects. The city's resilience and unwavering ambition are a testament to its enduring allure, a beacon that continues to draw dreamers, visionaries, and risk-takers from around the world.
[1] Las Vegas Athletics Stadium Breaks Ground [2] Las Vegas Stadium Projects [3] Five-Story Parking Garage to Break Ground in Downtown Las Vegas [4] The Fontainebleau Las Vegas Resort [5] Las Vegas Athletics Stadium
- Remnants of unrealized projects like the unbuilt Las Vegas Athletics Stadium, the North Strip Margaritaville & Mixed-Use Development, The Fontainebleau Las Vegas Resort, Neonopolis Expansion, and a Five-Story Parking Garage at Casino Center Boulevard and Utah still dot the landscape of Las Vegas, serving as reminders of its ongoing ambitions in entertainment, hospitality, and infrastructure.
- In the world of casino-and-gambling, Las Vegas continues to be a mecca for dreamers, with plans for future projects such as the Las Vegas Athletics Stadium and the Five-Story Parking Garage in downtown Vegas, joining the long list of casino-related projects that have seen their fortunes rise and fall in the glittering city of las-vegas.
