Luxor Las Vegas

Luxor Las Vegas
Address 3900 Las Vegas Blvd South.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Opening date October 15, 1993 (October 15, 1993)
Theme Ancient Egypt
Number of rooms 4,407
Total gaming space 120,000 sq ft (11,000 m2)
Permanent shows Jabbawockeez
Carrot Top
Fantasy
Criss Angel Believe
Signature attractions LAX Nightclub
Cathouse
Ultra Lounge
Noir Bar
Atrium Level
Aurora
Liquidity
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Bodies…The Exhibition
Casino type Land-Resort
Owner MGM Resorts International
Renovated in 1998, 2007, 2008, 2009
Coordinates 36°5′43.67″N 115°10′32.94″W / 36.0954639°N 115.1758167°W / 36.0954639; -115.1758167Coordinates: 36°5′43.67″N 115°10′32.94″W / 36.0954639°N 115.1758167°W / 36.0954639; -115.1758167
Website www.luxor.com

Luxor Las Vegas is a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The 30-story hotel, owned and operated by MGM Resorts International, has a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) casino with over 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games.[1][2][3]

Due to the 2008 to 2009 renovation, it has a new, highly modernized design and contains a total of 4,407 rooms, including 442 suites, lining the interior walls of a pyramid-shaped tower and within more recent twin 22-story ziggurat towers.[1][3][4][5]

The hotel is named after the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) in Egypt.[6] Luxor is the fourth-largest hotel in Las Vegas and the eighth largest in the world.[7] As of 2010, the Luxor has a 4 Key rating from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, which evaluates "sustainable" hotel operations.[8]

History

View of the pyramid also showing the two additional hotel towers

Ground was broken for the Luxor in April 1991 and the resort officially opened eighteen months later at 4 AM on October 15, 1993, to a crowd of 10,000 people.[9][10][11] When it opened, the pyramid, which cost $375 million to build, was the tallest building on the strip and contained 2,526 rooms and a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) casino.[4][12][13] The resort was financed by “petty cash” earned from other Circus Circus Enterprises properties and did not include any outside financial investors.[9] The hotel's pyramid is similar in size to the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid of Egypt.

A theater and two additional towers totaling 2,000 rooms were added in 1998 for $675 million.[4] When the resort opened, it featured the Nile River Tour which was a river ride that carried guests to different parts of the pyramid and passed by pieces of ancient artwork on a river that encircled the casino.[14] The casino also featured King Tut’s Tomb and Museum, a duplicate of King Tutankhamen’s tomb as found in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt.[9] In July 2007, owner MGM Resorts International announced plans to thoroughly renovate the Luxor, spending $300 million to remodel 80 percent of Luxor's public areas, removing much of the ancient Egyptian theme and replacing it with more adult-oriented and modern lounges, restaurants and clubs.[15]

On May 7, 2007, a vehicle exploded in a Luxor Hotel parking garage due to a home-made bomb which left one dead.[16] Local authorities believe the victim, a 24-year-old employee at Nathan’s Famous hot dog restaurant in the Luxor food court, was the intended target. The hotel was not evacuated, operations continued uninterrupted, and the parking structure as well as the casino were undamaged.[17][18]

Luxor Las Vegas includes 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) of convention space, four swimming pools and whirlpools, a wedding chapel, Nurture Spa and Salon and 29 retail stores.[7][19][20][21][22] Luxor is also connected to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino through The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, a 310-foot (94 m)- long retail sky bridge with retailers such as Urban Outfitters, minus5° Ice Lounge & Lodge, a Guinness Store and a Nike Golf store.[23][24]

The Luxor is home to five shows which consist of "Criss Angel - Believe", "PRiSM" starring the Jabbawockeez, "Fantasy" (a topless revue), comedian Carrot Top, and "Menopause the Musical".[25] Luxor's most recent live show, PRiSM, debuted in May 2013 and stars popular dance crew Jabbawockeez. The show features dance and mime comedy to tell a story themed around black, white and the 7 colors of the spectrum. PRiSM is housed in a new 850-seat theater and a mural of the crew is painted in the lobby by performance artist David Garibaldi.[26]

Luxor's other star show is "Criss Angel - Believe", a collaboration between illusionist Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil that began in Halloween of 2008.[27] The hotel also began hosting in 2009 “Bodies: The Exhibition,” an educational display on the human body, and “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” replacing their three story arcade.[28][29] From 2000 to 2005, the Luxor Theatre was the home of the performance-art show Blue Man Group, which has since moved to the Monte Carlo.[30]

On August 31, 2007, LAX Nightclub officially opened at a party hosted by Britney Spears.[31] A number of other celebrities, including Christina Aguilera, have also hosted events at the club.[32] The two-level, 26,000 sq ft (2,400 m2) venue contains 78 VIP tables and Noir Bar, which according to the Las Vegas Review Journal is an “ultra-elite bar” that is a reservations-only establishment.[31] Additional nightlife destinations within Luxor include CatHouse, Aurora, Liquidity, and Flight.[33][34]

The McDonald's inside of the Luxor food court became the first out of two McDonalds in the entire world to vend Pepsi products instead of Coke products. The second opened up 3 years later in Excalibur.

