Caesars Entertainment Plans Strip Promenade

Caesars recently unveiled plans for a $550 million open-air Strip promenade. 

The project, fittingly called Linq, links together a handful of Las Vegas Strip mega-resorts, while demolishing the aging O’Sheas Casino and rebranding the Imperial Palace Hotel Casino.

Linq will additionally add about 40 new shops, restaurants and bars directly across the street from the company’s namesake property, Caesars Palace. About 70% of the development will consist of restaurants and bars, with remainder going toward retail and entertainment outlets.

“We are enhancing the allure of the resort experience in a coveted location,” says Caesars chief Gary Loveman. “The Linq is going to be the new address for fun.”

Most notably, the address will feature a 550-ft-tall observation wheel – the world’s tallest – with 28 transparent cabins each capable of holding up to 40 passengers. “Las Vegas High Roller,” as its being dubbed, has a streamlined look that resembles an oversized bicycle wheel. The 469-ft-dia cable tensioned wheel will be supported by four steel support legs and a braced leg. The 6-ft-dia tubular steel rim will have 112 locked coil cable assemblies as spokes that connect to a fixed spindle and rotating hub with two bearing assemblies.

Built from 6.6 million pounds of steel, the wheel will handle 2,240 riders per hour or 10 million people annually. Each roundtrip ride will take about a half-hour. The engineer behind the London Eye – U.K.-based Arup – is the wheel designer and engineer, with American Bridge Co., Coraopolis, Penn., as general contractor who also must inspect and maintain the wheel for one year.

Caesars is additionally partnering with real estate development heavyweight Rick Caruso to help shape, plan and coordinate Linq. The complex will resemble Caruso’s Grove and Americana at Brand shopping centers in Southern California, with sculptural shading and heating components, and elaborate fountains and outdoor concerts. The contemporary design is being created by David M. Schwarz, the architect behind the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Las Vegas, along with Klai Juba Associates as architect-of-record.

"Las Vegas is a market we've looked at for years and we believe it is ideal for an outdoor destination retail and entertainment property," says Caruso who is considering a run for mayor of Los Angeles. "We will bring our signature approach to The Linq, and help create an environment that appeals to ever-changing consumer tastes and elevates the retail and entertainment experience."

The quarter-mile-long, 200,000-sq-ft Linq promenade will improve and better organize pedestrian interaction between Harrah’s, Flamingo and Imperial Palace whose makeover will consist of a revamped facade, porte-cochere, casino, and hotel reception area. The 32-year-old, 2,640-room Imperial Palace was last renovated in 1989.

Linq will have a diverse tenant mix geared toward Gen X and Gen Y visitors, or those people between the ages of 21 and 46. The project will create 3,000 construction jobs, with anticipated groundbreaking by year’s end. Linq is expected to open in 2013, generating 1,500 permanent positions.