The site of Planet Hollywood was previously occupied by the Aladdin, an Arabian-themed hotel and casino which operated until 1997. Real estate developer Jack Sommer demolished the Aladdin in 1998 to make way for a new version, with London Clubs International as his partner. The new Aladdin opened on August 18, 2000. It suffered immediate financial problems, eventually filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2001.
Planet Hollywood International and Starwood Hotels took over ownership in 2004, and launched a renovation to convert the property into a Planet Hollywood resort, a project which concluded in 2007. The resort suffered further financial problems amid the Great Recession, with Caesars taking ownership in 2010.
The property was initially the site of the Tallyho Hotel, which was developed and opened in 1962 by Edwin S. Lowe, a businessman and toy manufacturer.[1] The Tallyho was one of the few major hotels in Nevada at the time without a casino, a decision that contributed to its failure.[2] In 1963, the property was sold and renamed the King's Crown Tallyho.[3][4] Plans to add a casino were canceled when the Nevada Gaming Control Board declined to issue a gambling license, due to concerns about inadequate financing.[5]
Milton Prell, a prominent Las Vegas gaming figure, purchased the property, added an Arabian Nights theme, and reopened it as the Aladdin on April 1, 1966.[6][7] The Aladdin included a casino, various dining venues, a 500-seat showroom, and an adjacent golf course. It became known for hosting notable events, including the wedding of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.[8]
Throughout its history, the Aladdin faced financial difficulties and numerous ownership changes. In 1994, the property was purchased by Las Vegas real estate developer Jack Sommer and the Sommer Family Trust.[9] In 1997, Sommer partnered with London Clubs International (LCI) through his company, Aladdin Gaming. Plans were announced later that year to demolish the Aladdin, replacing it with a new, larger version.[10][11] The original Aladdin closed on November 25, 1997,[12] and was imploded on April 27, 1998. The Aladdin Theatre (now PH Live) was retained and incorporated into the new resort.[13][14]
New Aladdin (2000–2007)
The Aladdin's entrance along the Strip
Fluor Corporation was hired to design and build the new Aladdin.[15] In February 1998, Aladdin Gaming finalized a financial plan for the resort, expected to cost $826 million.[16][17]Planet Hollywood International also planned to develop a music-themed resort known as Sound Republic,[18][19] which would be built behind the Aladdin.[16] However, the music project was canceled at the end of the year after Aladdin Gaming ended its partnership with Planet Hollywood, citing financial concerns.[20]
Sommer Family Trust and LCI agreed to share cost overruns on the Aladdin project based on their ownership percentages. LCI, initially owning 25%, increased its stake after Sommer was unable to fund his share of the overruns.[21][22] Design changes, including a larger pool area and moving the resort closer to the Las Vegas Strip sidewalk, also contributed to the increased cost, which ultimately totaled $1.4 billion.[23][24] The cost did not include an attached shopping center known as Desert Passage, which was separately owned.[25][24]
The Aladdin opened on August 18, 2000, a day later than planned due to fire safety testing delays.[26] The resort faced immediate financial challenges, including poor foot traffic due to an elevated casino floor and an entrance that was considered uninviting and easy to miss.[27] The interior allowed mall and restaurant visitors to bypass the casino floor.[24][28] Unlike existing rivals, the resort also lacked the benefit of a hotel reservation network and a database of gamblers.[24] In addition, it did not have funds to launch an aggressive marketing campaign prior to the opening.[27] The September 11 attacks in 2001 further exacerbated financial troubles, leading to layoffs and a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing later in the month.[27][29]
In April 2003, an agreement was reached to sell the Aladdin to OpBiz,[30] a partnership between Planet Hollywood International, Starwood Hotels, and Bay Harbour Management, for $635 million. The new owners planned to renovate and rebrand the property as Planet Hollywood.[31][32] Starwood, with a 15-percent ownership stake, was to manage hotel operations.[30] Planet Hollywood had previously considered building a Las Vegas resort on the site of the Desert Inn during the mid-1990s.[33]
The sale of the Aladdin was finalized on September 1, 2004,[34][35] with renovations beginning 13 months later.[36] Renovations occurred in phases to keep the resort operational.[37] Although initially expected to be completed by 2005, challenges such as renovating while operational and lengthy permitting processes delayed the project.[38][39] The redesign included a Times Square-inspired facade with LED screens and escalators leading to the casino entrance.[30][38] The separately owned Desert Passage mall was also renovated,[38][40] and eventually renamed Miracle Mile Shops.[41]
The name change to Planet Hollywood became effective on April 17, 2007,[42][30] and the grand opening occurred on November 16, 2007, featuring celebrity performances.[43][44] The resort showcased a modern design with a Hollywood theme, including celebrity-named penthouses available to the public when not in use.[42][45]
