Strip hop culture Las Vegas is set to keep you awake even longer with plans for a high-tech arena, futuristic mini-city, an iconic nightclub revival and more

IT’S claimed to be the city that never sleeps but Las Vegas is proving to be the city that never sits on its laurels too.

The pandemic has affected so many of us, but the people of Sin City have rallied in recent years and there is even more now on offer for tourists. Recent months have seen the arrival of Circa, Virgin Hotels and Resorts World. But there’s still more to come with the following exciting hotspots and attractions on the way.

1: PALMS

Where: The Strip
The Palms remained the only major resort on or near the entire Strip to not open up as soon as the worst of the pandemic came to an end last year. In fact, it only opened its doors again last Wednesday. Now that it is open again, it is sure to be one of the city’s most popular hotels and you’ll find great value now before word spreads.

2: MSG SPHERE
Where: The Venetian
The ground was broken on MSG Sphere in late 2018 and the massive entertainment venue is now taking shape east of the Strip with an opening scheduled for early 2023. The 500-foot-wide, 360-foot-tall spherical concert arena will have digital screens on the inside and the outside, with internet access at every seat and sound beamed individually to each spectator.

3: MARTHA STEWART RESTAURANT
Where: Paris
In January, the news broke about a new restaurant by writer and multimedia magnate Martha Stewart at the Paris casino. Not many details are known at this time, but expect it to be huge. Rumours say the project could involve friend and long-time collaborator Snoop Dogg, an odd-couple pairing that may feel right at home in Las Vegas.

4: DURANGO
Where: Rhodes Ranch
After selling off the Palms, Station Casinos now finally has the resources to break ground on Durango, a new resort and casino in the southwest valley. The project has been in the works for well over a decade on a plot of land near the 215.
Original plans came to a halt dramatically a few years ago but we can now expect construction to get underway in the coming weeks. The property will be a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces with a 211-room hotel tower, pool, casino, water features, and at least four major restaurants.

5: BLEUTECH PARK
Where: Las Vegas
An all-digital city? It could actually happen. Bleutech Park is an ambitious project that promises to combine retail and office space with housing and entertainment.
The insular mini-city will be constructed with net-zero buildings, artificial intelligence, robotics, and renewable energy sources. The movement of humans could even be harnessed for electricity and heating services. it could take six years to complete with a price tag of $7.5bn (€6.95bn) but an actual location is not yet decided.

6: BORING COMPANY PEOPLE MOVER
Where: Las Vegas Convention Centre
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has unveiled a futuristic “people mover” underneath the new Las Vegas Convention Centre expansion. The project uses autonomous electric Tesla vehicles to transport punters underground, cutting what would otherwise be a 15-minute walk down to a little over a minute.
The vehicles have room for both standing and sitting and travel 50-55km/h in a twin tunnel, loop system. It will connect to Resorts World next with stops planned throughout the Strip and Downtown with an extension to the airport.

7: MAD APPLE
Where: New York-New York
In three weeks’ time, Cirque du Soleil is unveiling Mad Apple as its first new Las Vegas production since before the pandemic. The show, based on the nightlife and entertainment scene of New York City, will take over the old Zumanity theatre at the appropriately chosen New York-New York resort.
Described as a hybrid show, it is smaller in scope than traditional Strip productions with live musicians performing pop music staples and comedians doing traditional stand-up routines. You’ll still see a few acrobats, but not as many as before.

8: GIPSY
Where: Fruit Loop
The gay nightclub was a party spot in the 1980s in the Fruit Loop district east of the Strip, attracting celebrities and LGBTQ+ clientele. Gipsy suffered setbacks, including a fire and botched renovation on the TV show Bar Rescue before closing. It was demolished and a new version is planned for the now-empty lot. The owners want a Pirates of the Caribbean feel.