Two Way Hard Three: Comments

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:15:07 -0800

19 comments in 2 days-I don't think Wynn should say anything. We're doing more than enough talking. Even using-gasp-Atlantic City as a point of reference. Wynn is a promotional genius, second to none, IMO.
When this remodel is done I think we will once again be amazed at how good he is at making changes on the fly.
I think on a slow news week, Hunter could just post "Wynn", and get more comments than any other topic at any time.

- Jeff in OKC

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:00:06 -0800

Although the atrium was a wonderful space asthetically, it did seem to be a little out-of-place... it felt wide open while the rest of Encore feels more intimate. I wonder if Wynn always had this as a possible plan--to redo the atrium into something else that he thought was missing after opening.

The photo looks dark, and I thought I read someplace that the atrium is now fenced off from the rest of the casino... was the photo taken "behind the scenes" or is all this still out in the open?

I wonder when Wynn PR will come out with some more info for us all.

- NavinR

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:26:38 -0800

I really wish Wynn would just tell us what is going to happen. He is always talking about how he really wants the high-end crowd in his hotel (primarily above the ages of 35). Who thought he would want to attract guests under 35 for the "best hotel in Vegas"? I'm not saying that it's bad to attract that kind of crowd, but it just seems wrong for Wynn resorts. Imagine Bellagio becoming a nightclub haven.

What gets me most about this is how Steve is changing an already great formula. The atrium is my favourite part of Encore, much more interesting than the glass at the end of the casino. Every time I come into Encore from a place like Palazzo, the atrium reminds me that Encore is a step above. It creates the most amazing first impression.

How does an indoor beach nightclub seem for a first impression for a 5 Diamond resort? Hmm...

I want to know how the public entrance will be effected (I often use the Encore main entrance instead of going through Wynn) If I have to use multiple bridges and whatnot a la Venezia Tower at the Venetian, I wouldn't be too happy.

Wynn has never been one to give out too many details on the designs, but at least tell us what is going to happen. What is the concept for the "Surrender Nightclub"? All we know is that Switch will have a glass wall that looks out onto the beach. So I guess that means the beach will be outdoors.
However if they can top the atrium and gives us new areas to explore and marvel at (such as a Parasol Up & Down or the divine elegance of my favourite space "Alex") then I look forward to seeing it, but for once I doubt Wynn can top the atrium.

- JK

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:47:14 -0800

In an interview after the last quarterly call, Wynn said that the west facing wall of Switch would be replaced with a glass wall, overlooking the new action outside.

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:46:10 -0800

Harrah's new tower in AC has an indoor pool area that is gorgeous. It has lush tropical foliage, flagstone decking, a nice bar, cabanas, and they hold parties there at night. Wynn could copy that and kick up the quality an extra notch and I think most people would be pleasantly surprised.

My understanding is the exterior wall of Switch would be knocked out so the restaurant extends into and services the pool area. This could be like a combination of Botero's outdoor seating and XS' extending into the pool area.

- parchedearth

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:30:25 -0800

There's a direct egress point between Switch and Society, just south of those doors.

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:25:14 -0800

Without those 10 doors on the west side of the casino, where are there fire exits leading all the way out, and not just into another area of the building like the pool or lobby (or eventually the beach club)?

- SouthLooper

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:04:06 -0800

Yes, Bellagio does switch stuff out but the Conservatory was designed to support that with elevator beds for the plants, etc... This area at Encore was a permanent set of landscaping and chopping out trees is pretty significant.

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:52:26 -0800

Maybe they're just replacing the plantings for a Christmas display? The Bellagio conservatory regularly does a major change-over, maybe they're doing that here. I would presume that any construction would be presaged by a temporary wall shielding the casino from the dust.

I got the impression from the architectural renderings presented to the county zoning board that the pool would be one level up. It looked like the driveway and porte cochere on the west side were going to be replaced by a one-story building, presumably with pool deck on top, accessable via the spa on the second floor. I would expect them to make it easy for hotel guests to get to it, and not necessarily connect it to the casino. If this is the case, they won't have a west side door leading into the casino, and can convert the atrium to gaming space. It would make the casino even more secluded and exclusive.

- SouthLooper

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:07:56 -0800

That's a good idea, mike-celebrity chef BBQ! I think the "mature" Wynn crowd would be all over this. I bet every reader of this blog has their own choice.

- Jeff in OKC

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:49:32 -0800

Last I heard, Steve was buying more of his own stock, not less.

