Modern Mystical Marvel
Luxor, Las Vegas’ Egyptian-themed masterpiece, embarks on a new era
By Rob Wiser
The year was 1993 and it proved to be monumental for Nevada and Las Vegas. Money won by the state’s casinos topped the $6 billion mark. A trio of magnificent megaresorts opened: MGM Grand, the largest resort hotel in the world with an awe-inspiring 5,005 rooms; Treasure Island, Steve Wynn’s family-friendly follow-up to The Mirage; and the Luxor, a pyramid-shaped architectural marvel that celebrated the themes and mysticism of ancient Egypt. In total, the construction costs of the three projects was nearly $2 billion.
This benchmark year would launch the city’s “second wave” of megaresorts. The first wave had occurred from 1989-1990, with the creation of The Mirage and Excalibur; the end of the decade would see the arrival of the epic third wave, which included Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, The Venetian, Paris, and the Aladdin.
“The Luxor, Treasure Island and MGM Grand openings, collectively, were the most dramatic of the three growth waves of the ’90s,” said University of Nevada Reno professor, Bill Eadington. “The (1993) second wave really put Las Vegas on the map and made it very visible. The 1993 openings reinforced the first wave, which proved that Las Vegas was transforming itself from a gambling town into a destination resort city.”
Even among this new breed of wildly ambitious resorts, the $375 million Luxor—located at the south end of the Strip—stood out as strikingly unique. Inside its 30-story, onyx-hued pyramid, the mystery and artistry of ancient Egypt merged with cutting edge technology. The world’s largest atrium led to a sprawling 100,000-square-foot casino, with Egyptian ornamentation and artistry everywhere you looked—all of it painstakingly researched and designed to be historically accurate.
The project had first been announced in November 1991 by Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. (which later became the Mandalay Resort Group), the creators of Las Vegas’ Circus Circus and Excalibur gaming resorts. Luxor broke ground the following year, with construction proceeding at a rapid pace in order to beat the opening of Treasure Island.
Luxor managed to open in October 1993, 12 days before Treasure Island. The final cost was around $400 million, which was $100 million more than initially projected by Circus Circus founder William Bennett. But the additional investment would pay off handsomely: in its first year of operation, eight million people visited the property, generating $90 million in pre-tax profits and making it the most profitable Circus Circus property.
Luxor was the Strip’s new must-see attraction. Instead of elevators, “inclinators” located in the pyramid’s four corners ferried guests up to their rooms, traveling along the pyramid’s sloping walls at a 39 degree angle. The top floor contained the “attractions level,” featuring the buffet, restaurants, and rides including a motion simulator and a 3-D movie theatre. The main floor of the pyramid was separated from the walls by the 15-foot-wide “Nile River,” where “reed boats,” modeled after the ones used by ancient Egyptians, traveled along tracks hidden underwater.
At night, green laser beams shot from the eyes of the giant Sphinx that “guarded” the resort. Sixty-foot-high screens made of falling water displayed a ghostly hologram of King Tut. The morning sun turned the black panels on the pyramid’s east side into mirrors of gold; at night, the entire resort seemed to vanish into the darkness. Every aspect of the resort was grandiose, inspired by the lavish indulgences of the ancient Pharaohs.
But the grand opening was not without glitches. It became evident that corners had been cut during Luxor’s rush to open before Treasure Island. The interior of the resort contained design flaws. There were no functioning service elevators; maids and bellhops loaded up with luggage had to ride on the same elevators as the guests. Many of the hotel’s rooms weren’t ready on opening day, and dozens of incorrectly installed water pipes burst. The hotel registration area steered guests toward the Nile River water ride and up to their rooms, rather than directing them through the casino. And when the monorail that connected Luxor and Excalibur broke down, Bennett decided to litigate instead of immediately correcting the problem. This caused both properties to lose a significant amount of revenue.
Changes would be necessary in order to get the resort running smoothly. Bennett stepped down and a new management team decided to launch a major overhaul. In a departure from standard Circus Circus policy, the Luxor wouldn’t be about grinding out profits from low-to-mid rollers; it would deliver value, but also be a world-class destination with top-of-the-line amenities.
The Nile River ride and arena showroom were removed, replaced with convention space and a 1,200 seat theatre. The lobby was remodeled and two hotel towers were added, boosting the total number of rooms to 4,407 (making Luxor the second-largest hotel in the country). Among these rooms were 200 luxurious suites designed to host high rollers, while a new high-limit baccarat room was added to the casino. A moving walkway was built to connect Luxor to its sister property, Excalibur.
