# Caesars/Project Linq, Las Vegas, to get Worlds Tallest Wheel



## ricoba (Jul 25, 2012)

Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) today gave permission for Caesars to build the worlds largest (Ferris) Wheel at the Linq Project by the Flamingo on the Strip.

Here is the article with pictures.


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## PigsDad (Jul 25, 2012)

Some nice pictures of the HGVC Flamingo property.  Since all of the rooms face the Flamingo pools, there should not be a large impact to those who satay at the HGVC.

One nice feature, IMO, is that the north exit will now exit directly onto the mall / redevelopment path between LV Blvd and the new ferris wheel.  That will make for a nice path to get from the HGVC to the strip.  Before, you either had to walk around / through the Flamingo hotel or walk down a dark, sketchy alley to get to LV Blvd.

I'm excited to see this when the project is complete!

Kurt


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## ricoba (Jul 25, 2012)

I think that HGVC Flamingo owners and visitors will be pleasantly surprised by all the new things that are going into the project.


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## dougp26364 (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm glad to see developement begining to start up in Vegas. I'd like to see Marriott complete their timeshare project. While I'd love to see it, I'm not holding my breath on north end developement getting a kick start anytime soon. If they ever get things going on the north end again, perhaps HGVC will build out the N. Strip timeshare.


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## ricoba (Jul 26, 2012)

dougp26364 said:


> I'm glad to see developement begining to start up in Vegas. I'd like to see Marriott complete their timeshare project. While I'd love to see it, I'm not holding my breath on north end developement getting a kick start anytime soon. If they ever get things going on the north end again, perhaps HGVC will build out the N. Strip timeshare.



Did you see the plans that SLS Hotels has for the Sahara?

When this gets going it will help that north end brighten up quite a bit. 

Here are the pictures from the Las Vegas Sun.


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## AwayWeGo (Jul 26, 2012)

*World's Largest Chump Heister Atop Tallest Structure In Western USA.*

If they build that jynormous new ferris wheel up on top of the Stratosphere Tower, then they'll really have something. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## roadtriper (Jul 26, 2012)

ricoba said:


> Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) today gave permission for Caesars to build the worlds largest (Ferris) Wheel at the Linq Project by the Flamingo on the Strip.
> 
> Here is the article with pictures.



We were out there mid June and the 4 Large Buttress  Anchors for the Wheel were already Poured   and the Power generation Plant that is being Built behind the Flamingo Monorail Station was about 50% complete. so I'm guessing the Permit was just a techniacility as they seem to be fully committed to the project  

Ida street is Blocked off from traffic, as well as the Part of Winnick that went up in behind the casinos.  Many of the lots between  Winnick and Albert Streets have been paved/striped, and are being used as parking for Flamingo Employees. all new fencing and parking lot lights.  the Curbing, sidewalks and street lights are all new over on that side of the project as well.   Traffic down by the Flamingo coming out behind Batista's is an absolute zoo as all the cabs, shuttles etc. are having to come out there as they can no longer come out on Winnick or Audrie   that access road/alley along the monorail is Busy!   
in Mid June when we were there, Oshea's was Gutted and Basicaly just steel beams. Oshea's Parking garage was gone! the front of the IP was all Scaffolding etc.  the Rockhouse was gutted and the old driveway/Entrance was all construction.   Carnival Court was all Boarded up on the south side. still some street vendors down by the Harrah's entrance and the Bar was still there and open.   Even though the whole neighborhood is torn up, life seemed to move along as if nothing had changed.   just another day in Vegas!
I think this will be Awsome when finished. and owning at the Desert Club or the Flamingo. it's just going to open up access to all the action.  
RT


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## dougp26364 (Jul 26, 2012)

ricoba said:


> Did you see the plans that SLS Hotels has for the Sahara?
> 
> When this gets going it will help that north end brighten up quite a bit.
> 
> Here are the pictures from the Las Vegas Sun.



