Royally Flushed

Steve Wynn at the entrance of the captivating atrium at Encore Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of Wynn Resorts.)

It seems completely appropriate that the signature restaurant of the just-opened Encore Resort at Wynn Las Vegas should be “Sinatra.”  Owner Steve Wynn and “Ol’ Blue Eyes” have at least two things in common:  they do things their way and they are very good at what they do.

In a city, in an industry and in an economy that are all seeing their biggest downturns in recent history, Steve Wynn opened this glamorous $2.3 billion property on Monday — yes, a Monday! — during what is traditionally the slowest week of the year in Vegas.  Pure genius.  The timing is perfect for working out any slight bugs — and with Wynn’s legendary attention to detail, the problems are apt to be small — prior to the big New Year’s Eve holiday and the major conventions coming in early-2009.  I also like his approach of simply opening the doors to the public.  No massive grand opening events, it’s just like he says in the commercial:  “THIS is Encore.”  Let the resort speak for itself.

Using a “back-to-basics” approach — when those basics include paying attention to what makes a resort a Five Diamond experience — owner Steve Wynn, told The Associated Press that guests at the new Encore resort should expect “better service, nicer rooms, better lighting.  Themes that are corny get old quickly, but real and wonderful environments with great service are timeless.”

In addition to Sinatra, the 2,034-room Encore will feature four additional chef-driven restaurants including “Switch” – a dining experience where walls, ceiling and even server uniforms change colors every 20 minutes.  The resort also boasts the highly-anticipated exclusive new nightclub, “XS,” which opens for the first time at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.  Also, long-time Strip entertainer Danny Gans will begin his run at Encore in February.

See photos of the resort on the Encore website here and video reports including interior shots are here at local Channel Eight’s Las Vegas Now.  (We’ll be making our maiden voyage to Encore in January so look for more coverage then.)

Related posts:

1. New Encore Resort at Wynn Las Vegas Open for Reservations
2. Encore Las Vegas Opening — Updates and Coverage
3. M Resort Opens In Las Vegas with Fireworks
4. Wynn, Encore chefs to honor Julia Child during Restaurant Week Las Vegas 2009
5. “Taste of Wynn” offers special dining discounts this summer

Tags: encore las vegas, Las Vegas, new casino, new resort, opening, Sinatra restaurant, Steve Wynn, Strip, Wynn, Wynns Encore, XS