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JW Marriott Las Vegas

(Redirected from The Resort at Summerlin)

JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort and Spa is a resort in Summerlin, Nevada, near Las Vegas. The Rampart Casino is located within the hotel. The property is owned and operated by Hotspur Resorts, which franchises the JW Marriott name from Marriott International. The hotel has 548 rooms and the casino measures 57,610 square feet (5,352 m2).

JW Marriott Las Vegas
Map
General information
LocationSummerlin, Nevada
Address221 North Rampart Boulevard
OpeningJuly 15, 1999
OwnerHotspur Resorts
AffiliationJW Marriott
Technical details
Floor count6[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Paul Steelman
DeveloperSwiss Casinos
Main contractorJ.A. Jones Construction
Other information
Number of rooms469
Number of suites79
Website
marriott.com/hotels/propertypage/lasjw

The project was announced in 1996, as The Resort at Summerlin. It was developed by Seven Circle Resorts, and the hotel portion was initially operated under a franchise from Regent International Hotels. The opening was originally scheduled for 1998, but the project saw several delays and cost overruns. It was designed by Paul Steelman and built by J.A. Jones Construction at a final cost of $276 million.

The Resort at Summerlin opened on July 15, 1999, with a casino and a hotel tower known as the Regent Grand Spa. A second tower, the Regent Grand Palm, opened in January 2000. Within a month, the entire property was renamed The Regent Las Vegas. The resort experienced financial trouble and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2000. Hotspur purchased the resort a year later and rebranded the hotel under the JW Marriott name. In 2002, the casino portion was renamed as the Rampart Casino by Millennium Management Group, which signed a 10-year lease. Hotspur took over management after the lease expired.

History

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Development and opening (1996-2000)

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In May 1996, the Howard Hughes Corporation, developer of the Summerlin planned community, announced an agreement for a casino resort to be developed by Seven Circle Resorts, an American affiliate of Swiss gaming firm Swiss Casinos.[2][3] The opening was originally planned for 1998.[2] Paul Steelman was the architect for the project, which would be known as The Resort at Summerlin.[2] Developers envisioned it as a luxury golf and spa resort, similar to those found in destinations like Scottsdale, Arizona and Palm Springs, California.[4][5] The property would have relationships with several nearby golf courses, including exclusive control of half of the tee times at the neighboring Tournament Players Club at the Canyons.[4]

Seven Circle purchased the 54-acre (22 ha) site from Howard Hughes Corp. in August 1996 for $16.6 million.[6] The company faced some opposition from nearby residents after modifying the project plans to include a second hotel tower. The enlargement plans were eventually approved, despite concerns about the impact it would have on the community.[7][8][9] By February 1998, construction was underway.[10] The hotel was topped out on December 1, 1998.[11] Managed by J.A. Jones Construction, the project was marked by delays and cost overruns.[12] The final cost of development was $276 million, including $76 million contributed by Swiss Casinos and $200 million borrowed from lenders.[13][14]

The Resort at Summerlin quietly opened its doors on July 15, 1999.[13][15] The opening had been delayed by three days because of the 1999 Las Vegas flood, which caused minor water damage to electrical circuits.[16][17] Its developers described it as Las Vegas' first off-Strip luxury resort. At opening, the property included a 286-room hotel tower, two restaurants, and a casino.[18][17] The hotel was named the Regent Grand Spa, under a franchise from Regent International Hotels.[16] Because of construction delays, other amenities, including the spa, pool, retail shops, and more restaurants, opened over the following months.[19]

The second hotel tower, the 255-room Regent Grand Palm, opened in January 2000.[20][21] By the next month, the entire property had been renamed as The Regent Las Vegas, to capitalize on its affiliation with the upscale Regent brand, and the two hotels were known simply as the Spa tower and the Palms tower.[21][22]

In June 2000, Swiss Casinos announced plans to purchase a 22-acre (8.9 ha) parcel next to the Regent and to develop it with timeshare units and tennis courts,[23] but this project never came to fruition.

After completion (2000-present)

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Signs of financial trouble appeared as early as November 1999, when the resort's operating company revealed that it was seeking new financing and its credit rating was downgraded.[24][25] By March 2000, the resort was in technical default on its mortgage debt, as a result of having borrowed additional money from Swiss Casinos.[26] Executives began to shift the casino's focus to attract more locals, such as by replacing slot machines with video poker machines.[27]

In September 2000, the Regent defaulted on various payments to creditors.[28][29] By November, executives were attempting to renegotiate the property's debt, and 239 of the resort's 1,700 employees had been laid off.[30] Several restaurants were closed or saw reduced operations.[31] The Regent filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection later that month,[19] and soon began seeking a buyer for the property.[32] Real estate developer Peccole Nevada was selected as the stalking horse bidder, with an offer of $150 million, but then withdrew its bid after a disagreement with its financing partner.[33][34] A new bid of $80 million by Los Angeles-based hotel company Maritz, Wolff was then selected, but was also withdrawn after negotiations with the Regent's creditors broke down.[35][36] Finally, the resort was sold to Hotspur Resorts, the hotel affiliate of Canadian real estate firm Larco Investments, for $80 million.[37] Observers had expected a competitive auction with bids from major casino operators, but most potential buyers lost interest after the September 11 attacks, which occurred two weeks before the auction.[37] Hotspur completed its purchase in November 2001.[38]

