Bettie: Final Desert Inn towers imploded this morning

[Bettie]

Well, the remaining two towers from the old Desert Inn were imploded early this morning, with absolutely no fanfare. Viktor and I didn't go, though we did watch the initial implosion in October 2001. The way the smoke billowed out amongst the buildings on the Strip was eerily reminiscent of the images of NYC when the Twin Towers fell.

It took about 225 pounds of explosives to level the nine-story Palms and St. Andrews towers in a matter of seconds. The implosion makes way for the second phase of Wynn Las Vegas, a 1,500-suite tower to be called Encore Wynn Las Vegas. The first phase of Wynn Las Vegas, which includes about 2,700 rooms, opens on the site of the old Desert Inn on April 28.

(To be fair, some of the above was taken from a caption in today's LVRJ under a picture of the implosion.)

Bettie

[bfbagain]

As is the wont of taxi drivers everywhere.....the rumor was that Wynn Resorts would be opening the first week of April.

As is often the case with "high expectation" openings, the date is usually a "state" secret until just before the real opening.

And as history recalls, I think another famous "opening" was misreported...., of course, that was a long time ago.

cheers
bfb

[Shadow]

At least this date was reported for the "Grand Opening" in Las Vegas Review Journal and others.

Shadow