$2.3 Million Wahlburgers to Double in Size at Grand Bazaar Shops

More than 500 days after Eater Vegas first revealed executive chef Paul Wahlberg and brothers Donnie and Mark Wahlberg were bringing the family burger business to Las Vegas, Wahlburgers finally has a working construction permit to make the last step a reality.

Located in building F-2 at the rear of the Grand Bazaar Shops, new details reveal the estimated construction budget alone will reach $2,352,000 and the project is now taking over both floors of the stand-alone building.

With the expansion, the restaurant will occupy a total of 9,265 square feet, almost double the size of the originally announced 5,000-square-foot top floor space. The extra room will create enough space for a maximum of 142 guests. Over the days, weeks, months and years, Wahlburgers has consistently promised a 600-square foot outdoor patio and a walk up window will be part of the plans, serving a fast casual menu and "specialty cocktails."

Also part of the package, a retail shop, planned to open prior to the restaurant and offer "branded Wahlburgers merchandise, including T-shirts, key chains, shot glasses and more." A permit for a 288-square-foot store was filed in October and work has begun on the suspected kiosk in a very visible location, steps from Las Vegas Boulevard.

Ever optimistic, the family promised in December "over the next five years, the company plans to add 100 to 150 more locations." They currently operate three in Massachusetts, two in Toronto, one in Coney Island, N.Y., and expansions to Philadelphia and Orlando are expected this year. Their original Hingham, Mass., base debuted in 2011.

The A&E reality TV show Wahlburgers chronicling the rise of the burger empire has yet to renew filming for a fifth season, which could record the rise of the Strip locale.

The Las Vegas project, despite the new permits, has no official update from the Grand Bazaar Shops or the company itself and is still listed as "coming soon."