I think a retractable roof pool would be a great thing. I've wondered why nobody has had an indoor pool for a while now. They have it in Reno and Disney made a rather pretty one in Japan for Hotel Miracosta. The downside is that it could look like a body of water in a glass box but I think Wynn's decorations people would be the first I'd trust to make an inviting indoor pool.

Honestly, I could see a pool that looked like swimming in the middle of a stripped-down conservatory. I don't know what plants could exist in a pool room, but if anyone in town would, the Wynn (and I suppose Bellaria [I'm taking this one, Chuck!]) folks would.

I was kind of hoping that this would shut down the extremely gimmicky Switch, but maybe they'll shut off the mechanics and make the restaurant into something more practical. Botero has been stompin' Switch since day one with critics and guests.

I'd still like to see an attempt at cuisine that isn't a staple of luxury resorts, like southwestern (Mesa Grill @ Caesars and Dos Caminos @ Palazzo are the only two in town I know of). Heck, I'd like someday to see a top barbecue chef come to town, but maybe I'm too adventurous for the convention crowd (not really, conventioneers would probably like barbecue before two steakhouses.)

- mike_ch

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:57:03 -0800

This will be a huge mistake, mark my words here. The type of people WYNN wants at his place and the type this may attract are at the Hard Rock Hotel, and they aren't leaving there. The older crowd may give in to this alittle but like Encore this will be a dead zone too I feel. Wynn is now behind the curve and not ahead of it, which always made him standout and capitalize. This is nothing new, old, and will be a huge waste. Its a shame of the wasted money and time they spent to create this Atrium and it didnt even last a Year? This reeks of NO GOOD as a shareholder, but doesnt Steve now only own about 20% of the company and Okada still has a huge chunk. They should change the name to OKADA's

- jay

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:47:17 -0800

Yeah, those trees in the middle were straight up chopped down. They were new plantings though - nothing too interesting.

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:40:06 -0800

If you look closely and compare the before and after photos it certainly appears to me that those are tree stumps surrounded by some sawdust. Apparently not all the trees were worth saving.

I have to assume this area is now walled off from the casino and that Switch will be (temporarily) closing soon. I really like the idea of an indoor/outdoor pool. I was speaking with one of the Encore pool bartenders and apparently a year round pool with a bar is a requirement for five stars. Most properties don't view it as worth it and close the bar (and leave only a small pool area open) during the winter.

- parchedearth

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:06:32 -0800

Thanks for the photos. I'll give Steve Wynn the benefit of the doubt, but this project still makes me nervous. Brian, you wrote that the project is $65 Million. When Wynn sought approval, didn't they say the project was 63,000 sq ft? That's over $1,000 a sq ft construction costs. Is $1,000 a sq ft in line for a luxury project? It seemed low to me for something of this magnitude.

- detroit1051

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:29:28 -0800

That is sad, that was a great space. I'm guessing all of that mosaic flooring will be removed as well. I like the idea of doing something different with the exterior here, but couldn't this atrium have been left as a transitional space?

- Art

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:57:49 -0800

Yeah, a fixed roof pool would be lunacy. This ain't Atlantic City!

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:47:53 -0800

Relaxing near an indoor body of water is what spas are for. A year-round, fixed roof indoor pool would be totally lame no matter how much sunlight shines through that atrium.

Here's hoping the greenery was removed just to facilitate construction, though it pains me to see that a chainsaw was taken to them.

- Mike E

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:25:00 -0800

Who knows - the retractable roof idea that got nixed for Encore's main pool might actually work in this smaller configuration.

- Hunter

Comment on "Encore Beach Club Underway?"

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:08:52 -0800

This really bums me out. I'm hoping we can get some more info pretty soon as to what's happening. I'm a little confused as to why they needed to tear our part of the gardens on the inside, to make way for a outside pool area? Obviously there is a good reason, but I sure don't know what it would be. I still am hoping in the back of my mind, that this Switch Beach Club new pool, might possibly be an indoor pool, which could be used all year around. As some of you may recall, Wynn's original plan for Encore, was to have the first indoor pool area, of any of the major mega resorts.

The budget for this project is $65 million dollars. That's not chump change. I'm expecting something pretty spectacular for this new area. Perhaps it will have a hook, something Encore can be known for, not unlike the Lake of Dreams or the Fountains of Bellagio. Oh sorry, there I go dreaming again...

- Brian Fey