Houston Billionaire Gambles On The Las Vegas Strip With 43-Story Hotel And Casino Project
Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta unveiled plans for a 43-story hotel and casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip rumored to come with a $1B-plus price tag.
In plans filed with Clark County, Fertitta Entertainment outlined its vision for a 6.2-acre site at Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue that includes gaming, a 2,240-room hotel, bars and eateries, convention space, a spa, an auto showroom and, in true Vegas style, a wedding chapel and a high-roller gambling lounge and bar.
The property would be Fertitta’s first foray on the Strip, Casino.org reported, though he owns five Golden Nugget casinos in downtown Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“We have acquired a truly unique piece of real estate and are actively exploring this development opportunity,” Fertitta Entertainment Executive Vice President of Development Jeff Cantwell said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal Wednesday. “While we continue to go through the review and planning process, no firm decision has yet been made concerning our future plans.”
Fertitta’s Clark County filing comes four months after it acquired the Strip property that houses a Travelodge, a Mexican restaurant and a handful of souvenir shops for $270M. The property is near CityCenter, Aria, The Cosmopolitan and the Waldorf Astoria.
Fertitta’s other business interests include the NBA’s Houston Rockets and restaurant giant Landry’s Inc., which owns more than 600 restaurants across the country, per Fertitta’s website. Casino.org also reported he owns Houston’s Post Oak Motor Cars, speculating the casino’s auto showroom could feature the same luxe brands, including Bentley, Bugatti and Rolls-Royce.
The Clark County Commission is set to discuss the plan Oct. 19.
