MGM’S NEW $800-MILLION CASINO BET BRINGS OUT THE STARS
MGM’s $800-million bet on its new Vegas-styled casino, which opened at midnight in Detroit, paid off with raves and praise- and Motor City stars turned out in full force for the fireworks. The original rock ‘n’ roll cowboy, Kid Rock – known there as Robert Ritchie- was joined by superstar singers Anita Baker and Ashanti among the 1,000 VIP guests at the pre-opening gala.
Also attending were former fighter Tommy Hearns, Motown star Martha Reeves, Detroit boosters Roger Penske and teamster James Hoffa Jr. with billionaire shopping center owner, Alfred Taubman.
A contingent of corporate chiefs from MGM here in Vegas was led in by president and COO Jim Murren who commented: “This is just one chapter in what we believe to be a tremendous example of growth in a community and a marvelous opportunity for Detroit to fight back. We’re willing to be here and be part of this team to bring the city back. Our worldwide brand has helped dramatically change perceptions about Detroit as a viable destination. This investment says a lot about our faith in the market. We’ve taken the chic of Manhattan and combined it with the sizzle of Las Vegas to create a one-of-a-kind experience.”
Celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina opened three new restaurants at the new MGM property: the Wolfgang Puck Grille and Michael’s Bourbon Steak and Saltwater restaurants. With such high-end retail stores as Bvlgari, Dolce & Gabana and Judith Lieber, it’s the first-ever Las Vegas-style hospitality destination to open in a major metropolitan’s downtown core.
“Luxury business travel has finally arrived in Detroit at a whole new level,” said hotel president George Boyer, who moved from Vegas to oversee the year-long construction project of the one-million square foot resort which has created 1,000 new jobs. The wow-factor highlight for first-nighters was the Grand Garden featuring 50 foot Canadian white birch trees and colossal Michigan-grown pumpkins weighing 1,200 lbs – all designed by the Rockefeller Center artists from our own Bellagio Conservatory. (Tomorrow Luxe Life will have a full photo tour of that new fall display too)
The new 100,000 square foot gaming area holds 4,500 slot machines. MGM has had a temporary casino in Detroit since 1999, but lawsuits postponed construction of a permanent facility for several years. The three Detroit casinos have generated over $300-million in state and city taxes since then, helping avert serious government financial crisises which in recent days, because of a budget deficit, had threatened to shut-down MGM’s opening.
Grammy-award winner Ashanti was the first celebrity to stay in one of the new VIP Penthouse suites with butler, color-screen technology phones, i-Pods and 54” plasma TV’s. The hip-hop R&B princess toured several of the lounges and wound up singing with the pianist at “Intice.” She also took a tour of the 20,000 square foot lavish water-themed Immerse Spa and promptly booked massage treatments for later today.
Earlier this morning, Kid Rock, with his signature pork-pie hat, checked out the sexy dancers in the new V nightclub there. Then he strolled over to give his signature “Detroit handshake” to Wolfgang Puck who served him a smoked-salmon and caviar pizza. After playing blackjack, the rocker sampled chef Michael Mina’s taste treats and returned to V, stretching out on a white Ostrich leather couch until its pre-dawn closing!
Everybody I spoke to this morning - from MGM executives to Spago top-guns, Tom Kaplan, David Robins and Joe Essa – pronounced the opening “one grand success that you would never have imagined ever taking place in Detroit. It’s already a winning bet.”