The Las Vegas Strip holds a lot of mysteries.
Some are of the nefarious kind dating back to the city's illustrious mafia past. But for every "Who is buried under that casino?" there are people asking less serious questions like "Who thought a 24/7 sushi place made sense in the middle of a desert?" and "Is that the Starbucks I was just in or another one entirely?"
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In addition, the Strip offers a whole other set of questions when you look at construction sites. Sometimes a sign proudly states what's being built, and in other cases you might find the answer with an internet search (or you might not).
It can also be hard to tell which is an active construction site and which has gone bust. Dream Las Vegas, for example, a boutique hotel being built on the Strip near Harry Reid airport, saw construction halted months ago.
The developer said he was going to be able to make a financing deal, but until work starts again, that's always a major question. The same could be said for nearly 20 years at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a North Strip casino the prognosis for which appeared fatal many times.
But one of the biggest mysteries on the Las Vegas Strip is the two large concrete towers across from Mandalay Bay. They're an eyesore and nothing about them explains what they are or why they've been sitting there untouched since 2012.
Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Las Vegas Strip Can't Handle 2 Observation Wheels
Remember when frozen yogurt -- specifically self-serve frozen yogurt where you add your own toppings -- made a big comeback a few years ago? A chain would open and the lines would stretch out the door. That led to copycat businesses -- and the market quickly learned that most communities could support one, maybe two, frozen-yogurt places but no more than that.
That also appears to be the case with the Las Vegas Strip, an area that can support one Observation Wheel (a take on what most people think of as a Ferris Wheel) but probably not two.
The blighted site was supposed to be a project very similar to the High Roller at Caesars Entertainment's CZR Linq, about two miles down the road.
"The two towers are a relic of a failed observation wheel project from real estate developer Howard Bulloch," the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
"The 500-foot Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel project was announced in May 2011 with plans for 32 gondolas, each with a 24-person capacity, and a 50,000-square-foot LED sign on the wheel’s center. A retail and dining building were also planned at the base of the wheel."
Caesars began its slightly larger project at about the same time, and that led to the Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel never becoming a thing.
Plans for the site remain uncertain, according to the paper.
Caesars Makes Good Use of High Roller
Linq sits in a row of Caesars-owned properties directly on the Las Vegas Strip. It's next to Harrah's on one side and Flamingo on the other. The company's flagship Caesars Palace is across the street.
Having a bunch of properties feeding into Linq Promenade, the outdoor collection of shops, bars, and restaurants where the High Roller is located, makes it easier for Caesars to keep the attraction filled. When you check into a Caesars property, you often get an offer to book High Roller, and discount tickets are often a loyalty perk for Caesars Rewards members.
As part of a bigger thing, High Roller makes a lot of sense. The stand-alone Skyvue Las Vegas seemed like a tougher path to success. People might ride a giant sky wheel if it's where they're already staying, especially at a deal price, but traveling just to ride seems as if it would hold less appeal.
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