Can the north end of the Las Vegas Strip make a comeback?

Nearly two decades ago, the north Strip was poised to become the resort corridor’s crown jewel. Massive casino-hotel complexes such as Echelon and the original Fontainebleau were expected to transform the area into a new hub of luxury and entertainment.

Then the Great Recession hit, and when the money dried up, so, too, did the desire to develop that stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard. Years passed as highly anticipated projects remained unfinished, plots of valuable land were left vacant and small businesses struggled to stay open.

But Vegas rebounded, like it always does.

In the decade-and-a-half following the 2008 economic collapse, the north end of the Strip — loosely defined as the 1.3-mile section between Encore and The Strat — has benefited from billions of dollars of capital investment, giving casino operators and other stakeholders a renewed sense of purpose.

But the corridor remains a work in progress, and the question once again being asked is: Can the North Strip finally deliver on its unrealized potential?

The comeback begins

Should the area ever live up to expectations, the June 2021 opening of Resorts World Las Vegas will likely prove to be a turning point in the North Strip’s resurgence. The $4.3 billion megaresort was the Strip’s first newly built casino hotel in more than a decade.

Jim Murren, chairman of Resorts World Las Vegas’ board of directors, is betting that the property and its 40 acres of undeveloped land will continue to lead the charge for future progress.

“I’m certain that Resorts World will play a pivotal role in the revitalization of the northern part of the Strip,” he said, adding that over the next few years, “I think you’re going to see more development up here than anywhere else on the Strip.”

Another new casino-hotel project has added to the area’s momentum.

After years of construction starts and stops, Fontainebleau debuted in December 2023. The property’s president, Maurice Wooden, said the $3.7 billion megaresort was “always envisioned as a catalyst, a destination that will help shape the future of the North Strip.”

Following Fontainebleau’s opening, “we saw how the right energy can create a ripple effect and have a positive impact on the surrounding community,” Wooden said. “Now it’s about staying consistent and continuing to set the standard of excellence.”

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has also been busy in the area near the north end of the Strip. The LVCVA owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Center, a sprawling multifacility complex that has undergone numerous expansions in its 66-year history.

The West Hall expansion was completed in 2021 as part of a $1 billion project that began three years earlier. Current renovation projects at the North and Central halls will be finished by the end of 2025.

More than 5.9 million people attended a conference or convention in Las Vegas in 2024, with many of those large-scale gatherings taking place at the LVCC.

Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA, said the agency views the North Strip as a “bit of a blank palette,” ripe for creative investment and development.

“We think (the North Strip) provides an opportunity for others to come and help connect what have now become some pretty spectacular dots and develop critical mass (in that area),” he said.

Variety is the spice of casino life

Still, the North Strip revitalization efforts are far from complete.

Between the glamour encircling Encore and the grit surrounding The Strat is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that, as of now, seems detached from the high energy of the center Strip or the well-established block of theme casinos at the southern end.

Yet, where some may see challenges, others see opportunity.

“We look forward to the north end growing,” said Shana Gerety, general manager of Circus Circus. “We look forward to it developing more. There is obviously an increased amount of foot traffic that’s coming through, and we’re making changes and improvements to our property that are going to help us stand out from everybody else.”

The 56-year-old themed resort has not been neglected by owner Phil Ruffin, the billionaire real estate mogul who also owns Treasure Island. Since purchasing Circus Circus in 2019 from MGM Resorts International, Ruffin has spent over $30 million on renovations and upgrades, including opening the Slots-A-Fun area in 2024 with its coin-operated slot machines and $2 beers, hot dogs, shrimp cocktail and tacos.

Ruffin has recently floated the idea of selling Circus Circus, which would, presumably, include the nearby Las Vegas Festival Grounds, which many observers believe to be a prime piece of real estate for large-scale development.

Gerety said the property leans into providing value and focusing on the “fun” aspect of Las Vegas. It is a stark contrast to the luxury and opulence on display by the two newer megaresorts in the area.

“Every property has a different type of appeal, and every property can offer something different … and I love that,” she said. “I love that the north end is becoming a draw where people can go and experience (a different side of) Vegas.”

Skylar Dice, senior vice president and general manager of The Strat, said his team essentially has a two-pronged strategy that involves upgrading the property and focusing on industry basics, such as good customer service and fair gaming conditions.

