Planet Hollywood Las Vegas

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2009
Location Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Address 3667 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Opening date 1963 (1963)
Theme Hollywood
No. of rooms 2,567
Total gaming space 60,835 sq ft (5,651.8 m2)
Permanent shows Justin Timberlake
Paris By Night
Jennifer Lopez
Signature attractions Miracle Mile Shops
The AXIS
Notable restaurants Elements
Tremezzo
Koi
Owner Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Previous names Tally-Ho (1963–1964)
King's Crown (1964–1966)
Aladdin (1966–2007)
Renovated in 1964, 1966, 1998, 2007
Coordinates 36°06′36″N 115°10′17″W / 36.11000°N 115.17139°W / 36.11000; -115.17139Coordinates: 36°06′36″N 115°10′17″W / 36.11000°N 115.17139°W / 36.11000; -115.17139
Website caesars.com/planet-hollywood

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas (formerly Tally-Ho, King's Crown and Aladdin) is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corporation.

Hilton Grand Vacations operates the timeshare portion of the property, known as Elara.

In April 2010, Total Rewards replaced the "A-List" Player rewards card at Planet Hollywood.[1]

History

Tally-Ho and King's Crown (1963–1966)

The original Aladdin's Lamp in 2008, now part of the Neon Museum

The Tallyho Hotel and Country Club, located on the Las Vegas Strip, was completed in December 1962, at a cost of $12 million. It was the only major resort in Nevada to not include a casino. The hotel featured 450 rooms, six restaurants, a nine-hole golf course, and a helicopter service to take guests to nearby attractions. Despite the lack of a casino, the business was operating successfully as of February 1963.[2]

In 1964, it was renamed King's Crown and failed after six months, when it was denied a gaming license. In 1966, it was purchased by Milton Prell, and the hotel got a $3 million renovation, including a new 500-seat "Baghdad Theater" showroom. Prell turned the English-themed hotel into an Arabian Nights theme, but kept the original Tudor style room wings. A serrated canopy and a $750,000 15-foot "Aladdin's Lamp" sign were added.

Aladdin (1966–2007)

The Aladdin opened on March 31, 1966,[3] with flower petals pouring from the ceiling and onto guests as they entered the hall. The opening entertainment included comedian Jackie Mason, the "Jet Set Revue", a musical review that showcased The Three Cheers and the Petite Rockette Dancers in the Baghdad Theatre. Prell introduced an innovative main showroom policy by offering three completely different shows twice nightly with no cover or minimum charges.

The Aladdin contained a 9-hole golf course.

A little more than a year after it was opened, the Aladdin was host to Elvis and Priscilla Presley's wedding.[4]

In August 1969, It completed a $750,000 makeover including renovations to the Sinbad Lounge, which became enclosed and leveled above the casino floor with Arabic motif.

In 1969, Parvin Dohrmann Corporation took over the Aladdin, and in 1972, using the name Recrion Corporation, sold it to Sam Diamond, St. Louis politicians Peter Webbe and Sorkis Webbe, and St. Louis attorney Richard L. Daly for the price of just $5 million. Under the new owners, a $60 million face lift was conducted, including the addition of a 19-story tower and the new 7,500-seat Performing Arts Center replacing the golf course, which was $4 million over budget.

A $250,000 porte-cochere continued the tower's arabesques. The Aladdin added a new $300,000 140-foot (43 m) blockbuster sign with little neon, huge attraction panels and none of the arabesque of the Aladdin's original sign.

Neil Diamond performing at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on July 2, 1976

The Aladdin celebrated the Grand Opening of their new "Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts" with singer Neil Diamond being paid $650,000 for four shows; July 2 through July 5, 1976.

