![Luxor at night [taken by Michelle Snow]](http://www.lasvegaslogue.com/files/2007/07/luxor-frontnight.jpg)
This morning, MGM Mirage held a press conference to officially confirm what many already suspected: the Egyptian theme prevalent throughout the Luxor was going to be removed.
MGM Mirage acquired the Luxor about two years ago, in an almost $8 billion purchase of the Mandalay Resort Group that also included Mandalay Bay and the Excalibur. But the company feels it’s time to let go of the Egyptian theme.
“We’re not a British museum with ancient artifacts, we’re a casino-resort,” said Luxor President and COO Felix Rappaport to reporters. “This was a brilliantly conceived building from the outside. The pyramid always created a sense of wow and wonder, but the inside never delivered on that promise.”
I can see what he means by that. Even though the outside Sphynx and the pyramid shape of the building are very visually interesting, some of the ways the theme was applied included just slapping an Egyptian name upon something, without really committing to the idea. It always felt to me like they did just enough to say it was an Egyptian theme, without really making the resort feel like you were in Egypt. For comparison, look at The Venetian, which does a remarkable job of immersing guests in the Italian theme, while still offering a luxury experience.
Already minor changes have been applied to the Luxor.
Nefertiti’s Lounge has been replaced by the more modern Aurora Lounge. The hieroglyphics on the casino’s indoor walls are also already in the process of being removed, and I’ve heard even wild rumors the Sphynx outside might be taken down. But I’m not sure how they could accomplish that without a major inconvenience to guests, since it sits right at the main entrance to both the resort and the courtesy tram to Excalibur and Mandalay Bay.
Over Labor Day weekend, LAX nightclub (an offshoot of the trendy celeb-filled hotspot in LA) will open at the resort, operated by the Pure Management Group. Two other lounges, Noir and Flight, are expected to open next to LAX later in the fall, as is Liquidity, the resort’s first bar in the heart of the casino floor.
Also coming this fall will be will the CatHouse restaurant/lounge, which will be under the direction of celebrity chef Kerry Simon (he of the Hard Rock Hotel’s Simon Kitchen). It will be located in the upstairs area above the casino where Isis and Sacred Sea once operated.
In addition to removing the Egyptian themed items, both the pool area and the Luxor Steakhouse will be remodeled next year. That is also the time frame given for changing over the resort’s atrium level into a more adult area, complete with the addition of more restaurants, lounges and entertainment venues. The 2,500 pyramid rooms will also be scheduled for a remodel, but no further details have been given.
But the one thing that won’t change is the name of the resort. Officials had toyed with the idea of changing the name from Luxor to something more generic, like “The Pulse,” but after reportedly consulting with focus groups, they have decided to leave the name as it is.
And yes, the laser light at the top of the pyramid will also remain intact.
When asked what prompted the company to initiate the changes, Rappaport replied, “We want our guests to visit Mandalay Bay and our sister properties but we also want guests from the other properties to visit Luxor, as well. We believe what is being added here will go a long way toward changing our image.”
So what do you think? Are you sad that Vegas’ slice of Egypt will be gone, or are you sick of everything Egypt and will welcome the change at the Luxor?
{ 8 comments }
And just what other kind of theme would make sense inside a pyramid?
Try an opulent Asian theme. Wonder why there isn’t one in Vegas, since it would attract more of the Asian population around the world.
I don’t get it! What’s wrong with the Egyptian theme? Is there an international coup or domestic hatred for Egypt? I think the “Luxor” name is going to be synomous with “Egypt.” You HAVE to change the name if you want to change the image! I mean this is a basic tenet of advertising/marketing. Good luck Luxor, because unless you offer something there that is refreshing and absolutely outrageous, I think the pyramid property will be the next to be imploded!
No this is very wrong it should stay as it is i love las vegas so much and it wouldn’t be the same without a visit to the egyptian themed fantastic Luxor!
Just a part of the ongoing blandification of Vegas.
Mika hit the nail on the head… “what other theme would make sense inside a pyramid?” If it was lacking or inadequate previously perhaps they should do better with the egyptian theme instead of changing everything to what? I read in the article how it fell short, well fix it instead of changing it all to what? glorification of what? I see no solid ideas in this article other than “We believe what is being added here will go a long way toward changing our image.” change it to what? if the Luxor was lacking it sounds like the curent direction is also. I read nothing here that leads me to believe otherwise. personally I don’t care if Las Vegas loses it’s slice of Egypt…. but it’s a pyramid, what else are you going to do with it? perhaps a Mayan theme instead with human sacrifices?
Everyone here has made excellent points and I agree.
The themes ARE what attract people looking to escape the daily grind. That’s what Vegas is all about. A lot of folks come from the LA area and I would think the last thing they want to see is the same thing they have at home.
In polls taken that I have read it reveals that most folks love the Egyptian themed Luxor. Some folks I have talked to even say that it is “a must show” to their out of town visitors.
I echo the comments of a couple of folks here when I say that this is very wrong to do. I too wonder of this is not hate-based as I read the comments made by Mr. Rappaport.
Mr. Rappaport also said that he thought “the place was run like a dormatory and not a very good dormatory”. I think that would have something to do with upper management perhaps, not the theme. He also mentioned that the theme was not done very well(just giving something an Egyptian name doesn’t constitute a theme and visitors don’t experience full emersion). One would think that this is something easily fixed, not to mention less expensive.
I think they are shooting themselves in the foot. I think what they are doing to the Luxor will no doubt lead to them imploding it sooner than later.
Personally, I am deeply offended and saddened by the comments of Mr. Rappaport and the de-themeing of Luxor. I’ve even called the Luxor to talk to somebody about it several times when I first found out they were going to do this. The employees put on the fake show of being glad for the progress going on and such, but one can tell they are just trying to keep their jobs. (We can’t blame them of course).
I am in fact making my LAST trip to Vegas in a week to see the Luxor (what’s left of it). Without the Egyptian themed Luxor I will have no reason to ever visit Vegas again. I don’t want to look at the same office buildings I see everyday in southern Cailfornia.
Wow! More deep, insightful thinking on the part of corporate America… let’s gut the theme and make the place trendy for the next few years, at which point we will have to repeat the same process over again… braindead… off to Caeser’s Palace!
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