Following Golden Entertainment’s acquisition of The Strat — technically not on the Strip and in the Las Vegas city limits — in 2017, the Nevada-owned-and-operated gaming company invested millions of dollars into the city’s most recognizable landmark. Recently, the North Strip casino increased its player-friendly casino games, adding more 3:2 blackjack and single-zero roulette tables.

“We’re always looking for new ways to enhance the guest experience,” Dice said. “But what we’re really focused on right now is building the guest service culture into the team here.”

Between those two casino resorts is Sahara, a 72-year-old property currently owned and operated by Alex Meruelo’s Reno-based Meruelo Group. Since acquiring the property in 2018, Meruelo has invested upwards of $150 million in renovations and upgrades, according to reports.

‘Where the Strip began’

The northern end of Las Vegas Boulevard has always been a vital part of the entire resort corridor’s success, stemming from the Strip’s earliest days, said UNLV history professor Michael Green.

Beginning with the 1941 opening of El Rancho Vegas and Last Frontier a year later, the North Strip has been home to notable casino properties. Over the years, casino icons such as Thunderbird, Stardust and Riviera have called the North Strip home, underscoring how it has historically been an important part of the city’s identity.

“Here’s something that can’t be disputed: The north end is where the Strip began,” Green said. “The combination of Resorts World and the Fontainebleau opening and talk of activity at that end, I think, has revived some interest in the idea that the north end can make a comeback, and it would be great if it did.”

Amanda Belarmino, an associate professor at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, said there is palpable excitement around the possibility of a North Strip revival.

“The expansion of the convention center and two new properties has helped to increase the profile of that part of the Strip,” she said. “There are several possibilities for that area, but it seems that developing the festival (grounds next to Circus Circus) might be the most promising area. Additionally, new development near The Strat would also be helpful in terms of making the area safer and more appealing.”

Bigger, better North Strip

Presently, there are a handful of proposed projects that could help bring new energy to the North Strip.

At the site of the former Riviera, local developer Brett Torino wants to construct a mixed-use facility with a 439-foot amusement ride and two 600-foot-tall towers that house a 750-room non-gaming hotel and 425 condominium units.

LVXP, a team of Las Vegas-based real estate developers, has put forth an ambitious project for the 27-acre plot just south of the Sahara hotel-casino. The yet-to-be-named proposal features a 752-foot-tall tower with a 2,500-room ultraluxury resort anchored by a 6,000-seat theater and an 18,000-seat, state-of-the-art NBA-ready arena.

Murren, who helped design and create City Center (Aria, Vdara, Waldorf Astoria, Veer Towers and The Shops at Crystals) during his time as CEO of MGM Resorts, said a sports arena at the north end of the Strip would be a proverbial gamechanger. Murren compared the likely impact to that of T-Mobile Arena and the visitor volume it brings to the surrounding MGM-operated properties at the other end of the Strip.

“I’d love to see another arena up here,” he said. “I’d like it, selfishly, to be here at Resorts World. But if it’s not, I’d still like it up here, generating 15,000 to 20,000 spectators, 120 days a year. That would have a big impact on North Strip.”

Gerety, who oversees a property with available land that is frequently cited as a potential landing spot for large-scale development, agreed with Murren’s take about an arena in the area.

“If we were able to get some kind of entertainment and stadium venue on the north end, that would be the final check mark, I think, for all of us,” Gerety said.

Although he did not specifically mention an arena, Wooden echoed the sentiments of his peers.

“It’s going to take sustained investment, unique programming and delivering unmatched hospitality,” he said. “The more value we bring to this area, the stronger its identity becomes.”

As developers line up new projects and major casino players double down on their bets, the North Strip stands at a crossroads once again. Whether the current momentum leads to lasting transformation or another false start remains to be seen.

But this time, the stakes feel different.

“I think (this is) what makes Las Vegas so unique, so great, so dynamic, and so relevant, culturally and entertainment wise to the world, because we continually reimagine what we could be and stretch the bounds of the imagination,” Murren said. “(Las Vegas has) had all kinds of ups and downs, but we continue to remake ourselves and get stronger, bigger and better each time we come back. And I think that’s going to happen up here.”

Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @ac2vegas-danzis.bsky.social or @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.