New Decade, New Dazzle

The city of invention—singing fountains, dancing lights, luxe buffets—is also the city of reinvention, and there’s no dearth of new developments on the horizon in Las Vegas for 2020 and beyond.

Here’s a lineup of what to watch for.

Virgin Hotels

The takeover and rebranding of the Hard Rock Hotel by Virgin Hotels will make a splash in November with a $200 million renovation. Plans call for 1,504 design-intensive guestrooms and suites, which will include, among other things, the Virgin Hotels patented bed and in-room technology.

The property will be spread over five acres with a 60,000-square-foot casino, luxury poolside spaces, outdoor event venues and the flagship Commons Club.

The property will be part of Hilton’s elite Curio Collection.

Circa

In December, downtown Las Vegas will see the opening of Circa, a newbuild that will become downtown’s tallest building at 458 feet. Its three-story sportsbook will be the largest in the world. The year-round pool deck, with six pools, will feature a massive outdoor screen for watching sports events while taking a dip. It will offer a spa, an array of restaurants and the longest outdoor bar on the Fremont Street Experience pedestrian mall.

Resorts World Las Vegas

The 59-story, 3,400-room Resorts World Las Vegas will be the first Las Vegas megaresort opening since The Cosmopolitan in 2010. Rising from the dust of the former Stardust site, it has had a long and winding path to its projected opening in summer 2021. The $4 billion resort will have a 5,000-seat theater, new day and nightlife clubs, and seven pool experiences, including a 1,800-square-foot infinity pool overlooking the Strip.

The Drew

The property opens in 2022 with 3,179 rooms and a fusion of three hotel brands: the JW Marriott, the Edition and the Reserve by Drew, all in one massive tower heading north on the Strip. Highlights include what is being called North America’s largest pillar-free ballroom – a 106,000-square-foot space that can be configured in 14 ways. The property will also feature a 4,000-seat theater, a 165,000-square-foot casino, a 65,000-square-foot spa and a penthouse floor with a gaming area, restaurant, bars and lounges.

The Majestic

Breaking ground near the Las Vegas Convention Center this spring for a 2023 opening is The Majestic, an $850 million non-gaming, non-smoking ultraluxury, five-star hotel—focusing on what its promoters call “the best in health and wellness.”

Sahara Hotel, Circus Circus

The Sahara Hotel is back and better than ever with all the contemporary touches the former SLS left behind. Similarly, Circus Circus was purchased by Treasure Island titan Phil Ruffin and will get a makeover with a park-like pool complex and a 2,000-seat theater designed for a magic show created by Cirque du Soleil.

Bellagio, The Wynn

Bellagio debuted the Mayfair Supper Club, featuring contemporary American cuisine and live entertainment, which it described as “a return to the glamorous eras of Las Vegas and old New York set against the Fountains of Bellagio.”

The Wynn, meanwhile, is turning the Chairman’s Salon into Delilah, a Gatsby-style throwback that will serve as a “social dining” destination, coupling upscale cuisine with live performances.