One for the future

The south end of the Las Vegas strip is readying to unveil another future casino-hotel.

$550m, 531-room resort on Las Vegas Boulevard

Dream Las Vegas’ development team is holding a commemorative ceremony on Friday to introduce the $550m, 531-room resort on Las Vegas Boulevard. The property will feature restaurants, nighttime entertainment, meeting space, and a pool deck.?

The project is expected to be completed by 2024, adding to a growing list of upcoming Vegas attractions.

Dream Las Vegas’ “uniqueness”

Southern California firms Shopoff Realty Investments and Contour have taken charge of the “Dream” project; at just five acres, it is going to be much smaller than the other giant resorts that outfit the Strip. It is intended to offer an intimate experience, as opposed to the catch-all facilities nearby that include clubs, enormous casino floors, and famous eateries.?

Bill Smith, Shopoff’s senior vice president of design and construction, said that the new location will be the crown jewel for operator Dream Hotel Group, which already has locations in Manhattan, Miami Beach, Nashville, Hollywood, and Bangkok, and has other facilities in the works.

The “Dream” property will sit next to the Pinball Hall of Fame and a Harley-Davidson dealership, roughly one mile from Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. It will also be adjacent to Las Vegas’ main airport, providing a close stop for tourists.

Construction will soon begin after the coronavirus prompted extended delays to a project first theorized in 2020. This is one of many planned projects in Nevada, with Legends Bay near Reno being another on the list.

However, there are concerns that the rising prices of gas and other commodities could cause a recession and stall building once again.

Navigating pushback

Dream Vegas was not always viewed as a highly-anticipated addition to the Las Vegas Strip. Its proximity to the airport raised questions from multiple parties, including several airlines and federal government agencies.

As per a Clark County document, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and Secret Service cited “safety and security concerns” at Harry Reid International Airport, forcing the developers to send over their plans for the new casino.

would increase risk to both the aircraft and the passengers”

The Transportation Security Administration found that the project was near a space “used for high-level individuals, special operations and military aircraft parking” and that the property “would increase risk to both the aircraft and the passengers due to active shooters and the ability to throw things over the fence intended to cause harm,” per the documents.

The TSA continued that Dream’s service road could be used as an exploit for criminals looking to cause serious harm, while Delta, American, Southwest, and United all noted that drones, lights, billboards, lasers, and other visual attractions “could potentially be a source of flash blindness.”

As a result, project representative Tony Celeste of the law firm Kaempfer Crowell revealed that changes had been made to the design plan.

The entrance for vehicles has been shifted, allowing Dream to move the tower away from the airport; its border with Harry Reid will also be marked by a nine-foot, double-reinforced security wall with guard rails, and wrought-iron fencing.

The access road will have a security checkpoint with spikes or grates on the other side of the building to prevent unwanted travelers. Sightlines to the airport were also cut, with a new “decorative” ten-foot security wall surrounding the pool deck. Balconies were also scrapped from room designs and glass-break detector systems will alert security to any breaches of windows.

County commissioners approved design plans for Dream 6-1 last fall. Construction will soon commence, barring any setbacks.