VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/118468
In business development assembly takes up issue of tax district to pay for stadium By Paul Takahashi staff writer An Assembly bill introduced in March would create a tax increment financing district for the proposed 60,000-seat UNLV Now stadium project. The special tax district would encompass any property owned or leased by the Nevada System of Higher Education and UNLV within an area bounded by Maryland Parkway, Tropicana Avenue, Swenson Street and Flamingo Avenue — essentially UNLV's Maryland Parkway campus. If the bill is approved, any taxes col- Your Safety Our Priority lected from the district over the next 20 years would be reinvested back into the area for its redevelopment. Affected taxes include any property taxes, payroll taxes, the live entertainment tax, sales and use tax, slot tax and room tax collected on campus. Much of the money generated from the district would be used to pay off the cost of the stadium, which has been hailed by Don Snyder, UNLV Now's project lead, as a "game changer for UNLV and Las Vegas." Assembly Bill 335 also would create a UNLV Campus Improvement Authority that would oversee the district and any tax monies collected within it. The authority would be governed by a nine-member board of directors, which would include four members from the NSHE Board of Regents (one of whom could be substituted for an UNLV administrator), one member appointed by Gov. Brian Sandoval, one member appointed by the Clark County Commission, one member appointed by the Clark County Fair and Recreation Board and two members from the hospitality, gaming or tourism industries. "I have been working on the stadium issue for the last year," said Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, who authored the bill. "There has been a lot of discussion back and forth, and I feel it's important that we now have that discussion in the Legislature this session." the strip bill's gamblin' hall to reopen as boutique hotel By Andrea Domanick staff writer It's Free. It's Easy. It's the Law. One call to 811 gets underground utility lines marked for FREE – whether you're a homeowner or professional excavator. Every digging job requires a call – even small projects – so be sure to: • Call 811 two days before starting any digging project • Wait for the site to be marked • Respect the marks • Dig with care Not calling can be life-threatening and costly. You can harm yourself or others, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood, and potentially be responsible for injuries, repair costs, and criminal penalties. www.swgasliving.com/safety 8 20130401_VI08_F.indd 8 Caesars Entertainment announced in March that Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon will reopen as Gansevoort Las Vegas, a standalone boutique resort scheduled to debut early next year. The new property marks a partnership among Bill's owner Caesars Entertainment Corp., the New York-based luxury hotel brand Gansevoort Hotel Group and nightlife mogul Victor Drai, whose eponymous after-hours nightclub has been a mainstay at the location for the past 15 years. Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon closed Feb. 4 to undergo a $185 million renovation. Gansevoort Las Vegas will tout 188 guest rooms with 19 suites featuring a Parisian apartment-style theme designed by local firm Tandem Las Vegas, which also designed boutique hotel Rumor. The renovation includes a 40,000-square-foot casino, a redesigned lobby bar, an ultralounge and retail outlets. "Gansevoort Las Vegas will be a completely unique upscale lifestyle experience in Las Vegas," said Tariq Shaukat, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Caesars Entertainment, in a statement. "It will set a new standard of fun and modern luxury, which only Gansevoort Hotel Group, Victor Drai and Caesars Entertainment can create. We are confident that Gansevoort Las Vegas will be one of the most exciting destinations in Las Vegas when it opens in 2014." Drai's will return to its original loca- tion, while the new Drai's Beach Club and Nightclub will open in a 65,000square-foot space alongside the property's rooftop pool. "Drai's After Hours has been a staple of Las Vegas nightlife for the past 15 years," Drai said. "Drai's set a new standard for the late-night entertainment experience in Las Vegas, and I've successfully raised the bar for that experience with each new venue I've launched. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to once again reinvent and reinvigorate the nightlife scene right where it all began 15 years ago. "Drai's Beach Club and Nightclub, set atop the renovated Gansevoort Las Vegas, will be unlike any other club venue in the world. I'm looking forward to entertaining guests in this beautiful rooftop venue as well as reintroducing After Hours by Drai to the resort." The official Caesars Entertainment confirmation was reported by Robin Leach's VegasDeLuxe.com on Nov. 1 and again Feb. 4. The official announcement also confirmed previous stories July 6, 2010, and Aug. 27, 2010, that Drai would run a 75,000-square-foot beach and nightclub with a rooftop pool. The resort is expected to employ more than 1,000 people; Bill's staff included about 600. The property was opened in 1979 as the Boyd Gaming-owned Barbary Coast. It was acquired by Harrah's Entertainment in 2007 and rebranded as Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon in tribute to company founder Bill Harrah. | 1 APRIL 2013 | 3/28/13 2:53:47 PM