Luxor Sky Beam

The light of the Luxor low view

At 42.3 billion candela, the Luxor Sky Beam is the strongest beam of light in the world. Using computer designed, curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam, engineers claimed that newspaper can be read from a distance as far as 10 miles. This however, was later revealed to be a false claim . The light beam, however, was still unarguably bright. On a clear night, the Sky Beam is visible up to 275 miles (443 km) away by aircraft at cruising altitude, such as over Los Angeles.[35][36]

Each of the 39 lamps is a 7,000 watt[37] Xenotech fixture[38] costing about $1,200. When at full power, the system costs $51 an hour to operate, with $20 per hour of that just for its 315,000 watts of electricity.[37] The beam has operated reliably since first enabled on October 15, 1993, and is an FAA designated navigational landmark for aviators.[35]

The lamp room is about 50 feet (15 m) below the top of the building and serviced by a staff of two workers during the day.[39] The room's temperature is about 300 °F (149 °C) while the lights are operating.[40] Since 2008, only half the lamps are lit as a cost and energy saving measure.[41] The light might be the world's best bug attractor, establishing a new ecosystem of moths, bats, and owls.[42]

Location

Luxor is located on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip.[43] The resort is flanked by the Mandalay Bay to the south and by the Excalibur to the north; all three are connected by free express and local trams.[44] All three properties were built by Circus Circus Enterprises, which in 1999 became Mandalay Resort Group.[45][46]

Usage in popular culture

This destination hotel is often viewed as a prime example of 1990s Postmodern architecture, and appeared on the cover of architecture scholar James Steele's book Architecture Today.[47] Since opening in 1993, the hotel has appeared in numerous films including the 1996 film Mars Attacks![48] and can be seen in the destroyed Vegas in 2012.[49]

In Up in the Air, George Clooney's character, Ryan Bingham, is asked to take a picture in front of the Luxor hotel. The Hotel was also seen in the movie The Hangover.[50] The hotel has also been featured in the television shows Fear Factor, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Great Hotels, and CSI.[48][51] A replica of the Luxor, named "The Camel's Toe", appeared in the Las Venturas area of the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[52] The Luxor Las Vegas also appears in Futurama episode, "Viva Mars Vegas".

Gallery

Comparison of approximate profiles of Luxor Las Vegas with some notable pyramidal or near-pyramidal buildings. Dotted lines indicate original heights, where data are available. (Click for interactive version.)
View from McCarran International Airport
View from McCarran International Airport 
Great Sphinx of Giza and the Luxor Sky Beam, exterior view
Great Sphinx of Giza and the Luxor Sky Beam, exterior view 
Luxor Las Vegas obelisk 
Luxor Sky Beam from across Las Vegas Boulevard. 

