Palazzo Casino Rushes To Meet Opening Deadlines in Las Vegas

Preparations continue as workers rush to complete last-minute jobs readying Las Vegas's newest hotel and casino on the Strip, the Palazzo, for its planned openings. The soft opening expected to occur on Wednesday (December 26th) has been changed tenuously to Friday the 28th, although there possibly may not be guests accepted until after New Year's Eve; and new reservations will not be accepted for dates before January 6th, hotel executives said.

Adjacent to sister property the Venetian, the Sands Corporation resort will have a grand opening January 18th and 19th. A concert featuring Diana Ross and hosted by Wayne Brady will kick off the festivities. The cast of Jersey Boys, a Palazzo exclusive show chronicling the careers of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, will also entertain.

Ron Reese, spokesman for Sands Corporation, stated that final permits and inspections were taking place as rapidly as thoroughness would allow, and that the building would not open until absolutely ready. 

The Clark County Building Department insisted it was working night and day to allow the casino to open.

The fifty-story hotel contains 3066 rooms. Although it is a separate entity from the Venetian, the two will share walkways and some guest amenities.

The Palazzo is the first new property to open on the Strip in three years, since Steve Wynn opened his eponymous hotel. Wynn is currently building Encore, which will sit between Wynn's and the Venetian/Palazzo complex, opening by the end of 2009.

Other properties scheduled to debut in the next few years include the Fontainebleau, MGM'S CityCenter, and Boyd Gaming's Echelon.