Fitzgerald's has new owners who are revamping the hotel have renamed it The D Las Vegas Casino Hotel. It'll have new rooms, a new casino, and a new facade facing Fremont Street. The name change is already in effect and the remodeling should be complete by fall 2012.

The Flamingo is revamping more than 2,000 of its rooms in a $10 million upgrade. The FAB rooms (as they are called) feature hardwood floors, modern furnishings, pillow-top mattresses, 32" flat screen televisions, and more. Many of the new rooms are open now and the rest should be complete by late spring of 2012.

The Golden Gate is expanding, adding a five-story building on the back end of the hotel that will house 16 new luxury suites, additional casino space, a new lobby, and a new restaurant. Construction is under way now and is expected to be complete by summer of 2012.

The Imperial Palace is going away, sort of. The building will remain but it will get a full makeover inside and out and a new name. The specifics have not yet been released, but my guess is that the new name will be Horseshoe and the accommodations will be remodeled to become a more modern, mid-market property. Construction is expected to begin in early 2012 and should be complete by sometime in 2013.

MGM Grand is undergoing what they call a 360 degree renovation that will see new decor and furnishings in the majority of its rooms and some changes to other areas of the hotel as well. The first new rooms should debut in late 2011 with the entire project expected to be completed by late 2012.

The Lady Luck in Downtown Las Vegas, which has been closed since 2006, will be getting a full renovation and a new name. The Downtown Grand, as it will be known, will have all new rooms, restaurants, casino space, meeting space, a pool, and more. It should be open in Spring 2013.

The former Sahara hotel will be remodeled and renamed as the SLS Las Vegas, a boutique luxury resort from the same company that manages SLS hotels in Beverly Hills and South Beach. It is expected to open in 2014.

Shows
The Blue Man Group is moving from The Venetian to Monte Carlo in late 2012.

JabbaWockeeZ, which is losing their theater at Monte Carlo to the Blue Man Group, will be performing in a temporary tent by that hotel starting in June until their new theater at Luxor where the old IMAX 3-D theater used to be) is ready in September of 2012.

The Los Angeles based Laugh Factory will be taking over the space that Brad Garrett's club occupied at The Tropicana.

Michael Jackson Immortal, the non-touring version of the Jackson themed show from Cirque du Soleil, will be opening at Mandalay Bay in early 2013.

Phantom, the Vegas version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, will end its run at The Venetian on September 2, 2012. No word on what will replace it yet.

Shania Twain will be starting a multi-year residency at Caesars Palace in December of 2012.

Viva Elvis by Cirque du Soleil at Aria will close August 18 and be replaced by a new Cirque production called Zarkana in November of 2012.

Crazy Horse Paris at the MGM Grand will close and be replaced by a Las Vegas version of the Pink Elephant Club, a popular party spot with outlets in Brazil, NYC, Southhampton, Park City, and Mexico. The club will reportedly use the Crazy Horse dancers as atmospheric entertainment.

Carlos Santana will be doing a two-year residency at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay starting in September of 2012.

Cee Lo Green will be doing a residency at Planet Hollywood starting in September of 2012. He will be doing at least 30 shows through the end of the year.

Interactive dinner theater piece Tony & Tina's Wedding will be moving from Planet Hollywood to the long-closed former buffet space at Bally's in May, 2012.

Attractions
Several new zip lines are being planned between Excalibur and Luxor. The rides would take people from platforms near the top of the pyramid and the castle down to near the street level. No opening date is set.

A new sports themed attraction called Score! will open at Luxor by summer 2012. It will feature an interactive exhibit that will allow guests to follow the steps along the path to becoming a sports superstar, complete with signing with a team and getting celebrity endorsements.

Stingray Cove is a new attraction in development at the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage that will be home to, appropriately enough, stingrays. There is no opening date yet.

The Wayne Newton Estate in the southeast part of town will open to tourists sometime in early 2012. It will feature a tour of the main home, a zoo, a museum, an exotic car collection, and a theater where Mr. Las Vegas will perform on selected dates.

Splash Canyon is a new water park under construction in the SW part of the city. When complete it will feature a 17,000 square-foot wave pool, 20 slides, a 1,000-foot-long lazy river ride, a children's play area, restaurants, private cabanas, and more. It is scheduled to be open by Memorial Day, 2013.

The Neon Museum will be opening their long-expected permanent facility in late summer 2012, just north of Downtown. It will feature a gallery and welcome center and have tours of the Neon Boneyard, where all of the old Las Vegas neon signs are located.

Linq is a major new entertainment venue on The Strip that will go in between The Flamingo and what is now Imperial Palace. The alley between the two hotels will be converted into a pedestrian street with stores, bars, restaurants, and more all leading to a 550-foot tall observation wheel, making it the largest of its kind in the world. The project will also involve tearing down O'Shea's casino and revamping the Imperial Palace with a new look and name (most likely Horseshoe). It will feature stores, restaurants, and bars along a pedestrian walkway leading to a 550-foot tall observation wheel called High Roller. The project will open in stages and should be complete by the end of 2013.