In August 1979, several individuals were convicted by a Detroit Federal Jury of conspiring to allow hidden owners to exert control over the resort, and the Nevada Gaming Commission then closed the hotel.[5]

The resort was sold to Wayne Newton and Ed Torres in 1980 for $85 million, snubbing an offer from comedian Johnny Carson. Newton sold his share to Torres 21 months later.[6] Newton sued NBC, who had alleged in broadcasts, that his purchase of the Aladdin was tied to the mafia. He won a $22.8 million judgement, which was overturned on appeal.[6] In February 1984, the Aladdin went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

In 1981, heavy metal band Iron Maiden played at the Aladdin – it was their first ever concert in America.

In 1986, Japanese businessman Ginji Yasuda purchased the Aladdin out of bankruptcy for $54 million. Yasuda spent an additional $35 million to refurbish the resort.[7] Yasuda was removed as the casino's operator by state regulators in September 1988. Yasuda placed the resort in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 1989, and subsequently died two months later. The property was publicly put up for sale in 1990, after months of unsuccessful private attempts to locate a buyer.[7]

The New Jersey-based Bell Atlantic-Tricon Leasing Corporation acquired the resort out of bankruptcy from Ginji Corporation in 1991. That year, Bell Atlantic-Tricon put the property up for sale at a minimum price of $44 million. In January 1994, businessman Donald Trump considered purchasing the Aladdin for $51 million, although Bell Atlantic-Tricon declined to sell the property for less than $60 million. Trump decided not to purchase the Aladdin as he felt the price was too high. Interest in the property increased following the news of Trump's potential purchase, with several prospective buyers emerging. At the time, the resort consisted of a 1,000-room hotel and a 37,000 square-foot casino.[8][9][10] Later in 1994, Jack Sommer, a Las Vegas real estate developer, and the Sommer Family Trust purchased the hotel.[11]

On December 6, 1996, American rock band Phish performed at the Aladdin, marking the first appearance in Las Vegas by the band. The performance was ultimately released as a CD/DVD release entitled "Vegas 96". The concert featured a guest appearance by members of the band Primus and a group of Elvis impersonators.

Demolition and rebuild (1998–2000)

The Aladdin closed on November 25, 1997. NCL/National Content Liquidators conducted an on-site liquidation sale beginning March 5, 1998, and continued until the building was "sold out". On April 27, 1998, the entire resort was imploded at 7:27 pm, except for the Aladdin Theatre to make way for the construction of an entirely new casino. Sommer took on London Clubs International as a partner in developing the new casino resort. LCI initially paid $50 million for a 25% interest, but took on additional equity after Sommer was unable to fund his share of cost overruns on the construction.[12]

The New Aladdin in 2005 before being rebranded as Planet Hollywood

The Aladdin was scheduled to reopen on August 17, 2000, at 6:00 p.m., with fireworks at 10:00 p.m. The opening was delayed while the Clark County building inspector completed its fire safety testing. Another delay was caused by last-minute repairs to the casino surveillance system. This left thousands of Aladdin visitors leaving in disappointment, as well as opening night hotel guests wondering where they'd spend the night. Many high-rollers waited out on the sidewalks in front of the Aladdin for hours. Most were unable to even get to their luggage, since the hotel had been locked down for testing. Aladdin employees tried to arrange alternate accommodations for the guests with Paris and Bellagio.

Meanwhile, the Desert Passage mall was opened with I Dream of Jeannie star Barbara Eden opening the doors to let the large crowd in.[13]

The Aladdin finally opened the next day at 7:45 a.m. 100 members of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, as well as more than 1,000 other workers were marching on Las Vegas Boulevard to protest the Aladdin opening without a union contract. Eden's speech as well as the other festivities were drowned out by the bullhorns and the rest of the protest.

