Ultimate Sports Entertainment hung its shingle in Las Vegas about a year ago and last month announced extremely ambitious plans to build and operate "the most extraordinary sports and entertainment resort in the world." This $4 billion "sports hotel-casino destination" would occupy 116 acres in North Las Vegas near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Plans call for 10 sports venues, ranging from a 1,000-seat ice rink to the 26,000-seat main arena, plus a driving range, shooting range, swim and dive center, bowling center, and more. There would also be a 150,000-square-foot casino with 3,500 slots and 130 table games; a 5,500-room hotel, with 4,000 standard rooms costing $59 or less at all times, plus 1,000 luxury suites, 500 super-luxury suites, and 500 condos; and a million-square-foot convention center. Three five-star restaurants, a buffet and coffee shop, and 15 fast-food outlets combine with 10 nightclubs for the dining-entertainment product. There are also plans for a big health club, various sports Halls of Fame and retail shops, and a 20,000-space parking garage.
Ultimate Sports counts as part of its team the Perini Building Co., so it might have a contractor in place, a critical component for getting anything built in Las Vegas these days. Its team member HOK Sports is a leading sports arena-and-stadium architectural firm. It also counts among its ranks the Navegante Group, which would be on board to manage the casino. And it has a slick Web site (check it out at www.ultimatesportsresort.com).
It's a grand vision.
However, because of the enormous price tag, along with the North Las Vegas location, the start-up nature of the company, and the long list of pipe-dream projects announced in Las Vegas over the decades, many experts are skeptical that it will ever get off the ground. No construction schedule or completion dates have been announced; when and if they are, we'll let you know.