Yes I have and I'm glad to see what was the Sahara reopen. But what I'd like to see is the construction restart at the old Stardust site and Fountainbleu finally finish the inside and open. When those two projects restart or finish, then I'll feel the north end is back in the developement game. SLS is a small step in the right direction. I'm hoping it will get the ball rolling again but I'm not going to hold my breath. 

In the end, it would have been better if they hadn't knocked the Stardust down before having ALL the financing in place. If they'd left the New Frontier operating while they were trying to get financing in place and if the banks had made certain the developers of Fountainbleu actaully had the finances or backing to finish what they started. A lot of bad decisions about developing the north end were made based on assumptions.

FWIW, I'm not convinced that SLS will fly any better than the old Sahara unless additional construction brings more traffic to that corner. I fear it will suffer the same fate as the Sahara since it's essentially an oasis in a sea of failed construction projects and boarded up casinos.


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## ricoba (Jul 26, 2012)

dougp26364 said:


> Yes I have and I'm glad to see what was the Sahara reopen. But what I'd like to see is the construction restart at the old Stardust site and Fountainbleu finally finish the inside and open. When those two projects restart or finish, then I'll feel the north end is back in the developement game. SLS is a small step in the right direction. I'm hoping it will get the ball rolling again but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> 
> In the end, it would have been better if they hadn't knocked the Stardust down before having ALL the financing in place. If they'd left the New Frontier operating while they were trying to get financing in place and if the banks had made certain the developers of Fountainbleu actaully had the finances or backing to finish what they started. A lot of bad decisions about developing the north end were made based on assumptions.
> 
> FWIW, I'm not convinced that SLS will fly any better than the old Sahara unless additional construction brings more traffic to that corner. I fear it will suffer the same fate as the Sahara since it's essentially an oasis in a sea of failed construction projects and boarded up casinos.



Talk around town here is that Carl Ichan (owner of the defunct Fontainbleu) will eventually just topple it and sell it for scrap.  I don't know, but I really don't think it will ever be the 50 story premium place they had dreamed of.  The Plaza downtown now owns and is using all the furniture.

RE: the Stardust.  I wish they had never torn it down, but Boyd wanted to play with the big players and have their own mega mess.  City/County Council is now trying to encourage Boyd to come up with ways to "beautify" the shell.   Building without financing was the Vegas way, when Boyd put their neck on the line over the Echelon project.

RE: the SLS, yes, it will be an oasis, but it will be catering to a different (younger, hipper) market than the Sahara did.  Not sure it will work, but am glad they at least are just revamping the structure and not building new.  They did the same in Beverly Hills.  Bought the Le Merdien and branded it a SLS.

Always fun to imagine what Vegas was and what it will become.

BTW, did you see that a judge has now given MGM the right to implode the Harmon Tower at City Center?  That is one interesting mess!


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## roadtriper (Sep 29, 2012)

Caesars has a neat Live webcam focused on the Linq project  you can pan, zoom etc. and it will do a time lapse movie of the progress over the past months.  pretty cool !    http://www.caesars.com/thelinq/ 

I see where there is a planned wheel in NYC that will be bigger than the High Roller !?   650ft?  how many big wheels does the world need?   Rt


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## ricoba (Sep 29, 2012)

roadtriper said:


> Caesars has a neat Live webcam focused on the Linq project  you can pan, zoom etc. and it will do a time lapse movie of the progress over the past months.  pretty cool !    http://www.caesars.com/thelinq/
> 
> I see where there is a planned wheel in NYC that will be bigger than the High Roller !?   650ft?  how many big wheels does the world need?   Rt



Thanks for the webcam. 

The paper had an article the other day about the NYC wheel saying they are challenging our two wheels.

At least there will only be 1 in NYC whereas here in LV there will be 2.  Go figure, you are right how many does the world need, let alone one city?


