It was in late August of last year that we learned, by chance, that the Clarion (former Paddlewheel, Debbie Reynolds, Greek Isles, etc.) was to close, which it did on September 2 (see Today's News 8/25/2014). A liquidation sale of all fixtures and fittings followed a week later.
The word at the time was that the property was to be imploded by its new owner, property developer Lorenzo Doumani, on Jan. 13 at 12:01 a.m., and that his seven-year-old son would be the one pressing the button. That's the last word we've heard on the subject, and a "manual" deconstruction is already underway, which has seen the demolition of the parking structure. Watch "Today's News" for confirmation over the next few days; if an implosion does take place, the parking garage at Westgate Las Vegas would likely provide the best hotel vantage point from which to view it.
Doumani's ambitious plan for the six-acre site, according to an interview he gave to John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Sun, is to build a luxury resort in the $500 million to $1 billion price range, catering to visitors to the neighboring and about-to-be upgraded Las Vegas Convention Center. There's been no indication that the requisite outside financing to see this plan to fruition is yet in place, however. Stay tuned!