Also included in this sweeping series of renovations—which in all, would cost $650 million—was the addition of an IMAX theatre, one of only 20 in the world, boasting an incredible 15,000 watt digital sound system and a screen nearly seven stories high. The Oasis Spa was expanded to 12,000 square feet and a dramatic new entrance was built, featuring a gigantic replica of the Temple of Ramesses II. A high-tech nightclub called RA, named after the mighty sun god, was unveiled. The pool was revamped and turned into one of the largest in the city. A two-story arcade was created for children, among other attractions—including an exact replica of King Tut’s tomb. The resort’s entertainment lineup was also overhauled, as were its restaurants.
The crowning touch was the $1 million Starlight Lighting System, which was unveiled on New Year’s Eve, 1997. The light beam, which required four years of research and development, was comprised of 3,000 strobes, 4,000 circuit boards and 2,000 computer chips. Rather than being invisible at night, Luxor now had the most powerful light beam in the world as its beacon—possessing the power of 40 billion candles, it’s visible to pilots approaching from 250 miles away.
Mandalay Resorts staked a powerful claim on the south end of the Strip, with the adjacent Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay resorts forming what was described as “The Mandalay Mile.”
In 2005, these resorts became part of a titanic takeover when MGM Mirage completed its $7.9 billion buyout of the Mandalay Resort Group. This created an empire that generates about $7 billion in revenue annually, employs 70,000 workers, and controls 40 percent of the slot machine action on the Vegas Strip. This gave MGM Mirage ownership of 24 hotel-casinos, with its Las Vegas holdings including The Mirage, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Treasure Island, Excalibur, Monte Carlo, Mandalay Bay and Luxor.
Being that it’s now a prominent member of the MGM Mirage family, Luxor will undoubtedly undergo further improvements. At this time, company officials aren’t divulging many specifics about long-term plans—but when Luxor’s senior VP of national marketing operations, Jean George, told Casino Player that it will become Las Vegas’ “hip, happening place” of the future, it’s fair to assume that the resort is going to see another round of significant changes. While the resort has successfully packaged tourist-friendly values with certain luxurious amenities for bigger spenders—and includes a humongous nightclub, RA, that has been popular among locals for years—its reputation has been geared more towards family entertainment and middle-class tourists than the jet-set crowd. You could say its image lies somewhere between its neighbors Excalibur (heavily themed and very family-oriented) and Mandalay Bay (filled with VIP amenities as well as nightlife for the younger, trendier set).
As it stands, Luxor has a remarkable framework upon which to build. Its enormous scale defines the concept of the Las Vegas “mega resort”; running down its list of features and amenities, the diversity of its offerings is remarkably diverse.
Its main structure, the Pyramid, now holds 2,256 rooms and 236 Spa Suites—two in each corner on every floor. (These rooms feature large whirlpool tubs sitting next to the windows; the sweeping vistas of the city at night make these suites ideal for romance.) The twin 22-story towers contain 1,948 rooms with 237 luxurious suites.
Luxor’s Oasis Spa is one of the finest in the city, located next to the resort’s five-acre pool area. Its current array of restaurants include the fresh seafood of the Sacred Sea Room; the elegant, intimate setting of Isis; Luxor Steakhouse, for delicious cuts of aged, prime beef; and the exotic Fusia, which features a menu filled with unusual Asian delights. For a more casual meal you can head to the Pharaoh’s Pheast Buffet.
The resort also contains dozens of retail outlets along its Giza Galleria promenade, in addition to the 41 shops and restaurants of Mandalay Place, the boutique mall that connects Luxor to Mandalay Bay.
The attractions floor, with its arcade games and thrilling rides, makes Luxor an ideal hotel if you’re traveling with children—though adults will also get a kick out of this amazing interactive technology. The selection of IMAX films, which have to be seen to be believed, include Mystery of the Nile—a pulse-pounding cinematic adventure that takes audiences on a journey down the world’s most deadly river.
The replica of King Tut’s tomb, recreated exactly as it was discovered in 1922, remains a fascinating exhibit. The measurements of each of the rooms are exact, and the treasures were reproduced by artisans using the same gold leaf and linens, pigments, tools and 3,300-year-old methods. Inside the tomb are hundreds of skillfully crafted reproductions, from guardian statues, to King Tut’s sarcophagus, to various baskets and pottery. The 15-minute, self-guided audio tour fills in all the details.
The casino, which now stands at around 120,000 square feet, is filled with all the usual favorite table games and thousands of slot machines. You’ll also find an impressive poker room and a 100-seat race and sports book. Free poker lessons are offered every day at 9am and 2pm, with free poker tournaments held throughout the week.