According to Josh Axelrad in his 2010 book, Repeat until Rich, he and other professional gamblers, primarily card counters, took advantage of the Aladdin's inexperienced staff its opening weekend and fleeced the casino for an undetermined but large amount of money. The casino later introduced severe limits on mid-shoe bets in response.[14]

The Aladdin was in financial trouble from the time it opened, and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2001. In February 2002, Aladdin Gaming was searching for potential buyers.[15] The resort was sold in bankruptcy on June 20, 2003 to a partnership of Planet Hollywood and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

Planet Hollywood (2007–present)

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas at night in 2009
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2012

Renovations were carried out in stages, allowing the resort to remain open throughout. Planet Hollywood Las Vegas includes an expanded casino, new restaurants, new nightclub and retail space. A redesign of the facade and pedestrian plaza was intended to correct defects that made accessing the property from the sidewalks on The Strip difficult.

The retail space formerly known as "The Desert Passage" was converted into the Hollywood-themed "Miracle Mile Shops"[16] and the theatre formerly known as the "Aladdin Theatre" was converted into "The AXIS".

After the casino was renovated, it was reopened as: "Planet Hollywood Las Vegas" on April 17, 2007. The official grand opening was the weekend of November 16, 2007. The Planet Hollywood restaurant, however, remains at The Forum Shops at Caesars.

Under Caesars Entertainment Corporation (formerly Harrah's Entertainment)

The casino defaulted on its mortgage and had failed to make scheduled payments in September 2009. Harrah's began its process of taking over the property in December 2009 by purchasing some of the resort's debt.[17]

On January 16, 2010, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide dropped their affiliation so Harrah's could take over hotel operations. On February 18, 2010, the Nevada Gaming Commission gave Harrah's the approval to take over the property. Harrah's officially acquired the property on February 19, 2010. Harrah's Total Rewards program was phased into Planet Hollywood which was completed in April 2010.

Marilyn Winn has stepped in as President of the resort; she is President of Paris Las Vegas and Bally's Las Vegas, both Caesar's Hotels. Robert Earl, former president and founder of the Planet Hollywood brand, will advise Caesars on marketing strategies for Planet Hollywood Hotel and the other nine casinos Caesars owns in the Las Vegas area. Winn is leaving Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah's Entertainment) and taking the place of Andrew Pascal at Wynn/Encore Las Vegas as President of Wynn/Encore Las Vegas.

Caesars does not own Prive Nightclub, nor some restaurants in the hotel. It does not own the newly branded Elara (formerly PH Tower by Westgate that opened in December 2009), as Hilton Grand Vacations, part of Hilton Worldwide now operates that tower's hotel operations. Through a licensing agreement, Caesars now has the right to use the Planet Hollywood trademark at other properties worldwide.

Combined with its earlier acquisition of former Barbary Coast (via a three-way-swap), the acquisition of Planet Hollywood's footprint on the Strip gave Caesars total control of the 126 acres (0.51 km2) on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip from Flamingo to Harmon Roads.[18]

Features

Casino

Casino near The Pleasure Pit in 2009

Planet Hollywood's architecture can best be described as having a 'Hollywood hip' theme. It eschews the popular Art-Deco glamour of similarly imaged venues for a sleeker look that features plenty of glass, neon and reflective surfaces.

The resort features a three-acre casino floor full of traditional gambling machines like slots, table games and The Playing Field Race and Sports Book. This features 33 plasma screens, two jumbo screens and a section for VIP. Planet Hollywood is the first Las Vegas resort to offer table games dealt by young ladies in "chic lingerie". The Pleasure Pit is a section of the table games where this happens with go-go dancers entertaining the gamblers at the side.[19]

Skill-based gaming machines from Gamblit Gaming were introduced in March 2017, the first of their kind in Las Vegas. Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard's Treasure are currently available, with more titles to come in the future.[20]

"The Mezzanine"

View from the Mezz in 2009

The Mezzanine can be accessed by taking an escalator in the casino or the elevator. Here, guests can relax on comfy chairs overlooking the casino. The space was designed to be quieter than the main areas of the casino, where guests come to lounge and smoke. The area is rather spaced out with room to walk and includes a place for shooting basketball hoops. It includes a "Living Room" with sofas to be accessed by the guests.

