Which will be imploded first, Excalibur or Luxor?
Started by Atltrainman on Monday, 11th June 2007 6:28 pm
With the really high price for strip front land and the move to more and more high end resort hotels, it is just natural that MGM after they finish Citicenter will want to so some more South strip upgrades.
The Luxor is starting to look real short next to all these really high rise hotels and pretty soon will not be the icon it once was. That pyramid takes up a lot of land that could house a much taller hotel.
The Excalibur is sitting on a really primo corner lot at one of the busiest intersections in town. Family theme resorts are out and the Excalibur seems really low rent compared to the neighbors (Tropicana excepted).
So which do you think will go boom and fall next?
nullzero00 responded on Tuesday, 12th June 2007
I would tend to think Excalibur, only because it is run down when compared to Luxor. However, i doubt that MGM Mirage will want to have that project going on while working on the Circus Circus and it's surrounding land they just bought. it might be too many projects at once (as well as not generating income - leave Excal open while working on citycenter, for the cheap but steady income to pay for the Circus Circus project). That has the ability to be citycenter north (or insert other clever name here). If Kerkorian is approved to take Bellagio & Citycenter private from the MGM Mirage stable, they might not have as much cash flow either. we might have to wait & see how that plays out as well - whether the bellagio/citycenter will still have some of it's profits included in MGM Mirage's books, or will it be completely separate may be the ultimate deciding factor.
MinVegas responded on Tuesday, 12th June 2007
The answer is both at the same time, while neither for a long time (well, long in Strip Building Lifespan Time.)
The Excalibur will be the first to go, but I'm guessing it isn't shutting down anytime soon. It's location is great to build something new, but it's just a bit too small, so I figure they'll get permission to shut down Reno between The Strip and Luxor Dr, tear down both Excalibur and the two Luxor towers, then build something on that space.
I just don't see the pyramid going anywhere anytime soon unless it became unsafe or something. The building is always a draw, and isn't the problem. The spaces inside are the problem, and you can do whatever you want with the inside. Hell, if they wanted to they could shut it down entirely for a year or more and go to town on everything, then re-open it as a newish place. But they can probably salvage more than that.
They're doing an honest job trying to give Excalibur a facelift without having to raise room rates in the process. They aren't at Circus, and that's going to hit the ground before either.
maintrainstation responded on Tuesday, 12th June 2007
Neither, IMHO. Monte Carlo will be next. Project City Center will make it an afterthought. While it's been a terrific investment for the owners, any expansion plans for City Center will swallow it up. The small rooms and small windows just won't attract the money. Recently seeing a rendering of CC with MC next to it just totallly reinforced it.
I stopped by there by car on my last trip figuring it would be a good place to park. Mistake! They tore down the parking garage to stage the building of City Center! I read complaints on a notable travel site that some people are toting their luggage over from the NYNY garage! I've heard from people that MC is no longer the quiet place to stay because of 24 hour construction. If they don't start renovating rooms soon, I think they'll just let it slide until it's time to replace it.
Excalibur just renovated 1000 rooms, Luxor and Excalibur are pretty dense with 4000 rooms compared with 3000 at MC (although I'm unsure of acreage for them.)
Then again I have a soft spot in my heart for my beloved Excalibur, with its furniture that recalls my childhood bedroom, and the through-the-wall AC that blows the curtains around, and so much more,, under $100 a night. If they would just repaint those cartoonish turrets with more muted colors, and perhaps make the towers a little more off-white, then it wouldn't be the place that everyone loves to hate. (Except me.)
By the way, lay off the Imperial Palace, too! (It's Excalibur with BALCONIES!) But please feel free to take the Frontier.
dallfine responded on Sunday, 17th June 2007
Excalibur will stay, itis still making loads of money for MGM and it keeps a certian client tell on the Strip who would'nt pay to stay at other MGM resorts. Circus, Circus would be the companys next undertaking. The north end of the Strip is hot with dovelpment . Expect them to sell, or greatly improve this property. MGM does want to keep this persentage of family business or the go off the strip.
chiefmahoney responded on Saturday, 30th June 2007
Everyone knows it is the Trashy Castle. Just think .....the age of a family destination (as Mr Griswold says...) is over. The Luxor is in much better shape than the Castle. MGM has to family oriented properties on the strip. The Trashy Castle and Circus Circus. One has to go. Circus Circus is a name that is well known worldwide. Even the CEO of MGM/Mirage says if CC comes down his kids would divorce him.
In reality CC adds much more to the MGM/Mirage bottom line than does The Trashy Castle. So the lesser of the Duplicates has to be the next to go. Not the Luxor!!
BTW.....Do you want the CC horde with no place to go invading your favorite Casino?????!!!!!!!!!???????