Fontainebleau Plans New Wave of Luxury Retailers in Las Vegas
With 90,000 square feet of retail space and approximately 35 distinct concepts across two levels, Fontainebleau Development is targeting luxury retailers and experiential lifestyle partnerships for its new 67-story property.
Located at the north end of the Las Vegas strip, the podium-shaped property aims to allow for the retail space to be fully integrated into the resort ecosystem, with all stores neighboring the prominent casino and food and beverage venues so that guests can play a round of blackjack then do some shopping without having to leave the center of activity.
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“Fontainebleau Development has had a vision of building our iconic brand on the Las Vegas Strip for over a decade,” said Brett Mufson, president of Fontainebleau Development. “Our chairman and chief executive officer, Jeffrey Soffer, first began development on this project nearly 15 years ago and we worked together to reacquire the property last year to complete the dream.”
Notably, this property will be the largest development project in the U.S. and the first major luxury hotel to be built in Las Vegas in nearly 15 years.
“We are excited to bring this vision to life to reinvigorate the north end of the Strip to complement all the other incredible offerings in this vibrant destination,” said Mufson. “Construction is underway, and excited for the opening in [the fourth quarter of] 2023, nearing our 70th anniversary.”
Citing the company’s rich history, which dates back to 1954 when Fontainebleau Miami opened, Mufson said the Las Vegas property is being designed as an extension of the Fontainebleau experience that consumers have come to know and love, though will take on some innovative ideas that he hopes will serve as a benchmark for future resorts.
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The goal for Fontainebleau Las Vegas, he said, is to bring that same unique energy and culture of the Fontainebleau brand to the Strip.
“We’re creating a more accessible brand, but one that never lets go of its roots,” said Mufson. “We will also ensure that we’re meeting the desires of the modern-day luxury traveler who is looking for bespoke and hyper-personalized experiences. We’re expecting to attract global consumers who are passionate about quality travel and are in search of more than traditional luxury amenities. While Fontainebleau Las Vegas will have high-touch luxury amenities within their guest journey, we’re also working to develop an experience that delivers unexpected delights and tailored experiences our modern-day traveler seeks.”
To create a truly thoughtful and immersive journey for its guests, Mufson told WWD “the main differentiation is the energy in the space created by integrating different programmatic elements.” For example, the team created an architecture plan where the guest and retailer will have a more intimate relationship.
“By integrating the stores within the resort’s ecosystem, as opposed to a separate destination, we are creating a seamless experience for guests in which they can easily go back and forth between shopping, gambling and dining while remaining part of the action,” said Mufson. “This ultimately sets our retailers and other partners up for success as full integration into the resort allows window shopping and billboarding of brands to take on a whole new meaning, allowing our partners to capture more business organically.”
The hotel is designed to be a destination unto itself, Mufson said. To set the DNA of the architecture and brand identity, Fontainebleau Development tapped Simon Rawlings, creative director of David Collins Studio. Rawlings’ team’s goal, the company told WWD, is to create a highly curated experience for the modern-day consumer.
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“Fontainebleau’s vision for Las Vegas is to establish a new level of modern-day luxury for our guests,” said Mufson. “Our tradition of collaboration with world-class designers that originated with Morris Lapidus at our Miami property continues today in Las Vegas. We are working closely with renowned branding and design visionary Peter Arnell, who heads our property-wide branding and design and works alongside a group of world-class designers. We have chosen partnerships with some of the world’s most celebrated and experienced designers to create unique destinations throughout the resort that reflect our brand’s essence and design ethos.”
Partnerships include Rockwell Group, David Collins Studio and a host of architects and designers.
“These teams have done an incredible job of conceiving the chic, sophisticated and elegant architectural designs and experiences that echo the DNA of our brand with a modern and fresh aesthetic,” said Mufson. “We always look to celebrate our existing brand culture and historical features, especially the architectural elements designed by Miami Beach architect Morris Lapidus. In addition, you’ll see icons and symbols incorporated into the design that represent a unique style and authentic personality deeply rooted in our origin, history and brand story.”
Fontainebleau Development looks forward to sharing more designers and property details in the coming months.
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