The Planet Hollywood showroom is located on the mezzanine. It features several different live shows; as of 2010, the most popular and longest-running is titled Peepshow which previously starred headliners such as Holly Madison and Coco Austin in the leading role. A live version of the television series America's Got Talent hosted by Jerry Springer (who flies to Vegas weekly from his self-titled show's taping in Stamford, Connecticut) and Tony n' Tina's Wedding played on the Mezzanine in 2009.

"The Spa by Mandara" is located on this floor. Two fine dining restaurants, KOI and Strip House, are present here, across from the wedding chapel.

Swimming pool

North Strip View from snack bar area in 2009

The swimming pool in this resort can be accessed through the sixth floor. The area overlooks the Strip with a view of the north and south. It features two pools and two hot spa one of each in both the South and North Strip. The one in the North Strip section features VIP cabanas for renting. In between is a bar/grill/snack-bar with a patch of grass lined with pool chairs for guests to sit and eat.

The pool usually is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and the bar from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, DJs spin popular music from noon to 4:00 p.m.[21]

The AXIS

The AXIS is an auditorium located inside the Miracle Mile Shops. In 2011, it was voted as one of the "Best Concert Halls & Theaters In Las Vegas".[22] It is the largest theatre of its kind in the United States[23] and the largest theatre on The Strip.

Britney: Piece of Me

Beginning in December 2013, the venue is home for Britney Spears' residency show, Britney: Piece Of Me. Spears will perform 50 shows per year, in 2014 and 2015. She is reportedly earning $15 million per year, making her the highest paid Vegas act (per show). The first show began on the 27th of December 2013 and was well received by fans and critics. In 2015, the residency was extended for two more years and the residency show will end on December 31, 2017.[24]

Accommodations

The Planet Hollywood Resort features rooms that meet its Hollywood theme. The resort, which stands 400 feet (122 meters) tall, has 37 floors (with the final two being VIP), and each room is dedicated to a certain movie such as Backdraft. Rooms feature actual props and memorabilia from the film. The rooms range from standard to luxurious "Panorama" suites with a view of the whole Las Vegas Strip.

Rooms include:

Elara

Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Hotel in 2010

In December 2009, PH Towers by Westgate opened at Planet Hollywood. The 52-story building, owned by Westgate Resorts and operated by Planet Hollywood, featured 1,200 suites to be used as timeshares and hotel rooms, including 40 luxury penthouse units.[28]

In November 2011, Resort Finance America, a subsidiary of Centerbridge Partners, acquired a controlling interest in the tower, took over operations, and began rebranding it as a Hilton Grand Vacations resort.[29][30] The following March 2012, the property was renamed Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Hotel.[31]

Film history

Footage of the implosion of the original structure was used in the closing credits of the film The Cooler.

This casino was used in the filming of Going in Style.

Seasons One and Two of the A&E Network show Criss Angel Mindfreak were filmed at the resort.

The TLC show Trading Spaces took place at the Aladdin in a 2004 episode.

The Theatre for the Performing Arts was the site for the 2006 to 2012 Miss America pageants, the Miss USA pageants from 2008 to 2013, and hosted Miss Universe 1991, Miss Universe 1996, Miss Universe 2012 and the Miss Universe 2015.

The Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) world premiere took place at Planet Hollywood on September 25, 2007.

The Rambo (2008) world premiere took place at Planet Hollywood on January 24, 2008.

Scenes from the 2008 movie 21 were shot in Planet Hollywood.

The Planet Hollywood hotel is prominently featured in the movie What Happens in Vegas as the hotel where the Fullers stay and get married.

The movie Transporter 3 had its world premiere at PH on November 21, 2008. Jason Statham was present for the premiere.

The movie Race to Witch Mountain was partly shot here for the space convention

The movie The Expendables premiered at PH in August, 2010. This was announced by a helicopter that was displayed on the PH casino floor.

Seasons One and Two of E's Holly's World were shot at the Planet Hollywood. Holly Madison starred in Peepshow on property until 2012.

