At the beginning of 2023, we told you Las Vegas was about to have a banner year, and over the course of three trips to Las Vegas this year, I've seen that start to play out with my very own eyes.
Sin City is in full swing preparing for the highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix, a first-of-its-kind race around the Strip, later in November; it's also preparing to host Super Bowl LVIII next year.
The larger-than-life Sphere finally turned its game-changing screen on and is set to open later this month with a series of highly immersive concerts by U2. And now, the Fontainebleau — a tumultuous hotel project nearly two decades in the making — has an official opening date: Dec. 13.
Here's a brief rundown on the project, its complex history and what we're most excited for when the doors (hopefully) open right before the holidays.
Related: Best hotels in Vegas for a Sin City getaway
If you've been to Las Vegas in the last dozen or so years, you've likely seen the bones of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a behemoth blue skyscraper jutting more than 60 stories out of the ground on the north end of the strip between the Wynn and the Stratosphere.
The building broke ground in 2007 but fell victim to the 2008 financial crisis and other setbacks over the years. It changed hands back and forth between various parties until it fell back into the hands of the original owner — Jeffrey Soffer of Florida-based Fontainebleau Development — along with the real estate division of Koch Industries for an undisclosed amount.
With that last sale, failed plans of a Marriott takeover of the building (to house the Las Vegas Edition and JW Marriott, plus another project) were put to rest, and the rebirth of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas became imminent. Now, 16 years later, it looks like it's finally happening.
It's safe to say that people around the world are absolutely stoked to see this sad-storied project finally come to life. It's also equally safe to say that people have very high expectations. If the doors do open on Dec. 13 — barring regulatory permissions that could set it back, along with other unexpected delays that come with opening a new hotel (especially post-2020) — there's a lot to look forward to.
For starters, the 67-story building (the tallest occupied building in Nevada) will offer a whopping 3,644 rooms and suites, with an overall aesthetic from the in-house design team that marries Las Vegas glamour with the Fontainebleau brand's Florida roots (think: floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Strip, water and coral tones plus plenty of Las Vegas-centric touches we'll have to see with our own eyes).
Beyond the rooms, there's even more to enjoy. A 55,000-square-foot Lapis Spa by Lissoni & Partners offers 44 treatment
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When Fontainebleau Las Vegas makes its long-awaited debut Dec. 13, it will unveil Lapis Spa, a 55,000-square-foot refuge with unique amenities like a spa-within-a-spa, a European event sauna, a foot spa, décor that changes with the body’s circadian rhythms and one of the largest hotel gyms on the Strip.
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