Latest Strip High-Rise Would Be Connected to the Aladdin

Westgate Resorts, the Florida-based time share developer that was rebuffed by the Clark County Commission last year in its efforts to develop a project next to MGM Grand, has found a new home on five acres near the Strip.

The company plans to build a $400 million, 52-story time-share tower on Harmon Avenue with a direct connection to the Aladdin, which will soon become Planet Hollywood.

"It's a done deal," Westgate President and Chief Executive Officer David Siegel said Tuesday from Orlando, Fla. "We already have financing. We're going through the design and expect to get it approved and should start construction by the end of the year."

Westgate, which entered the Las Vegas time-share market in 2000 with Westgate Flamingo Bay on Flamingo Road, had an agreement with the owners of the Showcase mall to build a tower on top of the parking garage there, but those plans were overpowered by opposition from MGM Mirage.

Executives from Las Vegas' largest gaming corporation contended that Westgate's tower was "too much project on too small of a footprint."

"This is not in front of the MGM. We're not looking into their villa mansions," Siegel said. "I think we have the best location in Las Vegas. I should send them a 'Thank You' note. MGM did us a favor. If we had done that project, we wouldn't have done this one."

The Westgate tower will have 800 two-bedroom suites that will increase the Aladdin's capacity by adding unsold units to the existing room inventory, bringing the total to more than 4,000 rooms.

The blue glass tower is being designed by Klai Juba Architects to complement the overall theme of Planet Hollywood. It will be attached to the mall and performing arts center so guests never have to step outside to get to the casino.

Westgate will build a 12,000-square-foot sales gallery inside Planet Hollywood to begin marketing and sales of the project.

While Westgate has projects with 2,000 and 3,000 villas in Orlando, "this is by far the largest project we've ever done in one phase," Siegel said.

"We're accustomed to large resorts, but we usually sell and then build, but in this one, we're going to build before they're sold," he said.

Robert Earl, co-chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, said the partnership with Westgate will dramatically increase guest traffic and enhance the overall experience at Planet Hollywood.

"The beauty for us is no other time share developer builds inventory until he sells it," Earl said. "It gives us more hotel rooms. Instead of having land that you're building slowly on, he's going to build it all at one time."

Earl said he wants to take the Planet Hollywood brand into time shares and that partnerships with entertainment promoter Clear Channel Communications and now Westgate are starting to bring the resort's branding efforts to fruition. Westgate is the third-largest time-share company in the world, with more than 350,000 owners.

Earl and Siegel are neighbors in the Isle Worth community in Orlando and have known each other for more than 20 years, they said.