A flashmob set to Midi Mafia's "PHamous" was performed by several YouTubers including Shay Carl and KassemG in November, 2009.

Scenes from Get Him to the Greek were filmed and take place at PH.

Scenes from Knocked Up were filmed at PH.

The nearly completed structure can be seen in the 2009 film, The Hangover.

The documentary The Queen of Versailles discusses former owner David Siegel's struggle & hardship to secure funding for the Ph Towers Westgate.

An episode of the Web Series Jake And Amir was shot in the Hollywood Hip Queen Room of the hotel.

The Planet Hollywood hotel is briefly seen in the 2013 film, The Hangover Part III

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Harrah’s officially takes over Planet Hollywood". Las Vegas Sun. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Vegas Strip Work Totals $50 Million; All Major Hotel-casinos Expanding". Reno Evening Gazette. 1963-02-23. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  3. ↑ "Las Vegas History 1900–1989". Only Vegas. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
  4. ↑ Burbank, Jeff (2000). Las Vegas babylon : true tales of glitter, glamour, and greed / Jeff Burbank. London: Robson Books. p. 228. ISBN 1861059663.
  5. ↑ "History of the Aladdin – Las Vegas Strip". A2zlasvegas.com. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  6. 1 2 Macy, Robert (1998-04-26). "Las Vegas' Famed Aladdin Casino Ready to Go Up in Puff of Smoke". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  7. 1 2 "Aladdin goes to market". Reno Gazette-Journal. September 27, 1990. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Trump 'not thrilled' with Aladdin". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 10, 1994. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Sealed bids for Vegas resort". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 12, 1994. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Aladdin Hotel: Trump Says He Won't Buy Vegas Casino". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 19, 1994. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  11. ↑ Shemeligian, Bob (24 April 1998). "Aladdin's history dotted with troubled owners". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Richard L. Johnson. "London Clubs International and the Sommer Family Trust are the Biggest Losers in Aladdin Bankruptcy / July 2003". Hotel-online.com. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  13. ↑ History of the Aladdin
  14. ↑ Axelrad, Josh, Repeat Until Rich, 2010, Penguin Press, New York, p. 256.
  15. ↑ Berns, Dave (February 27, 2002). "Aladdin Gaming seeks buyers for Strip resort". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 30, 2005.
  16. ↑ "Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Las Vegas". Planet Hollywood. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  17. ↑ Hevener, Phil (2009-10-20). "Caesar's to operate Planet Hollywood?". Gaming Today. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  18. ↑ Knightly, Arnold M. (2009-09-14). "Harrah's buying Planet Hollywood debt". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  19. ↑ "Planet Hollywood". Archived from the original on July 11, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  20. ↑ "Caesars Entertainment introduces skill-based games to Las Vegas". www.casinocitytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  21. ↑ "Planet Hollywood". Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  22. ↑ "Best Concert Halls & Theaters In Las Vegas". CBS Las Vegas. CBS Local Media. 18 February 2011. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  23. ↑ "Travel to a world of wonder and mystery". Aladdin Casino. Aladdin Gaming, LLC. June 2000. Archived from the original on 19 October 2000. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  24. ↑ "Spears to end ‘Piece of Me’ in December, but is the show really over?". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2017-04-08. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
  25. ↑ "Planet Hollywood". Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  26. ↑ "Planet Hollywood". Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  27. ↑ "Planet Hollywood". Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  28. ↑ Finnegan, Amanda (18 December 2009). "Planet Hollywood timeshare owners move in". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  29. ↑ Green, Steve (22 November 2011). "PH Towers Westgate at Planet Hollywood has new owner". Vegas Inc. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  30. ↑ "Centerbridge Acquires Resort Finance Business From GMAC Commercial Finance" (Press release). Centerbridge Capital Partners. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  31. ↑ Green, Steve (1 March 2012). "Former PH Towers Westgate timeshare resort gets new name". Vegas Inc. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
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