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## roadtriper (Oct 1, 2012)

My theory is when the dust settles the number of big wheels that Las Vegas needs or can sustain will be < 1. (like the Monorail)   CET has enough other sources of income to run the wheel at a less than profitable ROI, not sure about the one down the strip?  I suspect the one that doesn't prosper will get sold a couple of times at a loss till they run out of dreamers with $$$.  maybe they can get some Stimulus money and turn it into a 500" windmill generator

Over the years there have been 2-3 proposed observation wheels in Las Vegas when the Economy was healthy, and nobody could get financing... now the economy sucks and we've got 2 going up???   I wish them both well, but I don't see both surviving.   Time will tell   RT


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## ricoba (Oct 1, 2012)

*Caesars Annouces First Linq Tenants*

From today's LV Review Journal.

The first tenants of the new Linq


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## gnorth16 (Oct 1, 2012)

*Off Topic but...*

Is the Fontainbleau  going to be torn down for scrap metal and the windows sold??? Shocks me that it won't be completed....Not much information out there, except that Ichan owns it for $150 million.


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## ricoba (Oct 1, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> Is the Fontainbleau  going to be torn down for scrap metal and the windows sold??? Shocks me that it won't be completed....Not much information out there, except that Ichan owns it for $150 million.



All I have heard is that he is holding on to it until he figures it's the right time to tear it down and sell it for scrap.  I don't think anyone is going to ever complete that big blue elephant.  

The County Commission is trying to get it and the Echelon site "beautified", but right now both are still two big uncompleted hunks of metal etc....

I wouldn't be surprised if the Harmon Tower at City Center would come down before the Fontainbleau. There seems to me more interest in getting that work done since it is considered by some as a hazard that could topple over.


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## gnorth16 (Oct 1, 2012)

Thanks.  The North Strip could have been fantastic... Now with the Sahara gone, what is next, the Riviera?  Circus circus?  Both were dead and would not have got my business if not for two free drinks with a $10 prop bet on NFL or NCAA.  Slots A Fun has no cheap tables and the $1 Margerita is gone...It also was a ghost town...


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## ricoba (Oct 1, 2012)

*Brooklyn Bowl @ the Linq*

Tonight's LV Sun has this piece about the Brooklyn Bowl which is one of the new tenants announced for the Linq Project (pictures in the article)


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## ricoba (Oct 1, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> Thanks.  The North Strip could have been fantastic... Now with the Sahara gone, what is next, the Riviera?  Circus circus?  Both were dead and would not have got my business if not for two free drinks with a $10 prop bet on NFL or NCAA.  Slots A Fun has no cheap tables and the $1 Margerita is gone...It also was a ghost town...



Actually, there is some hope for the Sahara, SLS a big entertainment and hotel group out of LA owns the Sahara and they are starting to rumble about the Sahara coming back as the "new" SLS Hotel Las Vegas.  See this article from the LV Sun with pictures of the proposed site.


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## ricoba (Oct 3, 2012)

*Gary Loverman Prognosticates RE: the Fountainbleau*



gnorth16 said:


> Is the Fontainbleau  going to be torn down for scrap metal and the windows sold??? Shocks me that it won't be completed....Not much information out there, except that Ichan owns it for $150 million.



Here is Gary Loverman's (Caesars CEO) assessment of the situation, and it's not good....

Just confirms what I mentioned in the previous post....this big blue whale is dead


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## roadtriper (Oct 14, 2012)

*And then there was one!*

As Fern had posted in another thread...  it appears the SkyView Wheel down the Strip is not going to happen,and is in serious financial doodoo! 

http://www.mynews3.com/content/news...ogram-jeopardized/C_oxXlKyu0OGb5q3m1lIsQ.cspx

Developers Brother is the Contractor, Owes $700K in back federal payroll taxes! owes the State Prison System $400K for Prisoner labor etc. on this and other Projects...   Hey ,what could go wrong?  lets build a big Ferris Wheel!


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