Unfinished Eyesore Fontainebleau Could Open as a JW Marriott in 2023 on the Las Vegas Strip

A new page on the Marriott’s website touts a fourth quarter 2023 opening of the JW Marriott on the former Fontainebleau and The Drew site on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.

The long-dormant project, which originally started construction as the Fontainebleau in 2006, planned to open in 2008 on the site of the former El Rancho land, but a Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the project went over budget forced construction to be put on hold when the hotel was about 70 percent complete.

Businessman Carl Icahn bought the bankrupt project in 2010, and then sold it in August 2017 to Witkoff Group and New Valley LLC for $600 million. That group planned to open the resort as the Drew Las Vegas. Jeff Soffer, one of the original investors with Fontainebleau, bought the project with Koch Industries in 2019.

This newest rendition of the 67-floor resort promises more than 3,700 rooms and suites as well as more than 500,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. The first JW Marriott on the Las Vegas Strip touts the debut of Marriott International’s Edition brand in Las Vegas with 900-plus rooms and suites on the upper levels. It boasts a skywalk to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and plans to open a casino, spa, pool, retail, nightlife, and restaurants.

When Fontainebleau originally announced its restaurant collection in 2005, it promised dining destinations such as Gotham Bar & Grill from chef Alfred Portale, Scarpetta from Scott Conant, and Amada from Jose Garces. Conant opened Scarpetta the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas when it debuted in 2010 and is no longer involved. Hakkasan also planned to open at Fontainebleau and went on to debut a five-story restaurant and nightclub at the front of the MGM Grand.

The JW Marriott has a location on the westside near Summerlin with Rampart Casino.

• The Fontainebleau Gets New Life as The Drew [ELV]