LAS VEGAS - A $139
million, 175,000-square-foot expansion of the Forum Shops at
Caesars has added about 50 luxury stores and fine restaurants to
the venue, which, in turn, has spread beyond its original
architectural borders and right up onto the sidewalks of Las Vegas
Boulevard.
Before
construction, the Forum Shops sat back on the Caesars Palace
property, accessible from the Strip by a short walk and a slow
journey up a slightly inclined people-mover.
Now, the addition
features two new entrances on the Strip that enable would-be
shoppers to walk directly in or use new curbside valet
service.
The expansion's
classic Roman architecture, coupled with a grand pedestrian plaza,
has created what the Forum Shops had lacked before - a signature
entrance.
Not that the
venue's old configuration hurt business: The mall, which opened in
1992 with 283,000 square feet and underwent an expansion in 1997
that increased its size to 500,000 square feet, is considered one
of the most successful (in terms of revenue per square foot) in the
country.
The Forum Shops'
expanded shopping area is contained in a three-level rotunda that
extends from the existing mall area.
The rotunda has a
glass-domed skylight and a reflecting pool.
To get from one
level of the mall to the next, visitors should take a ride on what
has become an attraction in its own right - a Mitsubishi electric
spiral escalator.
Like the escalator,
many of the new tenants in the expanded shopping area are a novelty
for Las Vegas shoppers.
Some stores, like
Sony Style, are new to the southern Nevada area, while others, such
as Nambe (which specializes in home decor, giftware and
accessories) and Celine (a French clothing designer not to be
confused with Celine Dion, Caesars Palace's resident diva) are a
first for the West Coast.
Still other
outlets, such as Juicy Couture, are using the Forum Shops expansion
to make their debut in the U.S.
Indeed, the list of
new stores reads like a "Who's Who" of luxury retailers and
includes Tommy Bahama, Kate Spade, Donald Pliner, Baccarat, Brooks
Brothers and CH Carolina Herrera.
World-class jeweler
Harry Winston opened its doors here, making the 1,000-square-foot
Las Vegas salon its first U.S. location to debut in 15
years.
To mark the
occasion, the aptly named songstress Jewel, accompanied by
6-month-old Blaise Winston, grandson of the store's late namesake,
cut the ceremonial, $150,000 all-diamond ribbon featuring more than
250 fancy color and white brilliant gems bezel-set in 18-karat
gold.
Additionally, Louis
Vuitton and Christian Dior, which already had locations at the
Forum Shops, have expanded their presence, with the former tripling
its size to a new global store.
And Tourneau, the
high-end watch retailer, increased its store size from 1,036 square
feet to 13,410 square feet.
A handful of
restaurants and other specialty food outlets have set up shop among
all the new stores.
They include Boa
Steakhouse, Il Mulino New York, Ferrara's Cafe, Joe's Seafood Prime
Steak & Stone Crab, Segafredo Zanetti Espresso, Sushi Roku and
Vosges Haut-Chocolat.
The Forum Shops at
Caesars is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays,
and from 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
For more
information, call (702) 893-4800 or visit www.simon.com.
To contact reporter Amy Baratta, send e-mail
to[email protected].