M.J. Dean Construction, Klai Juba Architects,
Lacina Heitler Architects
and Charles Allem Designs Named to Project
 LAS
VEGAS, May 1, 2006 - M.J. Dean Construction has been named general contractor
of the 24.5-acre W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences project located
at Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane. Also named to the project are Klai Juba
Architects, Lacina Heitler Architects and Charles Allem Designs. The W
Las Vegas is being developed through a partnership between Edge Resorts
and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). The project
will encompass a mix of hotel and condo-hotel units and compelling lifestyle
amenities.
"Securing our development team for W Las Vegas is a huge step forward,"
said Reagan Silber, Edge Group Co-Chairman. "M.J. Dean and Klai Juba are
among the most respected names in casino-resort development and Lacina
Heitler and Charles Allem are two of the world's most visionary design
firms."
In January, W Las Vegas secured $232.5 million in pre-development financing
led by Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking. Utility installation
work has begun on the site and the W Las Vegas Residences Welcome Center
is nearly complete.
"The market is clearly excited about a W Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas,"
said Adam Frank, Edge Group President. "The interest in our project and
the depth of demand for our condo-hotel residences has far exceeded our
lofty expectations."
Development Partners
The project's general contractor, M.J. Dean Construction, is one of
Nevada's most prolific firms, managing the construction of 18 hotel/casino
projects, many involving high profile Las Vegas mega-resorts on tight schedules
including Mandalay Bay, Monte Carlo, LUXOR, Circus Circus, and Hard Rock.
M.J. Dean is currently building the 7,200 square foot, $5 million Welcome
Center at the site of the future property.
Las Vegas based Klai Juba Architects and Lacina Heitler Architects
of New York City are designing the property. Klai Juba is credited with
designing many of Las Vegas' premier projects including Mandalay Bay Resort
and Casino, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and Four
Seasons Hotel. Boutique firm Lacina Heitler's designs for the W Las Vegas
were selected from an international group of competing firms.
Charles Allem Designs has been commissioned to design the hotel interiors
and condo residences. Allem has been recognized by Architectural Digest
as one of the top 100 interior designers.
Ameesh Patel Joins Edge Resorts as Vice President,
Development & Acquisitions
April 12, 2006 � Edge Resorts, developer of the W Las
Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences with partner Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, named Ameesh Patel Vice President of Development and Acquisitions.
�We are pleased to add Ameesh to our development team,�
said Adam Frank, Edge Resorts president. �His background will be instrumental
as we move forward in the planning of W Las Vegas as well as future Edge
projects.� As Director of Development for Las Vegas Sands, Patel spearheaded
strategic partnership development for proposed regional casinos in the
United Kingdom in anticipation of gaming deregulation there. He also played
a primary role in developing the master plan for a proposed $1billion,
125 acre mixed-use gaming, hotel, retail and residential project as a part
of the company�s pursuit of a gaming license in Pennsylvania. Previously,
as Director of Development for Landmark Hospitality, he negotiated the
land purchase and secured financing for development of two hotel properties
in Arizona.
Patel holds a M.S. in Real Estate Development from Columbia
University and a B.S. in Finance & International Business from NYU�s
Stern School of Business. |
Overview of the W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences
The W Las Vegas will be located on 24.5 acres at the intersection of
Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, in the heart of Las Vegas' most exciting
development corridor, 500 meters east of the famed Las Vegas Strip. The
development will be comprised of a mix of hotel and condo-hotel units,
offering owners the benefits of being attached to a W Hotel.
Lifestyle Amenities
The W Las Vegas will embrace the stylish, signature comforts W is renowned
for, including striking architecture, multiple restaurants, exhilarating
nightlife and a destination spa. It will also be the brand's first property
with a casino.
The property will feature a significant collection of restaurants,
bars, lounges and nightclubs. Renowned designers will create unique and
captivating venues that will be paired with celebrated restaurant, club
and bar operators and promoters.
Bliss(R) Spa will offer its trademark treatment menu of facials, massages
and body treatments. Founded in 1996 and embraced by beauty obsessed buzz
makers, there are currently six Bliss spas worldwide, including those at
W Hotels in New York, San Francisco and Chicago.
Additional project plans incorporate a theatre and show venue, distinctive
shopping, a premier high-end meetings facility and an expansive pool area.
Residences
W Hotels are celebrated for a modern design aesthetic and the residential
units at the W Las Vegas will embody that signature style with floor plans
and furnishings designed to delight at every turn and amenities to truly
make the experience a home away from home.
Studios, one-bedroom units and suites ranging from 500 to 3,000 square
feet will be available for purchase and can be combined to form larger
residences. Residences will go on sale to the public in mid-2006 and a
reservation list is currently forming at http://www.wlasvegasresidences.com.
Owners will have the benefits of being attached to a W Hotel, including
maid service, room service and Whatever/Whenever(TM) concierge services,
along with preferred access to dining, nightlife and other amenities.
Residence owners have the option of placing their condo-hotel unit
into an organized rental program, allowing owners to make their unit available
through the hotel reservations department when they are not using it and
share in the revenue that the unit generates.
Notable names reserving residences at the W Las Vegas include Dave
Navarro and Carmen Electra, Anne Heche, Paul Walker, DJ AM, Ahman Green
of the Green Bay Packers and others. Paris Hilton, a frequent staple of
the Las Vegas social scene, reserved an exclusive penthouse, as did poker
pro Phil Hellmuth. The World Poker Tour champion bested 50 celebrities
and poker professionals to win the W Las Vegas Poker Invitational and celebrated
his victory by immediately applying his studio condominium grand prize
as a down payment on a $2 million penthouse.
About W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 20 properties in the most
vibrant cities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests with
thoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants,
bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxury hotel
brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design,
comfort and cultural influences from fashion to music to art and everything
in between. Recent openings include W's first property in Asia, W Seoul
- Walkerhill and its first property in Canada, W Montreal. W Residences,
offering the W lifestyle at home, have been announced for Las Vegas, Hollywood,
Dallas, South Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Hoboken.
Internationally, W has announced plans for hotels in the Maldives, Barcelona,
Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai. For more information, visit http://www.whotels.com.
About Edge Group
Edge Group LLC is a development and investment company formed in 2004
by principals Trevor Pearlman, Reagan Silber and Adam Frank to focus on
real estate and gaming primarily in the Las Vegas market. Edge Group is
the parent company of Edge Resorts LLC, which has formed a partnership
with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. to build The W Las Vegas
Hotel, Casino and Residences. Edge Resorts owns 75% of the venture with
Starwood owning the remainder. For more information, visit http://www.edgegroup.com.
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