Hotspur rebranded the hotel under the JW Marriott name, hoping that it would be a better draw than the Regent name, which was found to have good name recognition in Asia but not in America.[39] The casino was leased in 2002 to Nevada-based Millennium Management Group on a 10-year lease.[40][41] Millennium renamed the casino as the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin, and continued the effort to shift the casino's marketing emphasis away from high rollers towards locals.[41] Hotspur also leased out the restaurant and shop space, and Millennium added three new restaurants.[42] Convention space was doubled in 2003 with the opening of a 31,000 sq ft (2,900 m2) expansion, built at a cost of $4.9 million.[43]

When the casino lease expired in 2012, Hotspur opted not to renew the agreement, assuming direct management of the casino, with the help of consulting services from Affinity Gaming.[44] Michael Gaughan, Jr., the son of casino magnate Michael Gaughan, was hired as the property's general manager.[45] Meanwhile, revenues declined because of a slow economy and increased competition from newly opened Strip resorts, leading the property to again default on its mortgage payments.[46] The owners were able to avoid foreclosure, ultimately negotiating a loan modification in December 2013.[47]

Gaughan upgraded the casino to attract more visitors,[48] beginning a renovation in 2012 that lasted several years. The project added 1,200 new slot machines and a new race and sports book layout. A bingo hall was added in 2014,[49] and room renovations were completed the following year, while convention-center remodeling was scheduled to conclude in early 2016.[50] A new sports book was opened in 2017, replacing an Irish bar,[51] and several new restaurants were added over the next year.[52] The Rampart Buffet underwent a four-month renovation and reopened in 2019 as the Market Place Buffet, with outdoor seating added.[53] Additional parking space was also built.[54]

Facilities

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The hotel has 469 rooms and 79 suites,[1] with rooms starting at 560 square feet (52 m2). There is a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) spa and 115,900 square feet (10,770 m2) of meeting and event spaces.[1][55]

The casino has 57,610 square feet (5,352 m2) of gaming space with 1,560 slot machines, 28 table games, and a race and sports book.[56][57]

The resort included a nightclub and lounge known as Plush, which operated from 2004 to 2006. Its owners then sued Hotspur Resorts, alleging that the latter failed to advertise the club as promised.[58][59][60]

