Webster's new world dictionary defines the word cosmopolitan as meaning someone or something "at home in every country or place."
The term is rarely used to describe Las Vegas, but partners at 3700 Associates believe that the $1.5 billion development cost will soon have that effect on the strip, both literally and figuratively.
The Las Vegas-based developer on Monday announced new details of its planned 4-million-square-foot mixed-use project, specifically Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino, the company's name. The day's revelations also included the identities of several new partners who shed new light on what's to come on the 8.5 acres of land south of Bellagio near the Jockey Club.
David Friedman, president of 3700 Associates, said the moniker was chosen because it summarized both the project and development direction in Southern Nevada.
"The Cosmopolitan is very urban: it's built on the streets, it's tall, and different things are happening on different floors," Friedman said. "In that sense, you can easily find this project in New York, Miami, or Hong Kong. It's not something anybody's seen in Las Vegas."
The project includes standard hotel accommodation as well as more than 2,400 rooms, including condo/time-share units, 150,000-square-foot convention spaces, 70,000-square-foot casinos, 1,800-seat theaters, and 300,000-square-foot retail, restaurant, and entertainment spaces.
Ian Bruce Eichner, chief executive of 3700 Associates, will bring his trademark high-rise development style to the strip, Friedman said. He said Eichner is one of the nation's top luxury time-share/condominium real estate developers, including continuum development at the Manhattan Club in New York and the South Beach area in Miami.
In his nearly nine-year tenure with Venetian parent Las Vegas Sands, combined with his expertise in the local gaming industry, Friedman called the partnership a "pretty strong combination."
"We've tried to design projects in a way that other factors (such as gaming, retail and time-share sales) effectively support land costs so that people can live right on the strip," Friedman said.
Other partners include Arquectonica, a certified architecture firm working on projects including the Le Meridian Hotel in Hong Kong; Dougall Design, a themed retail and interior design firm that has worked at Caesars' Forum Shop and hotels in Mandalay Bay; Friedmutter Group, a national architecture firm specializing in hotel casinos with a portfolio of MGM Grand and The Venetian; and Paul Duesing Partners, a bespoke interior designer behind many celebrity residences and exclusive hotels around the world. 안전 슬롯사이트
The Cosmopolitan is scheduled to begin construction early next year and open in late 2007 or early 2008, Friedman said.