Planet Hollywood International, founded by Robert Earl, had faced financial difficulties, and the resort was intended as a comeback.[45][46] However, the Great Recession impacted the resort's finances.[47] In 2009, Harrah's Entertainment purchased part of the $860 million mortgage,[48] and took full ownership in February 2010.[49][50] With the acquisition and its other properties, Harrah's had total control of the 126 acres (0.51 km2) on the east side of the Strip between Flamingo Road and Harmon Avenue.[51] Harrah's later rebranded as Caesars Entertainment.[52]
A $100 million renovation of the hotel rooms was completed in 2017.[53]
Union dispute
When the Aladdin opened in 2000, it was one of the few non-unionized resorts on the Strip, along with the Venetian and Imperial Palace. The Culinary Workers Union represents most resort workers on the Strip, and it voiced opposition to the Aladdin opening as a non-union property.[54] Resort executives said they were neutral regarding union representation; they sought to resolve the dispute through a secret ballot, although the union opposed this, believing a card check would be better.[55][56]
A protest with approximately 1,000 union members took place in front of the Aladdin on the night of its planned opening, although the group dispersed after several hours, once the opening got pushed back.[56][57] Another protest took place in 2003, with Culinary seeking to unionize 1,500 of the resort's 2,300 employees.[58] That year, the union also filed a 90-count complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the resort of unfair labor practices.[59] Culinary also voiced opposition to Earl's proposed purchase of the Aladdin, alleging mismanagement of his Planet Hollywood restaurant chain.[60]
The majority of eligible Aladdin workers signed union cards in 2003, although the owners at the time declined to recognize this. After Earl's group took over ownership, he reached an agreement with Culinary to unionize the resort.[61]
Planet Hollywood includes a 64,470 sq ft (5,989 m2) casino.[62] When it opened as the Aladdin, it included a 35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2) "casino within a casino" by LCI, intended to attract wealthy foreign gamblers.[63][64][65] It marked the company's first American casino.[66] The overall casino opened with 2,800 slot machines,[24] 1,000 of which came from the previous Aladdin.[67] To help alleviate the resort's financial problems, the number of slot machines was reduced to 2,270 shortly after opening, making for a less-cluttered layout.[24] Despite the financial problems, LCI's high-limit gaming area proved successful.[24]
The resort has 2,494 rooms,[68] and includes a 39-story hotel tower.[23] Upon its opening, the resort included 75,000 sq ft (7,000 m2) of meeting space,[69] as well as its own on-site utility plant, providing hot and cold water, as well as backup electricity.[70] Like the original Aladdin, the new incarnation also featured an Arabian theme,[71] most of which was removed during the Planet Hollywood rebranding;[46] some elements remained in place at Desert Passage after its conversion into the Miracle Mile Shops.[72] The mall is 475,000 sq ft (44,100 m2),[73] and has 170 tenants.[72]
The Aladdin opened with approximately 20 restaurants, including those located in the mall.[66][74]Pink's Hot Dogs opened a location at the resort in 2005.[75] Koi, a small chain of Japanese restaurants, opened a Las Vegas location at Planet Hollywood in 2007.[76][77][78] Chef Gordon Ramsay opened a burger restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Burger, in 2012.[79][80][81] The restaurant includes a 30-foot-long glass wall containing flames.[82][83]
A nightclub, Privé, opened at the end of 2007. It was closed in July 2009, following a year-long investigation into various activities at the club,[84] including drug use, prostitution, the admission of minors, and employ assault toward customers.[85][86][87] Nevada gaming regulators issued a $500,000 fine against Planet Hollywood, which agreed to improve security and oversight at the club.[84][86] It reopened in August 2009.[88]
A 52-story timeshare tower, originally known as PH Towers, opened behind Planet Hollywood in December 2009. It was initially owned by Westgate Resorts and operated by Planet Hollywood, and featured 1,200 suites to be used as timeshares and hotel rooms.[89]
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.[90][91] The property was renamed Elara in March 2012.[92]
Live entertainment
The main theater in 2009
Planet Hollywood includes PH Live, a 7,000-seat auditorium initially opened in 1976, as part of the original Aladdin. The theater was renovated and reopened in 2000 as part of the new Aladdin, and has since undergone several name changes.[93][94] It is surrounded by the Miracle Mile Shops.[95] The theater was renovated in 2005, with live entertainment planned as a major attraction for the new Planet Hollywood resort.[30][96]Clear Channel Entertainment was hired to manage entertainment in the venue.[97]
Aside from the main theater, the resort also has several smaller venues, including a 1,500-seat showroom on the mezzanine level. It has hosted numerous shows,[105][106] including Peepshow, a topless production which ran from 2009 to 2013.[107][108]Criss Angel also performed in this space beginning in 2018.[109] The Sin City Theater is also located on the mezzanine level. It hosted Crazy Girls, a long-running topless show, from 2015 to 2021.[110][111]
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