Home » VT News » Linq Construction Update: Bring on the Chaos!
Linq Construction Update: Bring on the Chaos!
As you may have gathered, we just returned from a trip to Vegas which included two "fabulous" nights at the low-priced Flamingo. The good news is that we were smack dab in the middle of Linq construction and able to snap pix from every side possible except inside. The bad news, and this should be a warning to all planning on staying at the Imperial Palace, Harrah's or Flamingo as construction gets even more intense, the area is becoming a bit of a clusterfuck, particularly Imperial Palace.
As we mentioned during the last Linq update, Imperial Palace is in the throes of major construction right now. Whereas before we could walk through the old porte cochere, now things are completely sealed off form pedestrian access, save a small two lane hallway from the middle of the casino to the street. The front desk? Gone. The front 1/4 of the casino? Also Gone. The whole thing is sealed off and feels just plain strange.
I would highly suggest anyone planning to stay at Imperial Palace who can't stomach dust and chaos above and beyond the usual danktasm to seek alternative accommodations until Linq and the IP rebrand have been completed. The Flaming0 only costs a coupla bucks more.
Meanwhile over at the Carnival Court, some lady has her unhappy pants on. Perhaps it was the band, or the shitty VP paytables, or it was the slope of the overhang of the new IP porte cochere which she peeped over the fence. This right here will be the new automobile entrance to the Quad or whatever they end up calling it. You will access the lobby via Audrie, she's always been available for the rear entry. Here's a map.
A portion of the IP exterior is wrapped in scaffolding. Zooming in reveals some steel extension beams have been welded to the building frame. I can't envision how these hook into the IP renderings that were released. I'm guessing they've changed plans to something more simple.
There is also an interesting building going up on top of the Imperial Palace's roof, right at The Strip facing edge. Again, this doesn't match anything in the previously produced renderings.
O'Sheas is pretty much in the same gutted state it was when we last checked in, just cleaned up. It does appear that they are preparing to rebar and pour some new support pillars. It is hard to tell which of the two renderings they are preparing for.
Meanwhile, out back, the former Flamingo tennis courts have been bulldozed and replaced with a simple steel structure that will eventually become a loading dock for Linq merchants and attached hotels.... yum, idling trucks right next to the pool! Way back there you can see the platform upon which the High Roller observation wheel will load and unload its personage.
Here's an alternate view of the platform.
As you can see, Linq construction is now in full bloom. Buyer beware.
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Comments & Discussion:
Chuck, it looks like they are going with "Version 3", which looks like the most "realistic" environment based on the current construction status. The work on O'Shea's roof looks like it will match up with the "cloud" they show in this render: http://www.vegastripping.com/images/news/linq-tbfkao-corner2.jpg
Glad to see this level of construction taking place!
steve... that was my closest guess and my secret hope. although it leaves a lot to be desired re: the new IP.
Yeah, unless IP is going to be covered with a digital projection wall, it's going to be rather flat looking. Even covering the thing in hundreds of little LED "popcorn bulbs" would be better than nothing. They should cover IP with huge horizontal bands of dark wood and bring over some of that metal and glass from TBFKAO.
Like it is in the rendering, it looks like someone "uncrumbled" Crystals and made it one big tall, silver box. At least it doesn't look like the ruins of a terrorist disaster like the outside of Crystals does.
Fuuuuuudge. We've been going Flamingo exclusively for years. I booked Rio just in case it's bad when we get there in October. We always rent a car.
Am I really supposed to go with Rio?
::lies to self::
::puts head in sand::
Staying at the IP in the beginning of Feb. I'll let you guys know how it goes... I'm hoping it will be almost done.
You mention in the map "linq ride" several times, what ride will that be?
Nice updates Chuck, appreciate them. I changed from Flamingo to PH for VIMFP, partially based on Fab rooms being blah and partially due to just not wanting to deal with construction even if it's not affecting Flamingo bad yet.
I'm going to take my chances at the Flamingo and maybe try to see if I can get an upgrade at check-in. Even if I can't and the room (FAB luxury) sucks, I'll deal with it as sometimes you've got to roll with the punches.
I just stayed at IP a few days ago (local taking a staycation), and I can say this assuredly: I paid $15/night on a Facebook/Summer Sale/etc. package for 2 nights, and I'm glad I didn't pay more than that. (And this is the 2nd time I've booked this package...the first time I was on the 15th floor facing the pool and heard all sorts of noise at 5AM (mostly the horns they're required to sound when stuff is being lifted via cranes). This second (and probably last) time, I was in an elegant 5th floor room facing the parking garage. (My friend came to visit my room and said it looked like a good room to kill yourself in...he was pretty much right.) The positives about IP are that the rooms (at least mine) are clean, it's dirt cheap, and it's a great place to take a shower. The negatives are pretty much everything else. But--again--for $15/night, I'm not complaining, just stating facts.
Check-in is also a monstrocity; having never stepped foot in the joint before the construction, I was so confused as to why the trainwreck of a front desk is right in the casino. But that explains it. So yeah, overall it's a mess, but still a decent alternative if you're gonna be in the room a very minimal amount of time. Just make sure if you're flying solo in the room that you heed the warning not to close the sliding glass door all the way when you venture out onto the balcony. I was locked out on my 15th floor balcony for about 10 minutes before I finally wrestled the door open. (My sink stopper jammed during my 2nd stay and when the maintenance man came up to fix it--very quickly, I might add--I asked him how often people get locked out on the balcony. He said almost never, to which I felt like a complete loser dumbass. Oh well.)
Getting locked on the balcony sounds like my worst nightmare come true. I'd probably freak the fuck out! A few months back, I had a vision of me getting locked out on our Wraparound terrace at Cosmo. Then I started thinking about the constant THUMP THUMP THUMP from Marquee below, all the cracks in the plaster in our suite, and how easy it would be for the railings on the terrace to break off the building. I always have the most wonderful thoughts and visions.
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