All of Vegas nightlife’s denizens are abuzz with the news yesterday of the IRS bust on Pure nightclub that Luxe Life reported on. Now comes even more startling financial nightlife tickertape news. Last Friday we told you all about Dubai and how the oil-rich kingdom’s sheiks were spending over $5-billion to buy into our MGM casino empire here, including a partnership in a new mega-property alongside Circus Circus with billionaire developer Sol Kerzner. We showed you the amazing ongoing building boom there in the Arab Emirates that’s turned the Persian Gulf land into the largest tourist destination of the Arab world outside of Egypt. Now the rulers have unveiled plans to build the world’s largest arch bridge. New York’s Fxfowle architects have designed it and claim 2,000 vehicles can cross its 12 lanes per hour in each direction!

Construction will start next month with completion set for 2012. It will stand 670 feet tall at its highest point!

Just as incredible is the fact, simultaneously, that they have snapped up a 50% interest in the LIGHT Group—one of our largest Vegas nightlife operations. Light owns the Bare topless pool at the Mirage, Jet nightclub in the Mirage and the new Bank nightclub in the Bellagio in addition to restaurant properties Fix and the Caramel Bar Lounge at the Bellagio, Stack at The Mirage, and Diablo’s Cantina at the Monte Carlo.

This week Light Group announced a new steakhouse, Brand, at the Monte Carlo, and a new Japanese Yellowtail Sushi restaurant at the Bellagio. That’s in addition to the environmentally green Harmon Hotel being built inside the MGM City Center complex. How all of this alcohol sits with teetotalling Islamic rulings is not clear to some people!

Light owner and founder Andrew Sasson confirmed the 50% acquisition by Zabeel Investments of Dubai, owned by Sheikh Mohammad al-Maktoum, one of the sons of the kingdom’s ruler and heir-apparent to its fortunes. The Sheikh wants to expand the Light and Harmon Hotel across the globe.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 11:04 am and is filed under Misc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.