But things started to change in 1998 when Bellagio opened. True, the outside of the building is done as an Italian seaside village, but the interior was much less heavily themed than most of its predecessors, going more for a luxurious feel than a carnival one. The man who created that hotel, Steve Wynn, took that ethos to the next level in 2005 with his namesake hotel Wynn Las Vegas, which has no theme to speak of unless you count opulence as one.

And along the way, sometimes quietly and other times not so much, the existing theme hotels lost their most identifiable branding. There is still a rainforest inside The Mirage but most of the other Polynesian detail is gone, replaced by a sleek and glam design. Ditto Treasure Island, which got rid of all of the gold doubloon filled chests and swashbuckling details years ago. Dorothy was removed from the MGM Grand, the World’s Fair disappeared from The Stratosphere, and the Road to Morocco at Aladdin was replaced with something approaching Rodeo Drive when it became Planet Hollywood.

Now comes the most startling news of all in this evolution of Las Vegas: Luxor, the wonderland of kitschy Egyptian detail, will undergo a $300 million makeover that will remove virtually every last trace of King Tut and the region he once ruled.

The casino will be completely revamped to get rid of the hieroglyphics and the second level arcade and attraction area will be overhauled in favor of additional restaurants and entertainment venues. One Egyptian themed lounge has already been replaced with a swanky casino bar and the space that once housed the temple themed RA will become a branch of the hip LA nightclub LAX, complete with an opening around Labor Day hosted by Britney Spears. All of the rooms will be remodeled as will the pool area.

About the only nods to Egypt that will remain are the pyramid shaped building itself and the Sphinx that guards the valet parking area.

The remodeling at Luxor and the upcoming revamp of The Sahara that is expected to strip away all of its Arabian Nights detail means that there will only be a handful of heavily themed casinos left on The Strip: Excalibur’s castle, New York-New York’s nod to the Big Apple, Caesars Palace’s take on Rome, Italy by way of The Venetian and Palazzo, France at Paris Las Vegas, and big top fun at Circus Circus.

And before you start sending me letters, I’m not counting places like Mandalay Bay, The Rio, or Monte Carlo where the themes are less obvious. My column, my rules.

Several of the casinos that still have themes may also be in jeopardy of losing them just like Luxor. Circus Circus will undergo a major overhaul in the next few years as part of a big development of hotels neighboring it and there have been rumors of big changes for both Paris and Excalibur as well.

There will be no rescue from new casinos coming down the pike either. With the notable exception of Palazzo, the Italian themed extension of Venetian due to open in early 2008, none of the new major casinos coming online in the next decade or so such as CityCenter, Echelon, Encore, The Plaza, The Cosmopolitan, and Fontainebleau are expected to have any kind of an identifiable theme beyond that of “luxury hotel.” No recreated city skylines or natural wonders; no landmark buildings or quaint village replicas; not even a roller coaster.

All of this is part of the natural evolution of Las Vegas, a city that has reinvented itself more times than most people can count. The current way of thinking among the people with all the money that run these places is that Vegas is growing up, becoming more adult, and more serious. Nowadays a hotel has to have a suite of multi-million dollar nightclubs to entertain people whereas before a lava-spurting fake volcano seemed to do the trick.

Of course with this grown-up sensibility comes grown-up prices. $200-$300 a night rooms are the norm now and a $20 cover charge to get into a dance club is considered a bargain.

This means that Las Vegas is becoming, in almost every way, less of an attraction for the average person who visits Las Vegas. Without the wacky themes, bargain buffets, and relatively cheap rooms, many people have expressed a decided lack of interest in rushing back to town like they used to.

But the message the Las Vegas casino industry seems to be sending is that they don’t really care about the average Vegas visitor anymore because, to be frank, you don’t spend enough money. That might be a harsh way of putting things but in the end it’s true and it’s working as visitor volume, casino wagering, and casino gambling win all hit record highs again in recent months. Why should they have a $10 dinner buffet when they can have a $25 dinner buffet and still have lines out the door? Why should they offer rooms for $100 a night when they can charge four times that and still operate at more than 90% occupancy levels?

The only bright bit of news I can offer to the folks who are mourning the loss of the Las Vegas they knew and loved is this: all things are cyclical. Remember, this is a town that has reinvented itself more often and at some point, this “Vegas is for the Rich” mentality will hit a breaking point and the pendulum will swing the other way.

Let’s just hope were all still around to see it happen.

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When it opened as the Hyatt, the reaction from most Vegas visitors was a polite and respectful shrug. Although many believed in the brand, the location of the hotel some 25-30 minutes east of just about everything most visitors want to do when they hit town didn’t put it up high on the options list. Despite this, they managed to do great business, focusing mainly on families, recreation fanatics, and business travelers to fill their nearly 500 rooms.

Now, as Loews that focus continues, with the changes aimed at the physical structure rather than the marketing ethos.

The entire place has a vaguely Moroccan theme to it that remains with the new name on the building, but it is not as obvious or overwhelming as the former Aladdin or Sahara. Instead they get by with intricately carved woodwork, rich and colorful fabrics, tasteful jeweled lamps, and subtle artworks. The overall affect is upscale and yet comfortable. Get yourself a hookah and relax.

The lobby is a gigantic cascading three-story affair with giant windows looking out at the lake, all of which can be opened to create an outdoor feeling. A multi-level lounge is getting upgraded furnishings and more landscaping (the palm trees that line the drive spill inside), making an already beautiful space even more attractive.

