On the Rise

If you want to woo the hottest number in town, it’s a good idea to gussy yourself up a bit. And if you’re really determined to land the catch of a lifetime, nothing short of a full makeover will do — preferably one in the $20 million range.

Hey, it worked for Stratosphere, which just scored a two-year commitment from up-and-coming crooner-pianist Frankie Moreno.

If you haven’t heard of Moreno yet, you will. His cover of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” with violinist Joshua Bell caught the ears of one Simon Cowell, who auditioned Moreno with an eye to his guesting on both Cowell’s “X Factor” and a future Michael Bublé tour. Moreno has a new recording contract with Sony Records’ subsidiary label Masterworks, and his October 2011 release CD “Hangin’ on a Maybe” has impressed the critics as much as his live performances have for about a decade all over town.

“Like us, he’s on the rise,” said Stratosphere general manager Paul Hobson.

Backed by a 10-piece band in the Stratosphere Theater,
Moreno is the ear candy portion of the resort’s eye-popping transformation: a no-expense-spared re-envisioning that officially puts the iconic property on the map of Vegas’ top hot spots.

With new carpeting and marble, a new VIP lounge and atmospheric color-changing LED lighting, most of the public areas of the property’s casino level have been elegantly transformed. Plus, 909 of Stratosphere’s 2,427 guest rooms and suites have been remodeled into “Stratosphere Select” accommodations, with flat-screen TVs and updated bathrooms with granite countertops, new tile and tubs.

—Paul Rogers, Custom Publishing Writer