Caesars Entertainment Regional President Sean McBurney talks about the resort’s remodel. By Ryan Slattery
It’s been 25 years since Las Vegas unveiled its Paris-themed resort with its half-size replica (540 feet) of the Eiffel Tower, a two-thirds scale Arc de Triomphe and a Montgolfier hot-air balloon—which doubles as a marquee, and right now needs a touch up and coat of paint.
Paris-Las Vegas opened on September 1, 1999 at a time when Las Vegas was busy building themed resorts—mere months after The Venetian and a year after Bellagio. While the two others aimed more towards a convention-heavy and luxury crowd, Paris-Las Vegas targeted a mid-range clientele.
In recent years, Caesars Entertainment has sought to remake the property. The company has collaborated with celebrities such as Lisa Vanderpump on a sexy, sophisticated cocktail lounge; Martha Stewart chose the property as the place to open her very first restaurant; a new Nobu restaurant debuted and a fast-service Bobby Flay burger joint was added as the property ditched its buffet. And there’s more on the way as Dominique Ansel will soon open a Parisian-style café.
But perhaps the most exciting news coming from the property as it celebrates its silver anniversary is the remodel of the resort’s Versailles Tower. Caesars more than $100 million into renovating 756 guest rooms and added 38 balcony rooms facing the Las Vegas Strip.
To find out more about everything happening on the property, we caught up with Sean McBurney, regional president of Caesars Entertainment. Here’s what he told Casino Life.
Over the past couple of years, there has been a major reinvestment into Paris-Las Vegas. Tell us how the property changed.
We’ve opened several restaurants and bars — Vanderpump à Paris, Nobu, The Bedford by Martha Stewart and Montecristo Cigar Bar — to complement the already-extraordinary lineup of culinary options, including Gordon Ramsay Steak, Mon Ami Gabi and the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. We also redesigned the Caesars Race & Sportsbook. Most recently, we renovated the Versailles Tower rooms and suites.
Tell us about the Versailles Tower renovation.
We invested more than $100 million into renovating the Versailles Tower, including redesigning the rooms, enhancing the exterior and building a pedestrian bridge. The new rooms are inspired by an elegant Parisian apartment and they look great. We also created balcony rooms with amazing views of the Strip.
Most Vegas properties don’t have balconies. What led to that decision to add them?
The Versailles Tower is in the heart of the Strip, so adding balconies allows guests to see the iconic resorts and landmarks along Las Vegas Boulevard, and experience all the action during special events. The view is stunning.
How many rooms have balconies and how large are they?
The Versailles Tower features 38 standard rooms with 55-square-foot balconies. The size of these rooms starts at 420 square feet.
Was there an event in mind, such as Formula 1, that led to the balcony builds? How are you positioning these rooms for the upcoming race?
With prime views of the Strip, the balcony rooms will be popular for special events throughout the year — from the Las Vegas Grand Prix to holidays like New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July. F1 fans can experience the exciting energy the race brings to Las Vegas Boulevard without leaving their rooms.
The Versailles Tower is already performing above expectations. In terms of return on investment, what are expectations for the tower?
Whenever we have an opportunity to enhance a guest’s experience, we seize it. The Versailles Tower offers some of the best views in the city.
The Paris resort and Horseshoe are tied at the hip, and the renovated tower emphasizes that relationship. How do you see them fitting into the market and working together?
Guests at Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas have convenient access to a variety of experiences at both resorts. The properties are connected by a walkway on the casino floor, which includes many of our destination restaurants and bars. We will soon have a pedestrian bridge for visitors staying in the Versailles Tower as well.
With Ramsay, Flay, Nobu, Vanderpump and Martha Stewart, there is a heavy presence of celebrity-backed restaurants. Why are they so successful?
Caesars Entertainment values its celebrity partners and Paris-Las Vegas is lucky to have so many within steps of each other. Not only do our guests get to experience iconic dishes from their favorite chefs and restaurateurs, but our amazing food and beverage team also prides itself on spectacular service that makes visitors want to keep coming back.
Some of the newer restaurant additions are Vanderpump and The Bedford. Why did you take the property in that direction and partner these two stars?
Who doesn’t love Lisa Vanderpump and Martha Stewart? These talented powerhouses know how to achieve hospitality excellence. From the moment guests walk into their restaurants, they are transported to a carefully curated dining experience that can’t be found anywhere else. We love the energy and vibrance their restaurants bring.
Montecristo Cigar Bar is also new. How has that elevated the former Napoleon space?
We’ve seen great success with Montecristo Cigar Bar at Caesars Palace and we wanted to introduce this incredible experience to our guests at Paris-Las Vegas. Cigar fans can choose from more than 300 brands. Montecristo is a great lounge to enjoy a cocktail pairing or watch your favorite team on the 16-foot-by-nine-foot LED TV wall with a group of friends.
A new Dominique Ansel concept has been announced. What can you tell us about the project?
Dominique Ansel Marché marks our second concept with the Cronut creator. I’m a huge fan of Chef Ansel’s work and can’t wait for this opening because it will be unlike anything he has done before. Just like the sidewalk markets in France, Dominique Ansel Marché will feature his signature bakery goods like croissants and Cronut pastries. Our guests can also enjoy made-to-order crêpes, savory items like rotisserie chicken and potatoes, seasonal fresh fruit tarts and cakes, ice cream, and more.
September 1 marks the resort’s 25th anniversary. How are you planning to celebrate the occasion?
We’re celebrating 25 years of Paris Las Vegas with a variety of food and beverage, spa, wedding and attractions offerings. Through mid-September, guests can enjoy a special anniversary cocktail and prix fixe menus at several of our restaurants and bars. Other anniversary experiences include a massage and facial at Voie Spa & Salon, a special wedding package and $25 Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck tickets. It’s the perfect time for visitors to experience all our incredible offerings.