In late-breaking news, the Las Vegas Gladiators and Luxor announced that they reached an exclusive agreement for Luxor to be the Official Host Hotel for the 2006 Las Vegas Gladiators Arena Football League Season. Luxor will house all eight visiting teams and their staffs when they travel to Las Vegas to take on the Gladiators.
“Luxor is a world-class property,” said Gladiators general manager, Dan Dolby. “We are thrilled with this partnership and feel that all the teams that come to Las Vegas to play the Gladiators will receive all the first-class amenities and services including great restaurants, premier entertainment and a full Las Vegas experience that Luxor has to offer.”
In addition, the Luxor’s Race & Sportsbook will host “Gladiators Game Plan with Ron James,” the Gladiators weekly radio show.
Luxor’s move towards a more sophisticated, adult image is evident in the changes it’s making to its entertainment lineup. The resort is importing the Broadway musical Hairspray, which nabbed eight Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical. This is the latest hit Broadway musical to be adapted for the Vegas Strip; since Chicago and Mamma Mia! proved that Broadway shows could pack Strip showrooms, Steve Wynn has brought Avenue Q to Wynn Las Vegas and The Venetian will unveil its version of Phantom of the Opera in 2006.
Set in Baltimore in 1962, Hairspray—based on the 1988 film by campy cult filmmaker John Waters—tells the story of frumpy Tracy Turnblad, who dreams of dancing her way onto TV’s most popular show. Harvey Fierstein, the gravel-voiced star of the Broadway version (and winner of a Best Actor Tony Award), will reprise his role as Edna Turnblad for a 12-week run, along with co-star Dick Latessa. The show is scheduled to open in February 2006 in a fully renovated theater capable of holding 1,550 people. Michael Gill and Myron Martin will produce the Vegas production, which will run 90 minutes (with no intermission).
Another addition to the Luxor’s lineup is Fantasy, a risque adult revue which features a series of provocative dance numbers and costume changes. Once known as Midnight Fantasy, the topless show has been revamped and updated to include current hit songs and new choreography. Featuring a cast of leggy Las Vegas beauties—as well as comedian Sal Salangsang, who audiences may recall from his stint opposite Rick Springfield in the EFX show—Fantasy delivers a sexy dose of adults-only entertainment.
With additions such as these, the Luxor of 2006 will cater to an unusually wide demographic. Its amenities and attractions run the gamut. There are values for the budget-conscious; hotel rates are reasonable (with inexpensive upgrades often available), while high rollers are pampered in massive luxury suites. There’s after-dark nightlife for adults, as well as a high-tech playground for kids. There’s shopping, gaming, and all the features one expects from a modern Vegas megaresort, as well as educational exhibits and millions of dollars worth of historically accurate artistry. Now, with one of Broadway’s biggest hits about to grace its showroom, expect Luxor to continue on its steady march towards a more sophisticated image—and to bolster its reputation as one of Las Vegas’ most iconic properties.
Executive Spotlight: Tom Recine, Luxor Vice President of Food and Beverage
Dining is one area where Luxor’s competitors have invested heavily in recent years; hot “name” restaurants, especially ones affiliated with celebrity chefs, have pumped fresh blood into older resorts. Tom Recine, Luxor’s vice president of food and beverage, hinted to Casino Player that new restaurants are on the way (currently, his department oversees the preparation of 10,000 meals daily!).
“We have several exciting venues planned for Luxor,” says Recine, who also mentioned that three Starbucks locations are coming to the property. “As these plans are finalized, more information will be released. The next three years will bring many exciting food and beverage concepts.”
As for its current offerings, Recine says that two restaurants in particular are worth checking out. “Currently, Luxor has two hidden treasures,” says Recine. “The Luxor Steakhouse offers casual elegance, with a décor of hand-rubbed cherry wood and beautiful tapestries. Executive chef Daniel Nuss serves the highest quality cuts of aged, prime beef. Fusia, which offers outstanding Pan-Asian cuisine in a hip, upbeat atmosphere.”
After graduating from the University of New Mexico, Recine began his career in the food and beverage industry at a family owned and operated restaurant in Scarsdale, NY. In the years that followed he worked at restaurants throughout the country, moving from dining room captain at Lacosta Hotel and Spa in Carlsbad, CA to management in butler services at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. He eventually landed in Las Vegas, where he was involved in the opening of The Mirage, the city’s original megaresort.
From there, he assumed the role of vice president of food and beverage at New York-New York, where he oversaw a number of popular and entertaining eateries. Now, assuming the same responsibilities at the Luxor, Recine will be an important figure in the resort’s ongoing evolution.
