Although no new hotel-casinos will be built in Vegas in 2012, the city will open a handful of attractions this year.
The following is a list of projects making their debuts in 2012, ranging from a museum dedicated to the city’s history with organized crime to a performing arts center whose inaugural year includes a slate of Broadway productions:
Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement: Scheduled to open on Feb. 14, the Mob Museum is expected to attract between 250,000 and 600,000 visitors annually.
The $42 million museum will contain artifacts from the mob’s biggest names, including Al Capone, Charlie “Lucky” Luciano, Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, Sam Giancana and more.
Other highlights include exhibits, high-tech theater presentations, interactive environments and items relating to mob-centric topics such as bootlegging, money laundering and gaming.
Also on display will be weapons; wiretapping tools and tactics; and crime scene photos and other items that law enforcement used to fight the mob.
The museum is housed in a neoclassical structure in downtown that dates to 1933, when it opened as the city’s first federal building.
McCarran Airport’s Terminal 3: The $2.4 billion terminal is set to open this summer and will primarily serve international and domestic long-haul flights. The new terminal will have 14 gates, a baggage handling system and parking garage and will feature an underground shuttle to the D gates and two floors of security checkpoints. When the new terminal opens, Terminal 2, an eight-gate charter on the airport’s north side, will be torn down.
Neon Museum: Plans call for a summer opening for the $6 million museum, which is set on a three-acre site and houses neon signs from casinos of yesterday. Its visitor center is being fashioned from the remodeled shell of the La Concha Motel.
Devoted to preserving this aspect of Las Vegas-and design-history, the museum contains more than 150 vintage neon signs, dating from the 1930s to the 1990s.
The museum also houses the includes the Fremont Street Gallery, which features refurbished signs (the gallery begins in front of the Neonopolis at Las Vegas Boulevard and extends to the Third Street cul-de-sac adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience canopy.
Smith Center for the Performing Arts:The $450 million downtown facility features a 2,050-seat performing arts complex with a full orchestra pit capable of seating up to 100 musicians; a 258-seat Cabaret Jazz venue; the 250-seat Troesh Studio Theater; and a courtyard.
The center is slated to open in March. In celebration of its opening, the center is hosting its Broadway Las Vegas Series, featuring “The Color Purple” (April 3 to 8), “Mary Poppins” (May 22 to 27), “Million Dollar Quartet” (June 12 to 17), “Memphis” (July 18 to 22) and “Wicked” (Aug. 29 to Oct. 7).
Other notable acts already booked include jazz/bluegrass group Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (March 12), the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater (March 21), tap-dance guru Savion Glover (March 27), jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis (March 31), cellist Yo Yo Ma (April 24), humor writer David Sedaris (April 26) and actress/comedian Lily Tomlin (May 13).
Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace: The $1 billion, 660-room tower will be Caesars Palace’s sixth and its most exclusive. Located on the Flamingo Avenue side of Caesars Palace, the 23-story, 668-room tower features a private entrance, separate lobby and direct access to the Garden of the Gods pool oasis and gardens.
The rooms average 550 square feet and feature a media hub enabling guests to connect and stream direct from any mobile device to the 42-inch, high-definition TV.
Guests also have access to an interactive guest directory. Accessible through any mobile browser, the Web application will enable direct communication with concierge, housekeeping, room service, transportation, valet, bell and butler services along with resort information and insider offers.
Nevada State Museum: OK, the museum officially opened in late October, but 2012 will mark the $51.5 million facility’s first year in operation. The 70,000-square-foot museum features a 13,000-square-foot permanent exhibit on geology in Nevada; a research library; and retail space.
In addition to these projects, several properties plan to complete multimillion-dollar renovations in 2012. The Palms plans to pour millions into renovations and will bring in Cantor Gaming to operate its sports book (Cantor is a pioneer in mobile gaming inside casinos). MGM Grand is undergoing a $160 million remodel that will revamp all 3,750 rooms in the property’s main tower as well as 642 suites. Renovations are also slated for the casino floor, restaurants, clubs and showrooms.