New Vegas Developments Expected to Boost Tourism After 2020
Las Vegas has always been one of America’s most lavish places, but the developments planned for 2020 and beyond could turn it into an economic powerhouse and shift the attention from its famous casinos.
After a long period where business wasn’t exactly booming, it seems that developers have picked up the pace and are ready to put Vegas on the map and finally exit the post-recession slumber.
New and rebranded hotels to jump-start tourism
When thinking about Vegas, everyone pictures casinos. And while it may be true that the casino industry is huge and has an undeniable local impact, developers want to tap into Vegas’ touristic potential and some of the most exciting upcoming projects are in the hotel industry.
Billionaire businessman Richard Branson bought the Hard Rock Hotel and has big plans for it. Hard Rock Hotel, which is one of the city’s most iconic hotspots, will continue to be open in 2019, but it will later be rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. However, there will be no downtime. Branson said in an interview that the hotel will remain open as undergoes hundreds of millions of dollars worth of renovations. The hotel’s image is to remain loyal to its roots, as the future Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will continue to be a major party hub. What is sure to change is the giant guitar sign, which will be INSERT d with a “V” logo. The full details of the renovations aren’t known yet, but many expect the 1,504 rooms to be upgraded in a mid-century modern style. The 60,000-square-foot casino will also be renovated and new pools and nightlife venues will be added.
Another iconic hotel that has begun its transformation is Fontainebleau, which was bought by investor Steve Witkoff in August last year. Construction work started in January 2018 in partnership with Marriott International and the property is scheduled to be reopened in 2020 as The Drew. The new hotel will feature Marriott’s luxury brand, Edition, as well as a huge convention center that will attract businesses.
While at the topic of convention centers, we should also mention Caesar’s Forum, which is scheduled to open in April 2020 and offer corporate clients access to exclusive ballrooms and boardrooms.
Ambitious projects for the Las Vegas North Strip
The Las Vegas North Strip has always been overshadowed, but this is finally about to change, because this area will be home to the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders from 2020 and the new stadium could even host the Super Bowl in 2023.
The highlight is Resorts World, a massive project estimated at no less than $7 billion, which is set to open on the site of the former Stardust casino. Started in 2015 by Malaysian gaming company Genting, Resorts World could open in 2020 and add a luxurious, Shanghai-inspired note to the city. As one of the largest developments that Las Vegas has ever seen, Resorts World is also expected to help the economy by generating jobs. A simple search on checkthem.com will reveal that the employers behind this project are indeed reliable and that even though construction of the Resorts World was delayed several times, 2020 will finally mark the opening of a new classic resort. Resorts World Senior VP Gerald Gardner said that the Vegas North Strip is a key location and that both residents and tourists can expect great things:
“We’re trying to capitalize on that location and just this great synergy that is happening on the north end of the Strip. Starting in the fall of 2020, we will have a 3,400 mega resort casino. If you drive by the Strip, you will see five tower cranes going up and concrete being poured and floors of the hotel tower going up.”
All these developments are expected to increase Las Vegas’ appeal after 2020 and bring more than 600,000 tourists annually. However, they are not the only pleasant surprises. Additional venues will be opened for casino aficionados and not only:
- Wynn West – situated on the land between Trump International and Fashion Show Mall, Wynn West will be a massive hotel with almost 3,000 rooms. The same developer will also build Wynn Paradise Park, which will feature food services, a lagoon, and boardwalk.
- Las Vegas Stadium – the future home of the Las Vegas Raiders, the new Las Vegas Stadium is expected to open its gates to fans in the summer of 2020.
- Kind Heaven, which will be located at the LINQ Promenade is set to open soon, in 2019, and will provide an eclectic mix of family-friendly activities by day and adult entertainment by night. Designed in collaboration with world-class artists, Kind Heaven will focus on the exoticism of Southeast Asian culture.
In addition to hotels, casinos and resorts, Las Vegas will also have more warehouse openings in the following two years. For example, a Sephora warehouse is scheduled for opening in 2019 and generate about 400 jobs, and so are a Smith’s Distribution Center and an Amazon Fulfillment Center.