Film history

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In April 2004, scenes were shot at the casino for the fourth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[61]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa - Hotel Details". Marriott International. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Summerlin unveils plan for 300-room resort-casino". Las Vegas Sun. May 24, 1996. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  3. ^ Thompson, Gary (December 2, 1998). "Regent resorts topped off in Summerlin". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Kern, Kirk (March 24, 1999). "Resort at Summerlin a mini mega-resort". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  5. ^ "Resort at Summerlin likened to Scottsdale, Palm Springs". Las Vegas Sun. April 30, 1999. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  6. ^ "Seven Circle buys Summerlin land". Las Vegas Sun. August 27, 1996. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  7. ^ Zapler, Mike (September 27, 1997). "City planners vote down bigger Summerlin resort". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 4, 1999.
  8. ^ Zapler, Mike (October 26, 1997). "Hotel expansion facing key vote". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 8, 1999.
  9. ^ Zapler, Mike (December 7, 1997). "No more debates on Summerlin casinos". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 6, 1999.
  10. ^ Berns, Dave (February 23, 1998). "Resort on its way in Summerlin". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  11. ^ Caruso, Monica (December 2, 1998). "New to the Neighborhood". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 12, 1999.
  12. ^ Berns, Dave (May 24, 1999). "Resort at Summerlin blames overruns on contractor". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  13. ^ a b Strow, David (July 16, 1999). "Resort at Summerlin quietly opens doors". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  14. ^ "Equity investment increased at the Resort at Summerlin". Las Vegas Sun. May 25, 1999. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  15. ^ Caruso, Monica (June 28, 1999). "Quiet Resort Opening". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 21, 2000.
  16. ^ a b Thompson, Gary (July 12, 1999). "Flooding delays the opening of the Resort at Summerlin". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Smith, Hubble (July 13, 1999). "Resort opening delayed". Las Vegas Sun – via NewsBank.
  18. ^ Thompson, Gary (November 2, 1999). "After slow summer start, Summerlin resort says momentum is building". Las Vegas Sun – via NewsBank.
  19. ^ a b Berns, Dave (November 22, 2000). "Regent files for bankruptcy". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  20. ^ "Las Vegas' Resort at Summerlin opens its second hotel tower". San Jose Mercury News. January 2, 2000 – via NewsBank.
  21. ^ a b "Resort may change name to add affiliate". Las Vegas Sun. January 10, 2000 – via NewsBank.
  22. ^ "Regent Las Vegas takes over in Summerlin". Summerlin View. February 12, 2000 – via NewsBank.
  23. ^ Simpson, Jeff (June 15, 2000). "Summerlin projects planned". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  24. ^ Berns, Dave (November 16, 1999). "Resort owners seek loans". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  25. ^ Thompson, Gary (November 15, 1999). "Resort at Summerlin financial challenges outlined". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  26. ^ "Resort operator in default on debt". Las Vegas Sun. March 3, 2000. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  27. ^ Hogan, Jan (March 13, 2000). "Regent president tackles challenges". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  28. ^ Berns, Dave (September 28, 2000). "Regent defaults on payment". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 28, 2003.
  29. ^ Berns, Dave (September 29, 2000). "Regent executives meet creditors to sort out debt troubles". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 4, 2002.
  30. ^ Berns, Dave (November 18, 2000). "Executives for Regent pursue creditor talks". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 15, 2002.
  31. ^ Ferguson, Kevin (October 10, 2000). "Regent Las Vegas Layoffs: Hundreds lose jobs". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001.
  32. ^ Berns, Dave (December 31, 2000). "Regent's chief aims to market property". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  33. ^ "Regent picks Peccole as preferred buyer". Las Vegas Sun. May 23, 2001 – via NewsBank.
  34. ^ Simpson, Jeff (July 4, 2001). "Company withdraws bid for Regent". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  35. ^ Berns, Dave (August 10, 2001). "Preferred bidder for Regent tapped". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  36. ^ Simpson, Jeff (September 11, 2001). "Preferred bidder pulls Regent Las Vegas bid". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  37. ^ a b Strow, David (September 26, 2001). "Canadian firm to buy Regent". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  38. ^ "Hotspur takes over Summerlin resort". Las Vegas Sun. November 23, 2001. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  39. ^ Simpson, Jeff (November 20, 2001). "Regent Las Vegas changing hands". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  40. ^ Strow, David (March 7, 2002). "Casino to get its fourth name in three years". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  41. ^ a b Simpson, Jeff (November 30, 2002). "Different name, different game". Las Vegas Review-Journal – via NewsBank.
  42. ^ Simpson, Jeff (July 27, 2002). "JW Marriott handling challenge". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on August 4, 2002.
  43. ^ Illia, Tony (May 9, 2003). "J.W. Marriott doubles convention space". Las Vegas Business Press. Archived from the original on June 23, 2003.
  44. ^ Green, Steve (9 May 2011). "Herbst Gaming in noncompete, consulting deal with Rampart Casino". Vegas Inc. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  45. ^ O'Reiley, Tim (6 March 2012). "Michael Gaughan Jr. to take over Rampart Casino management". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  46. ^ O'Reiley, Tim (January 6, 2012). "Court battle over mortgage on JW Marriott delayed a month". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  47. ^ "Talmage, LLC successfully modifies $160 million JW Marriott – Las Vegas Resort and Spa loan" (Press release). Talmage, LLC. December 20, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2018 – via BusinessWire.
  48. ^ Velotta, Richard N. (March 13, 2012). "Michael Gaughan — son of South Point owner, grandson of Jackie Gaughan — to take reins at Rampart Casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  49. ^ Stutz, Howard (January 9, 2014). "Rampart Casino marking 15th anniversary with emphasis on pure gambling". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  50. ^ Usufzy, Pashtana (October 19, 2015). "JW Marriott gets fresh look; Michelin chef brings Riviera-inspired cuisine to the Delano". VegasInc. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  51. ^ Moore, Thomas (September 7, 2017). "Gaming roundup: Sports books remodeled in time for football season". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  52. ^ Clifford-Cruz, Rebecca (May 7, 2018). "Michelle Bacigalupi talks renovations at Summerlin casino and resort". VegasInc. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  53. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (September 23, 2019). "Las Vegas resort expands buffet, adds outdoor seating". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  54. ^ "The Ladder: Rampart Casino gets new general manager". Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 25, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  55. ^ "Events and Promotions at Spa Aquae". Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin. November 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  56. ^ Nonrestricted Square Footage Report (Report). Nevada Gaming Control Board. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  57. ^ Nonrestricted Count Report (Report). Nevada Gaming Control Board. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  58. ^ Clarke, Norm (March 21, 2006). "Lawsuit filed after nightclub closes". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 19, 2006.
  59. ^ "Plush closes up and sues resort owners". Las Vegas Business Press. March 20, 2006. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  60. ^ "John Katsilometes on how the man who once portrayed Shirley Feeney's boyfriend has landed as a star on the Strip - as part of some musical cast changes at the Luxor". Las Vegas Sun. March 21, 2006. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  61. ^ Cling, Carol (5 April 2004). "Shooting Stars: 'CSI,' 'Will & Grace,' 'Dr. Vegas' headline busy week". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on 5 January 2006.
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