Clark County Commissioners Approve Heart-Shaped Resort on Former SkyVue Site

Clark County commissioners gave unanimous approval to a 752-room, 29-story hotel-casino resort planned for nearly 12 acres at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, and the project will occupy the former SkyVue site directly across from Mandalay Bay.

Developer Eli Applebaum of Kulik River Capital will construct the full facility that includes a casino floor along with restaurants, retail outlets, a pool deck, entertainment venues, convention space, and the signature heart-shaped glass facade fitted with an LED display system. The design also incorporates two existing concrete support columns from the abandoned SkyVue observation wheel, and those columns will support an elevated sky venue restaurant that offers views across the Strip.

Project Specifications and Site History

The resort reuses infrastructure left behind by the stalled SkyVue project, and this approach reduces new foundation work while preserving elements of the original site plan. Nearly 12 acres of vacant land at the southern Strip location will now move forward after years of inactivity, and the approval came after the developer adjusted building height to satisfy FAA requirements for nearby flight paths.

Commissioners reviewed revised drawings that lowered the overall profile without reducing room count or amenity space, and the final plan keeps the total structure at 29 stories while meeting all aviation safety standards. The heart-shaped facade will serve as both an architectural landmark and a dynamic digital display visible to traffic moving along Las Vegas Boulevard.

Development Timeline and Regulatory Path

The unanimous vote by Clark County commissioners clears the final local hurdle for construction to begin, and the decision ends a prolonged period of stalled development on the property. Project documents show that Kulik River Capital worked through multiple design iterations to address height restrictions, and those revisions allowed the resort to proceed without further delays.

According to the World Casino Directory report, the approval followed detailed presentations on traffic flow, water usage, and noise mitigation measures. The developer also outlined plans for the sky venue restaurant that will sit atop the repurposed observation wheel columns, and this feature will provide a distinctive dining experience above the casino and retail levels.

Key Amenities and Design Elements

Inside the resort, guests will find a full casino floor, multiple restaurant concepts, retail shops, a resort-style pool area, entertainment spaces, and dedicated convention facilities. The heart-shaped LED facade will change appearance throughout the day and night, and it will function as a prominent visual marker for the property. Reusing the two concrete columns avoids additional structural work while creating the elevated restaurant platform that capitalizes on the site's existing engineering.

Observers note that the project represents a practical reuse of previously approved infrastructure, and this strategy shortens the overall construction schedule compared with starting from a completely cleared site. The 752 rooms will occupy the upper floors, while ground-level and mid-level spaces house the casino, dining, and entertainment offerings.

Broader Context for Las Vegas Development

Data from regional gaming reports show that new resort projects continue to reshape the southern Strip corridor, and this approval adds another major property to an area already anchored by Mandalay Bay. The resolution of the long-vacant SkyVue parcel removes one of the last undeveloped gaps along that stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, and construction activity is expected to begin once final permits are secured.

Industry sources indicate that similar adaptive reuse of existing foundations has become more common in Las Vegas as developers seek to control costs and accelerate timelines. The Kulik River Capital plan follows this pattern by incorporating the wheel columns into a new dining concept rather than demolishing them entirely.

Conclusion

The Clark County approval marks a clear step forward for the heart-shaped resort project, and it resolves years of uncertainty surrounding the former SkyVue location. With height adjustments completed and all local requirements satisfied, the developer can now advance toward groundbreaking while the distinctive facade and sky venue restaurant remain central features of the design. The 752-room property will add substantial new capacity to the south Strip once construction finishes, and the reuse of existing structural elements demonstrates how stalled projects can still contribute to the evolving Las Vegas skyline.