SkyVue is another observation wheel under construction, this one on the south end of The Strip across from Mandalay Bay. It will be 500 feet tall and will have a retail and restaurant complex at its base. It is scheduled to open summer of 2013 also.

A Michael Jackson themed attraction will open at Mandalay Bay along with the Cirque show in early 2013. Details have not been released.

Restaurants
Denny's is expected to open its first Downtown Vegas location at Neonopolis in April of 2012.

Gordon Ramsay of Hell's Kitchen fame will be opening his first Vegas restaurant at Paris Las Vegas in May, 2012. It will be a steakhouse and will replace the existing Les Artistes Steakhouse.

The Public House sports pub will be moving into Luxor in 2012.

Nightlife
Another NY transplant, The Box nightclub, will be opening at The Venetian in 2012. It will feature a stage for live performance art acts.

A Michael Jackson themed nightclub will open at Mandalay Bay at the same time as the new Cirque show in early 2013.

A nightclub co-designed by Cirque du Soleil and The Light Group (Bank, Haze, etc.) will open at Mandalay Bay in 2012 in the space once occupied by rumjungle. It will reportedly use Cirque performers as atmospheric entertainment.

Crazy Horse Paris at the MGM Grand will close and be replaced by a Las Vegas version of the Pink Elephant Club, a popular party spot with outlets in Brazil, NYC, Southhampton, Park City, and Mexico. The club will reportedly use the Crazy Horse dancers as atmospheric entertainment.

Hakkasan Las Vegas will replace Studio 54 at MGM Grand in December of 2012. It will be a combination restaurant and nightclub that will reportedly be a four-story facility complete with a Strip facing outdoor patio with its own pool. Hakkasan is an Asian restaurant that started in London and now has branches in Mumbai, Miami, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and New York City. It's a co-venture between Hakkasan and Angel Management Group, the Las Vegas nightlife company that runs Pure at Caesars Palace among others.

The Playboy Club will be closing summer of 2012. No word yet on what will replace it.

Other
The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort will be undergoing a major expansion that will add lifts and courses. It is expected to be complete in 2013.

Now Open
The Nevada State Museum opened October 28, 2011.

Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ and Beer is a roadhouse style restaurant and bar that is now open at Excalibur.

Oscar's Steakhouse, from former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, is now open at The Plaza.

The Las Vegas Hilton has a new name: LVH - Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The hotel's deal with Hilton Hotels ended and the property has been rebranded although no other major changes are expected.

American Burger Works is a new gourmet burger outlet is now open at Excalibur.

Buca di Beppo, the Italian chain restaurant, has opened its first branch on The Strip at Excalibur.

Homestead Steakhouse is a New York City landmark and has opened a branch at Caesars Palace.

1OAK, the hugely popular New York nightclub, is now open The Mirage in the spot once occupied by JET.

The Hyde Lounge is now open at Bellagio in the spot once occupied by the Fontana Lounge. It is a three-story space overlooking the Bellagio Fountains acting as a lower-key lounge in the early evening and a high-energy nightclub late at night.

RPM is the new name for the Tropicana's nightclub. It was Club Nikki, based on the Miami club, but the partnership between the hotel and the company who managed it ended acrimoniously a couple of months ago. RPM features more than 16,000 square-feet of party friendly space with three bars a dance floor and table games like blackjack and roulette in a private gaming lounge.

Bellagio has completed the renovations of all rooms in the main tower.

The Chuck Jones Experience, an interactive attraction based on the art and animation of Looney Tunes master Chuck Jones, is now open at Circus Circus.

The MGM Grand Lion Habitat has closed. It will most likely be replaced by a bar or restaurant.

Studio 54 at MGM Grand has closed.

Lily, the new ultralounge that took the place of Caramel at the Bellagio, is now open.

The National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement, otherwise known as the Mob Museum, is now open.

Jersey Boys moved from The Palazzo to Paris Las Vegas with new shows at the latter effective March 6, 2012.

GameWorks, the arcade and video game emporium on The Strip, has closed. It may reopen in a new location.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has opened near Downtown Las Vegas in the March 2012. It features a 2,050 seat concert hall, a 258-seat cabaret theater, a 200-seat studio theater, and a new home for the Lied Discovery Children's Museum.

KISS Mini Golf is now open.

Brad Garrett's Comedy Club has moved from The Tropicana to the MGM Grand.

Rok, the nightclub at New York-New York has closed. It will be replaced by a venue that will host live acts/bands, which should open by May of 2012.

Carlos' and Charlie's Mexican restaurant and bar has opened at Flamingo.

Drink and Drag is an original concept has opened at Neonopolis in Downtown Las Vegas. Taking over part of the space once occupied by Jillian's, Drink and Drag offers multiple bars, dancing, food, 12-lanes of bowling, pool tables, darts, and more. So why is it original? Because the whole thing will is staffed by drag queens. Although catering to the gay community, it will be open to open-minded straight people as well.

Senor Frog's, a Mexican themed party bar/restaurant, is now open Treasure Island.

Rockhouse at Imperial Palace has closed as part of that hotel's makeover in association with the Linq project. Rockhouse may reopen in another location and may come back to the IP later.

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