Change seems to be accelerating on the Las Vegas Strip. From the biggest players including Caesars Entertainment (CZR), MGM Resorts International (MGM), and Wynn Resorts (WYNN) to the smallest land-owners on the Strip, every inch of land on that 4.2-mile stretch of road appears to be up for debate.
You have major projects like the finally-nearing-completion Fontainebleau Resort Casino on the North Strip to Caesars rebranding its Bally's Casino under its Horseshoe Brand. There's, of course, also the massive Guitar Hotel project going on at The Mirage as Hard Rock International prepares to take that property over from MGM.
But for every arena being built (and there may be two more on the way) or massive casino development/redevelopment project underway there are also smaller deals reshaping the Strip. In some cases, this leads to closures of very popular attractions and shops that have seemingly been on the Strip forever.
You may not be upset when a gift shop or motel closes, but many of these disappearing stores and lower-end places to stay represent what Las Vegas was to many long-time visitors. Now, another long-time highly-visible piece of Las Vegas Strip history has closed and it's likely to become just another Sin City memory.
Image source: Robert Mora/Getty Images.
Say Aloha Las Vegas
Two separate pieces of land totaling nearly 16 acres directly on the Las Vegas Strip across from CityCenter appear to be moving close to development, Casino.org reported.
One 6.2-acre parcel recently purchased by billionaire Tilman Fertitta was the long-time home to a Travelodge, which recently "closed permanently," according to a sign on the property. Fertita, who owns the Golden Nugget downtown, is widely expected to develop a resort casino on the property but he has not confirmed any plans for the land.
That's a notable loss, but nobody gets too worked up over a motel closing. But, people may get more nostalgic about what's happening at the site next to Fertita's property where the 80,000-square foot Hawaiian Marketplace closed earlier this month.
Las Vegas Loses Hawaiian Marketplace
Hawaiian Marketplace was one of those "only in Las Vegas" fixtures. Its existence made little sense, but that's not really logic that applies in a City that has a faux Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty. The shopping area's business was described on Vegas.com.
If you thought you couldn't find the spirit of Aloha in the middle of the desert, think again: The 80,000-square-foot Hawaiian Marketplace brings a taste of island-style shopping to Vegas.
Modeled after the International Marketplace in Honolulu, the outdoor shopping center features tropical plants, bright colors and larger-than-life Hawaiian statues.
If you're looking for somewhere to either a) grab last-minute souvenirs b) find an outfit for the club tonight c) get a foot massage, teeth whitening treatment or tattoo or d) all of the above, then this is your one-stop shop.
And, realistically, you probably weren't "looking" for any of those things (or a Hawaiian marketplace), but Las Vegas might be the only place on Earth with every part of those three paragraphs make sense. Now, Hawaiian Marketplace has closed for good and something new is coming to the Las Vegas Strip.
Guests of the Polo Towers, a timeshare/hotel which sits behind the former Hawaiian Marketplace, received a note from management explaining what was happening at the site, according to the Vital Vegas Twitter. Basically, the site is being redeveloped to offer new retail and dining options.
"The Hawaiian Marketplace redo could extend to the neighboring Cable Center Shops, a strip mall just to the north of the Travelodge. Both Hawaiian Marketplace and the Cable Center Shops are owned by the same New York-based investment firm," Casino.org added. "The Cable Center shops, which included tobacco, beer and wine, and souvenir outlets, also closed earlier this month."
