Strip casino remains ‘very true’ to original theme after 25 years

Bill and Mindy Lovell were not staying at Paris casino-hotel during their recent Las Vegas vacation. But, like millions of other tourists during the resort’s 25-year history, the couple from Louisiana stopped to take a few photos of the iconic replica Eiffel Tower.

Despite not being aware that Paris Las Vegas was celebrating its quarter-century anniversary over the Labor Day weekend, the Lovells took a moment to admire one of the Strip’s most recognizable landmarks. And they were not alone, as dozens of other sightseers, day-trippers and Sin City visitors were snapping pictures of and with the casino’s famous architecture.

“It’s cool,” said first-time Las Vegas visitor Bill Lovell as he looked up at the 541-foot replica tower. “I think all this architecture is amazing.”

The property’s trademark

For many, the aesthetics of the Paris casino-hotel are its main draw; the uniqueness of Paris is the property’s trademark.

“Paris Las Vegas stands out as a recognizable resort around the world, especially because it brought authentic replicas of French landmarks to the famous Las Vegas Strip when it opened in 1999,” said Sean McBurney, regional president of Caesars Entertainment, Paris’ parent company. “We changed the city’s skyline when we added a half-scale Eiffel Tower and a two-thirds-scale Arc de Triomphe to the destination.”

While not the only themed casino resort in the city, it was the last such project to be completed and hold on to the original concept; Aladdin opened in 2000 but became Planet Hollywood less than a decade later. The other still-operating theme casinos on the Strip — including Caesars Palace (1966), Circus Circus (1968), Excalibur (1990), Luxor (1993), Treasure Island (1993), New York New York (1997), Bellagio (1998) and The Venetian (May 1999) — were around before the Parisian-inspired property, which officially opened on Sept. 1, 1999.

David Schwartz, casino historian and UNLV ombudsman who previously served as director of the school’s Center for Gaming Research, said Paris came to life in an era where themed properties were thriving in Las Vegas. Coming up with a themed casino was almost something that operators “had to do” during that time, he said.

“Themes were a big deal because casinos needed to differentiate themselves, and themes were seen as one way (to do that),” Schwartz said. “But there’s also the fact that themes seemed to work…So anybody who wanted to build a casino said theme is a very important part of that.”

As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Schwartz said Paris stands out in 2024 as “staying very true to (its) original concept.”

Inspired by some of Paris’ most notable attractions

Paris was designed by architect Joel Bergman, who also had a hand in The Mirage, MGM Grand and Treasure Island (among others). Besides the tower and the arc, the facade of the property includes elements of the Louvre, the Paris Opera House and the Musée d’Orsay.

Paris Las Vegas broke ground in April 1997 on 24 acres of land along Las Vegas Boulevard. The final price tag for the resort came in at $785 million, considerably less than other resorts in the area that were built around the same time, such as Bellagio ($1.6 billion) and The Venetian ($1.5 billion).

According to Caesars Entertainment, the replica Eiffel Tower took almost 18 months to build. The tower is made up of more than 5,000 tons of welded steel (with faux rivets to imitate the original) and cost nearly $28 million. The original plans called for a full-scale replica, but the resort’s proximity to the city’s airport made that impossible.

In 2019, Paris Las Vegas debuted its Eiffel Tower light show as an homage to the City of Light. The $1.7 million spectacle features more than 300 color washing light fixtures and more than 800 white strobe lights. The free show continues today, taking place every 30 minutes from sunset to midnight.

The 150-foot-tall Paris Las Vegas balloon cost $6 million. Bergman designed the sign — a replica of the Montgolfier Balloon in France — and it was built by Las Vegas-based Federal Signs.

Property continues to grow

But the allure of Paris is more than just the outside of the building. The interior was just as thoughtfully created. The intention was to recreate a Paris streetscape from the early part of the 20th century. Underneath the 40-foot tall ceiling is a Las Vegas version of the Rue de la Paix and a replica of the Pont Alexandre III on the casino floor.

The casino floor itself is nearly 85,000 square feet. It has more than 2,000 slot machines and 100 table games, according to Caesars.

The original hotel tower was 34 stories high and featured 2,916 rooms. Five years ago, the property underwent a $92 million renovation, resulting in nearly 1,600 hotel rooms being updated. The Bordeaux Tower is modeled after the Hotel de Ville.

In 2023, Caesars repurposed the next-door Jubilee Tower from Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally’s Las Vegas) and renamed it the Versailles Tower. The $100 million renovation project added 756 rooms to Paris’ total, including 38 balcony rooms overlooking the Strip, which opened in July.

True to its Parisian heritage, dining is at the forefront of the property’s identity. It boasts an all-star collection of name-brand eateries, such as The Bedford by Martha Stewart, Nobu, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, Vanderpump à Paris and, coming soon, Dominique Ansel Marché. Paris Las Vegas also features one of the Strip’s best people-watching outside dining locations at Mon Ami Gabi.

McBurney said a lot of “thought and time went into creating” Paris Las Vegas and Caesars is looking forward to what lies ahead for the iconic property.

“This year, not only are we celebrating 25 years of success for the resort, but we’re also showcasing the evolution of the property,” he said. “Paris Las Vegas is a destination guests love, and we’re proud of the work we’ve done to enhance our offerings in recent years.”

David Danzis can be contacted at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com. Follow AC_Danzis on X.