Celine Dion's legacy may long reign over the Strip

[CSCfan]

Caesars expansion gets royal treatment

 

By Kimi Yoshino, Times Staff Writer

July 20, 2007

 

Celine Dion is leaving Las Vegas, but her legacy may long reign over the Strip — in the form of a $1-billion expansion and renovation of Caesars Palace, including a 665-room tower, a "palatial" new casino entrance and three swimming pools.

 

It is the largest expansion in the resort's 41-year history and made possible in part by Dion's successful 4 1/2 -year run, which has already fueled the addition of nearly 1,000 rooms, helped attract celebrity chefs and packed 4,100 fans five nights a week into the resort's Coliseum.

 

Caesars' parent company, gaming giant Harrah's Entertainment Inc., said Thursday that the massive project would help Caesars keep pace with the rest of the Strip, where a torrent of renovations, demolitions and new projects is underway.

 

"It's a time of great competition, not only in Las Vegas, but in places like Macao," Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner said. "The city and the properties have the desire to stay fresh and to reinvent themselves. Everyone talks about Macao being a new Las Vegas. Las Vegas has always risen to every challenge."

 

These days, the Strip is looking like an unwieldy construction zone, with towering cranes and construction crews on nearly every block.

 

Existing resorts, such as the Wynn and the Venetian, are building new towers. The Luxor hotel-casino announced last week that it would give its Egyptian-themed pyramid a $300-million makeover. Boyd Gaming broke ground last month on the $4.8-billion Echelon project, which will include five hotels and more than 30 restaurants and nightclubs.

 

MGM Mirage is building the $7.4-billion CityCenter a mixed-use development next to the Bellagio that includes six towers — a casino-resort, condos and boutique hotels.

 

The major projects also boast huge theaters, such as the $100-million, 4,100-seat Coliseum built for Dion in 2003. When she departs Ceasars at the end of the year, Bette Midler will take her place for a 200-show run.

 

"Celine Dion put Ceasars Palace on the map in an even bigger way," Selesner said. "She allowed us, in part, to attract some of the celebrity chefs…. On a base level, she puts 4,000 people a day in the Coliseum, who before the show and after the show, are eating in our restaurants, staying at our hotel, visiting the nightclub and gambling at the casino."

 

Tickets for Dion's shows average $150. But her effect extends beyond those sales. Dion helped boost restaurant profits alone by the "tens of millions," Selesner estimated. And in 2006, a year after opening the 949-room Augustus Tower, the casino-resort's operating income rose 63%.

 

"There was some initial doubt about whether this Celine show was going to work and whether it was a good idea," said Howard Lefkowitz, president of Vegas.com. "Without a question, all of those initial doubts have been absolutely shot down. It has been terrific for Ceasars; it's been great for Las Vegas."

 

Dion's success ushered in a new era of Vegas headliners: Elton John, Barry Manilow, Toni Braxton and Prince. "It has brought back a lot of the glamour of the headliners of the old days with Frank [sinatra] and Sammy [Davis Jr.] and Dean [Martin] and all those guys," Lefkowitz said. "It's kind of a new version of the Rat Pack…. I think those glamour days are back."

 

The Strip is moving away from the family-friendly focus of the 1990s. Cheap buffets have given way to celebrity chefs; nickel slots to high-stakes poker rooms. Luxury rooms are more common than budget hotels, though there are still mid-week deals to be found.

 

The oldest casinos are being shut down and demolished to make room for new projects. On Monday, the New Frontier, one of the Strip's most affordable hotels, closed after 65 years.

 

In its place, Elad Group, owner of the Plaza hotel in New York, plans to build a $5-billion project to open in 2011. It will include a luxury hotel, homes, stores and a casino.

 

The Caesars Palace renovation will also up the ante on luxury. It plans the 665-room Octavius Tower, slated for completion in early 2009. It will include three pool villa suites overlooking three new swimming pools, an outdoor "whirlpool spa retreat" and a garden wedding venue.

 

The existing Forum Tower will be remodeled. Bathtubs will be removed to make room for more sleep and lounge space and large rain showers big enough for two. All rooms will have flat-panel televisions, iPod docks and doorbells. Some refurbished floors will reopen this year. The rest will be finished by January.

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Now I hope they will "repay" her with something fitting (like (re-)naming something big with her name)!

[RLAAMJR.]

Celine Dion deserves to have a statue displayed at the topmost or at the center or the best location.

[A New Day Has Come]

That's so crazy all the expensions they are doing to Ceasers Palace that's pretty cool. But I must say that picking Bett Midler is going to be difficult to follow after Celine's show. I think they should have piked someone else, But that is just my opinnion.

[peo]

Celine does deserve something in her name or a statue because she gave Ceasar's Palace soo much promotion. Now the hotel is being visited more because of her show.

[smw]

I really believe that they should name the Coliseum after her. For the reasons this article listed and so many more. She changed the entertainment world with this show. It deserves to be remembered - and she deserves a big honor at the end.

 

I wonder what they will do to honor her??

[KimboCosmo]

Yes, definately a statue or something! Even renaming the strip after her...lol That is a MUST DO!

[dj4celine]

Yes, definately a statue or something! Even renaming the strip after her...lol That is a MUST DO!

 

 

Naming the Strip after her....forget it! They aren't even gonna name or evn have a statue there at Caesar's Palace

 

And I don't think that Celine would want anything like that either....we all know her humble nature, dont we?

[celinerific]

They should rename the coloseum the "Celineosseum"

[Shaun]

Firstly, that's a great article so thank you.

 

Secondly, I don't believe Caesars will name anything after Celine or make tribute to her in any way in the foreseeable future however I believe that one day in the distant future they will mark her stay at Caesars in some way. I don't think this will be the naming of the Coloseum after her or a statue but somewhere down the line they will remember her residency at Caesars in some way.

 

Of course, don't rule out Celine returning to the Coloseum in years to come.......

[SuperLove4Celine]

Firstly, that's a great article so thank you.

 

Secondly, I don't believe Caesars will name anything after Celine or make tribute to her in any way in the foreseeable future however I believe that one day in the distant future they will mark her stay at Caesars in some way. I don't think this will be the naming of the Coloseum after her or a statue but somewhere down the line they will remember her residency at Caesars in some way.

 

Of course, don't rule out Celine returning to the Coloseum in years to come.......

 

I agree...great article.

 

As for naming something at Caesar's after Celine...the only thing I can see happening is naming on of the towers after her, or possibly a suite that she, herself, would furnish. This suite would include her complete discography via digital music through speakers in the room, her music videos, etc. There would be 5 rooms for obvious reasons. Etc.

 

...Joe...

[celinerific]

Ooooo. Im trying to imagine a Celine statue.

[idroveallnight]

Maybe they'll name an auditorium or a lobby after her.

[Bambam]

Firstly, that's a great article so thank you.

 

Secondly, I don't believe Caesars will name anything after Celine or make tribute to her in any way in the foreseeable future however I believe that one day in the distant future they will mark her stay at Caesars in some way. I don't think this will be the naming of the Coloseum after her or a statue but somewhere down the line they will remember her residency at Caesars in some way.

 

Of course, don't rule out Celine returning to the Coloseum in years to come.......

 

Will this be before or after they name a Black Jack table to honour René. Just jokin'.