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Rudd, Denis; Mills, Richard (2010). "Evolution and development of metro-casinos" (PDF). Journal of Management & Marketing Research: 2.
  2. ↑ Howard Stutz (21 April 2010). "MGM aims to adopt a new name". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  3. 1 2 MGM Resorts International (2010). "Luxor Las Vegas Fact Sheet - press kit". Luxor.com. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Howard Stutz (12 July 2007). "Farewell to Egypt". The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  5. ↑ Caine, Rachel (2003). "The Best Game in Town". Texas Monthly: 73.
  6. ↑ "Luxor casino: 30-story pyramid". Chicago Sun-Times. 26 April 1992.
  7. 1 2 "Checking In: The World's 10 Largest Hotels & Resorts". Footwear News 65: 97. 2009.
  8. ↑ Vartan, Starre (25 August 2010). "Bellagio, MGM Grand, other hotels earn high ratings from Green Key". Forbes. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 Mim Swartz (9 January 1994). "Luxor River cruises, tomb tours and, oh, yes, a casino". Rocky Mountain News.
  10. ↑ "Co-op Owners Buy Westchester Land". The Washington Post. 25 April 1992.
  11. ↑ Lynn Waddell (15 October 1993). "Resort opens a new era in LV". Las Vegas Sun.
  12. ↑ "Imagination Runs Wild at Las Vegas Resorts". The New York Times. 7 November 1993.
  13. ↑ Liz Benston (29 July 2007). "Luxor to shed its Egyptian Image". Las Vegas Sun.
  14. ↑ James T. Yenckel (2 October 1994). "Giant Resorts Turn Las Vegas Into Desert Disneyland". Chicago Sun-Times.
  15. ↑ "Vegas' pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel to get makeover". USA Today. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  16. ↑ "1 dead in casino parking lot explosion". USA Today. 8 May 2007.
  17. ↑ "Jury selection complete in Luxor bombing trial". Las Vegas Review Journal. 20 August 2009.
  18. ↑ Francis McCabe (1 September 2009). "2 avoid death penalty, get life in prison for Luxor bombing". Las Vegas Review Journal.
  19. ↑ "BODIES...The Exhibition Now Open At Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas" (Press release). PrimeNewswire. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  20. ↑ "2010 Pool Season Heats Up in Las Vegas with Hot New Venues, Cool New Experiences" (Press release). PR Newswire. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  21. ↑ Audi, Tamara (2 November 2007). "Las Vegas Goes All Out To Attract Gay Travelers". The Wall Street Journal.
  22. ↑ Eliza Hussman (2 May 2010). "Easy to trade in craps tables for massage tables in Vegas". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  23. ↑ Cathy Stapells (4 November 2007). "Escada, Gucci, Dior, oh my!; Vegas takes shopping to a new level". The Toronto Sun.
  24. ↑ Mandalay Bay (2010). "The Shoppes at Mandalay Place". Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  25. ↑ Cam Hutchinson (30 October 2010). "Here's to you, Las Vegas; Or, How I learned that travelling with an old guy can make anyone look young". The Vancouver Sun.
  26. ↑ Lane, Richard (May 17, 2013). "Look Inside The World Of Jabbawockeez's PRiSM". VegasChatter.com. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  27. ↑ Phil Gallo (3 November 2008). "Criss Angel Believe Theater review". Daily Variety.
  28. ↑ Quezada, Zeke (26 December 2010). "Bodies... The Exhibition at the Luxor Las Vegas". About.com Las Vegas Travel Blog. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  29. ↑ Amy Robinson (20 December 2009). "21⁄2 miles under the sea; Titanic artifacts exhibit at Las Vegas resort an amazing adventure". Charleston Gazette.
  30. ↑ Mike Weatherford (25 September 2005). "Phase Two of Blue Man Group under way". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  31. 1 2 Jeremy Pond (31 August 2007). "Expect the unexpected when Spears opens LAX". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  32. ↑ "Christina Aguilera Hosts @ LAX Nightclub Las Vegas NV". 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  33. ↑ John Yellig/Associated Press (17 July 2007). "MGM Mirage to renovate pyramid-shaped Luxor casino in Las Vegas". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  34. ↑ MGM Resorts International (2010). "Night Life". Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  35. 1 2 "The G-Force I.E.E. "Beam of Luxor" History". G-Force International Entertainment Corporation. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  36. ↑ "Luxor Hotel & Casino". oyster.com. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
  37. 1 2 Knapp, George (July 11, 2012). "The Story Behind the Luxor Light". Las Vegas: KLAS-TV. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  38. ↑ "Brightest lights on Earth, Xenotech, makers of the Skytracker system". Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  39. ↑ Sonya Padgett (November 18, 2012). "Luxor light serves as beacon for millions of Las Vegas Strip visitors". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2013-05-31. A staff of two, supervised by Hayes, maintains the Sky Beam. Every day, Hortizuela and co-worker Nick Mihalic take an elevator 30 floors up, then climb a series of ladders and stairs that lead to the Luxor's light room.
  40. ↑ Padgett, Hortizuela and Mihalic work during the day, as it's too hot to work around the lights when they're on. It's also too bright. Just 5 inches above the surface of the lamp, Hayes says temperatures have been measured at 500 degrees. On the worker's platform 25 feet above the lights, temperatures reach 300 degrees when the lights are on.
  41. ↑ Padgett, While the hotel management may have claimed that it was the brightest light on Earth, it has been dimmed considerably. It's not visible to the naked eye but the beam has been shining at half-strength since 2008. As a cost-cutting and energy-saving effort, management decided to use only half of the lamps every night, Hayes says.
  42. ↑ Padgett, When the light was first turned on in 1993, no one imagined it would become the world's largest bug attractor. But it did. Soon after it debuted, moths flocked to the Luxor Sky Beam like, well, moths to a flame.... The light technicians soon learned that, where there are moths, there are bats. They came to feast on the moths. Then the owls showed up. Apparently, bats make for a nice meal, too.¶ "It's a whole circle of life thing going on in there," Hayes says.
  43. ↑ "Five of the best". Sunday Mail. 12 September 2010.
  44. ↑ Lender, Heidi (1 August 1999). "Luxe Vegas; varied sights of Las Vegas, NV". Los Angeles Magazine 44: 80.
  45. ↑ "Circus Circus Shareholders Approve Company Name Change". PR Newswire. 17 June 1999.
  46. ↑ "Hilton to acquire Promus Hotel Corp". The Los Angeles Times. 8 September 1999.
  47. ↑ James Steele (2001). "Architecture Today". Phaidon Press.
  48. 1 2 Heather (28 April 2008). "Hotel Spotlight: Luxor". The Las Vegas Adventurer.
  49. ↑ "The end is nigh: John Cusack in fight for survival in apocalyptic film 2010". Daily Mail (London). 19 June 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2010. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  50. ↑ Mike Weatherford (16 May 2010). "Las Vegas abounds with quirky, pretty and fun souvenir settings". The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  51. ↑ Carol Cling (5 April 2010). "Shooting Stars: Local atmosphere keys visits by 'CSI, 'The Odds'". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  52. ↑ Misha Davenport (5 November 2004). "Game of the Week". Chicago Sun-Times.

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