There used to be a small casino but it closed so now if you need to get your gambling jones satisfied, you'll have to take a water taxi across the lake to MonteLago Village and Casino (which you should anyway because it’s lovely).

Recreation and relaxation are the primary goals here so head outside to take a look at all of the options. There are two huge heated pools (one with its own theme-park worthy water slide), cabanas, a bar and grill, a sports court, a putting green, a lagoon with a private beach, water sports equipment rental (paddle boats, kayaks, fishing gear, etc.), gardens and gazebos, special Fisher Price areas for young children, and much more that I can’t possibly list here. An almost endless list of activities (poolside movies anyone?) accompanies the facilities and if that isn’t enough there are a couple of championship golf courses nearby. No matter how nice the pool/recreation area is at the Strip hotel where you were last, it can’t possibly compare to the amenities and opportunities here.

All of this makes the Loews a wonderful option for families. Not only do they have all of this stuff to do but they also feature special programs designed to make kids feel welcome. Younger children receive Fisher Price welcome gifts and have access to lending libraries of games and supervised recreational programs. Teenagers get a backpack stuffed with goodies and can borrow Gameboy titles, DVDs, and more.

Similar pampering and attention goes toward people who bring their pets including their own bowls and welcome treats plus everything from rawhide bones to litter boxes.

Adjacent to the main pool area is the full-service spa, featuring complimentary use of the exercise (cardio machines, nautilus style weights) and sauna/whirlpool facilities plus ten private treatment rooms for massage and other pampering.

There are two primary restaurants – Marssa, an Asian-fusion restaurant specializing in sushi; and Café Tajine, a moderately priced eatery with a wide-ranging menu that will offer something for just about everyone. Marrakesh Express, a 24-hour coffee-bar and marketplace (sandwiches and other goodies to take back to your room) rounds out the dining options. But don’t forget to take that water taxi across to MonteLago Village where you’ll find more things to eat and drink.

The 496 rooms (including 47 suites) are fairly standard in terms of layout and size but they are very well appointed. Each features one king or two queen beds, coffee makers, robes, refrigerators, hair dryers, safe, iron and board, a writing desk, high-speed Internet access, in-room movies, a Playstation, dual line phones, and lots more. Under Loews the rooms are getting a refresh with flat-panel televisions and upgraded furnishings. Most rooms come with “Juliet” balconies (doors open inward, railing is inches from the doorsill), a nice touch.

Prices for the rooms are quite reasonable. Expect a rock bottom in the neighborhood of $129 and up weekdays and $199 and up weekends, although busier times will of course cost more. Plus you have to add in extra costs if you want a lake view or their upgraded, concierge level rooms and all of the perks that come with it (club room with complimentary food and beverage service for starters).

If you’re after a non-stop, party-style, gamble ‘til you drop Vegas vacation you’d do best staying closer to the action. But if you’re looking for a relaxing Vegas vacation the Loews Lake Las Vegas is a terrific bet.

Loews Lake Las Vegas
101 Montelago Boulevard
Henderson, NV 89011
800-633-7313
Visit the Loews Web site

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Question: Which present hotels were built on sites of old hotels and what were the old hotels? Were the old hotels imploded to make way for the new ones?

Answer: Just about all of the existing hotels were built on the site of a former hotel, but let's stick with the big ones - starting on the South Strip and working north.

Mandalay Bay was built on the site of the former Hacienda, a hotel that opened in 1956 with a couple hundred rooms and a casino and grew to a major property in later years. It was imploded in 1996 and Mandalay Bay opened in 1999.

The existing MGM Grand hotel at Tropicana and The Strip opened in 1993 on the site of the former Marina Hotel and Casino. The bulk of the Marina was torn down but the main hotel tower was saved, gutted, and incorporated into the MGM Grand when it was built around it. It is the part of the hotel now known as The West Wing.

Planet Hollywood was originally The Aladdin, which was built on the site of The Aladdin. Yes, the original Aladdin, opened in 1966 (itself a remodeling of an existing motel), was imploded in 1998 and the newer onel opened in 2000.

Next door, Paris and Bally's (the original MGM Grand) were built on the land that was once home to The Bonanza, a rambling motel/casino with a western theme that opened in 1967.

Bellagio was built on the site of the famed Dunes, a hotel and casino that opened in 1955 and was imploded in 1994. Bellagio opened in 1998.

The Mirage and Treasure Island (opened in 1989 and 1993 respectively) replaced a casino/motel called The Castaways. No, it has no relation to the Castaways that was torn down a couple of years ago on the east side of town.

The Venetian, opened in 1999, replaced the legendary Sands Hotel and Casino. That hotel opened in 1952 and was imploded in 1996.

Wynn Las Vegas and its upcoming sister Encore replaced another legendary hotel: the Desert Inn. The DI, home to Dan Tanna in "Vega$," opened in 1950 and closed in 2000. It was torn down and imploded during 2001 and 2002.

In the future, CityCenter’s $7 billion worth of hotels and condos will open on the land once occupied by The Boardwalk, the old Stardust hotel site will be the home of the $4 billion Echelon, the recently closed Frontier will be torn down and replaced by a $5 billion version of New York’s Plaza hotel, and Fontainebleau will go on the land that once was home to a hotel that was known by several names over the years including The Thunderbird, The Silverbird, and El Rancho.

Many of the other existing hotels replaced smaller motels or casinos

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