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LAS
VEGAS - Amid the revelry of singing gondoliers and the cheers
of construction workers, the final beam, adorned with an American
flag and pine tree, was lifted on Dec. 20th in place atop The
Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino's new hotel tower and
expanded convention space - both scheduled to open on time June
1, 2003.
The
$250 million expansion provides The
Venetian with 1,013 additional hotel suites, making the
Venice-theme luxury resort the third largest hotel in the world
with 4,049 suites. The additional 150,000 square feet of meeting
space brings the grand total to nearly 1.9 million sq. ft. of
meeting, convention and exhibition space at
The Venetian and the Sands Expo Center.
"Today
marks a significant milestone in an exciting new chapter for
The
Venetian," said Brad Stone, executive vice president
of Las Vegas Sands Inc., the parent company of The
Venetian. "We are always striving to provide the accommodations
and meeting services that make us one of the world's most sought-after
resorts and convention destinations. All those involved with
this project should be proud of the effort they've given so
far," Stone added.
"In
addition to the new hotel tower, the additional meeting space
will extend our all-under-one-roof convenience that meeting
planners have grown to value greatly," said Stone. "The
Venetian will be the only place in the world where convention
attendees and exhibitors can entertain at any one of our 17
fine dining restaurants, explore two world-renowned Guggenheim
Museums, shop along the Grand Canal, rejuvenate at the Canyon
Ranch SpaClub and much more in one location," Stone added.
The new
hotel tower will overlook a lavish pool deck reminiscent of
a Venetian garden. With breath-taking vistas, the garden will
feature a swimming pool and three spas, ornate gazebos and five
languid fountains. Additionally, the new tower will be home
to an exciting new restaurant concept by one of the world's
top chefs and will feature The
Venetian's first wedding chapel, a 2,500 sq. ft. multiplex
seating up to 200 people which can be separated into three smaller
chapels.
Much like
The
Venetian's award-winning suites, the standard luxury suite
accommodations of the new tower will average over 700 sq. ft.,
but their nine and a half (9'6") foot ceilings will allow
for a greater sense of space. The standard suite will include
a spacious private bed chamber with draped canopies, an oversized
130-square-foot bathroom finished in Italian marble, and a sunken
living room area furnished with a convertible sofa, two upholstered
chairs, a desk and a dining table. The suite functions as not
only a place to relax or entertain, but as a place to work if
necessary. The standard room has three telephones complete with
high-speed Internet access, data ports and a fax machine that
doubles as a copier and computer printer. Additionally, the
room features a safe large enough for a laptop computer, a fully
stocked mini-bar and two 27" color televisions -- one inside
a bedroom armoire, the other located inside an entertainment
center in the living room.
Included
among the 1,013 new suites will be 122 Club Level Concierge
Suites featuring unique amenities and appointments that are
built upon The
Venetian's proud tradition of unmatched service. These include
private access, an executive lounge to offer food and beverage
twice daily, high-speed Internet access, daily newspaper delivery
service, automatic turndown nightly with special
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amenity
and "goodnight wishes," bottled water and European-style
turndown mat, TVs in bathrooms, silk hangers, plants in suites
including a bud vase with an orchid in the bathroom, and personalized
business cards and stationery will be given to all Club level
guests staying three or more nights.
The new
meeting space expansion will include 150,000 square feet of
additional space increasing the property's total meeting space
to nearly 1.9 million sq. ft. It will include three new ballrooms:
The Bellini, The Titan and The Veronese, all named after some
of the greatest painters in history. Each ballroom is 14,400
sq. ft. and can be divided into 14 individual meeting rooms,
ranging from 600 sq. ft. to 1,200 sq. ft.
Additionally,
the new meeting space will include a series of 19 separate meeting
rooms with a combination of abilities. These meeting rooms will
be known as the Vivaldi Meeting Rooms, named after Antonio Vivaldi,
Italy's most famous composer. Three new permanent boardrooms,
named after Italy's famed Opera Houses, La Fenice, La Scala
and San Carlo, will also be constructed.
"As
the world's top trade show, convention and meeting destination,
Las Vegas continues to expand its capabilities, services and
sheer size to accommodate a variety of events," said Eric
Bello, vice president of sales. "Trade show planners are
attracted to the convenience and superior facilities of the
combined Sands Expo and The Venetian. The additional meeting
space will strengthen Las Vegas' position as a preferred business
destination," Bello added.
The
Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino, a recipient of the Exxon/Mobile
Four Star Award and AAA's Four Diamond Award, is one of the
world's most luxurious resort and convention destinations. Re-creating
Venice's legendary landmarks, the resort offers unmatched service
and quality for leisure and corporate guests. Located in the
heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian features The Grand
Canal Shops, an indoor streets cape complete with gondolas and
singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, world-class gaming,
17 fine dining restaurants, two Guggenheim museums, and a wide
variety of entertainment venues on its premises as well as extensive
convention and corporate services.
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LAS
VEGAS - Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. has completed its
acquisition of a controlling interest in 
