Venice-Themed Resort to Open Again in June

Billionaire Sheldon Adelson, whose ultra-posh Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip wasn’t quite ready for its debut last month, will open his opulent $1.5-billion property a second time in June.

“Nobody ever built a property like this before,” Adelson said of the massive resort that features canals, gondolas, singing gondoliers and the largest, most luxurious rooms on the Las Vegas Strip.

The company held what it called a “soft” opening in early May, attended by a throng of reporters from around the world. But like Rome, the massive 36-story resort wasn’t built in a day. Workmen painted, drilled and hammered furiously as reporters got walked through the not-quite-finished Venetian.

“The fire and building departments had difficulties understanding the high-tech [alarm and smoke detection system] and other complexities of this property,” Adelson said in an interview.

At the last minute, building inspectors refused to grant occupancy certificates due to construction delays and unfamiliarity with its smoke detection systems, which slowed the testing process.

In the weeks since then, most of the resort has been granted occupancy certificates and has been doing a brisk business, Adelson said.

A grand opening is scheduled for the June 11-13 weekend featuring a performance by Oscar-winning actress Cher, who currently is enjoying a resurgence in her singing career with her new album, “Believe.”

The pop diva will perform in the resort’s 85,000-square-foot ballroom, which the hotel claims is the world’s largest.

The event, aimed at high-rollers, will also feature special events at some of the resort’s 15 upscale restaurants, poolside fireworks and a fashion show promoting an upscale mall designed to replicate the winding streets of the original Venice.

The Venetian, closely modeled after the famed Italian city, boasts 1.7-million square-feet of conference space, walls lined with hand-painted replicas of Venetian masterpieces and world-class amenities.

While the Venetian’s first opening day was rocky, analysts say that is not unusual.

“When the Luxor opened they had issues. Lamps in the rooms were still in boxes and some guests had to assemble them. Bed linens were still in bags,” Mary Lynn Palenik, an analyst with PricewaterhouseCoopers, said of the pyramid-shaped resort down the street from the Venetian.

Adelson appears to be creating a splash, she said, and the opening-day glitches will most likely be forgotten amid a rebound for Las Vegas fueled by recent openings of big resorts such as Mirage Resort Inc.’s Bellagio and Circus Circus Enterprises Inc.’s Mandalay Bay.

“Airline load and capacity are up. We can now house additional demand and must-see properties like Venetian are going to drive that,” she said.