New Titanic resort hotel in Las Vegas

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TitanicShack : One Thread

Riding the wave of interest in all things "Titanic", Bally Resorts has proposed a new theme resort for Las Vegas featuring a land-locked Titanic replica. In true Las Vegas fashion, the reproduction will be nearly twice the length of the original ill-fated liner.

J. B. Wasmay, president of Bally International, promises "many nights to remember" for all visitors to the 3,000 room luxury hotel complex which is tentatively scheduled to open on April 1, 2002, almost 90 years after the Titanic struck an iceberg and sunk in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage to New York City on April 15, 1912. Over 1500 lives were lost due to a lack of lifeboats. "Although there is no chance that our Titanic will arrive in New York, we can guarantee that no one will drown," Wasmay quipped. Ironically, the new hotel will be located across the street from the recently opened "New York, New York" theme resort which features a mock New York skyline.

"We have consulted with Harland and Wolf", the builders of the original Titanic, "and have secured the plans to the ship", says Wasmay. He concedes that nearly doubling the length of the ship will cause "certain problems creating an authentic look", but maintains that only 4 of the "ships" 8 funnels will be visible from any view. "We need additional space for the 7 planned casinos, and we will include a museum to display artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck site," R. Dawson, a spokeswoman for Bally added.

The Keldysh, a Russian research vessel featured in the popular film "Titanic" has been hired to collect the artifacts. Unlike previous expeditions, the team of scientists and archeologists hired by Bally will attempt to delve deeper into the wreck to mine more important finds. "We want to recover the piano shown in Cameron's film", says Ms. Dawson. "We think that, properly restored, it would make an interesting an thought-provoking conversation piece in one of our piano bars."

Also planned for the $1.2 billion resort is a virtual-reality ride, where patrons will be able to experience the thrill of the actual sinking of Titanic. Wasmay scoffs at concerns over the propriety of such an attraction. "Las Vegas is known for family entertainment, and our resort will be no exception," says Wasmay.

Groundbreaking, pending shareholder approval, is scheduled for Feb. 30, 1999. "If successful," Wasmay adds," we will costruct 2 identical resort complexes, one in Zurich, Switzerland and one in Capetown, South Africa."

-- Dan Dalton (DDalton2@prodigy.net), April 11, 1998

Answers

Very nicely done Dan! But isn't the President of Bally Int'l J.B. Dismay?? Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), April 11, 1998.

Bally International is concerned at speculation that Red Roof Inns, Inc. is planning a new venture to piggyback on Ballys proposed Titanic Las Vegas Resort. "Red Roof is shameless. They are attempting to exploit our venture for their own gain," says J. B. Wasnay, president of Bally International.

The controversy is over Red Roof's proposed rival "Titanic" themed hotel. "It will cater more closely to Las Vegas clientel", claims Walt Dinsey of Red Roof, in his dismissal of Wasmay's attack. "Our project will be far away from Bally's, although we will solicit business nearby." The project, a 20 room inn, to be named "Renault Suites" will be located just outside Las Vegas county in order to "provide additional services". A Red Roof representative declined to elaborate. The room rates are to be "in the neighborhood of $100 to $300 per hour."

-- Dan Dalton (DDalton2@prodigy.net), April 12, 1998.


That be great if they could salvage the piano, but wasn't the one used in the film just a prop?

-- jesse fontes (jestercw@gte.net), April 12, 1998.

I can't believe they want to go down for the piano. I thought the whole point of finding the Titanic wreck originally was to leave this mass grave site alone and not pillage it for tourism dollars!

-- Jackie MacRae (jackiemacrae@hotmail.com), April 12, 1998.

Funny to read about names such as Dawson and B. Wasmay (Bruce Ismay?)...

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), April 12, 1998.


It *is* getting pretty surreal, isn't it?

-- Thomas M. Terashima (titanicShack@yahoo.com), April 12, 1998.

I agree with Jackie that they should leave the wreck alone; dragging up the artifacts simply for the tourist dollar is in my book the same thing as graverobbing. But, I have a question about the piano. I thought I'd read or seen something somewhere that said that the piano in the film *wasn't* a real Titanic artifact, but rather a piano that Cameron had had torched and rotted to *look* like a real Titanic artifact. Did anyone hear about that or am I imagining things? How funny would it be if the piano *is* just a prop, and this Dawson woman is quoted in this article as saying she wants to bring it up from the wreck?! =-)

Melissa

-- Melissa (mfreed@rollins.edu), April 13, 1998.


Melissa,

The piano was a modern instrument that Cameron had his technicians beat the hell out of with baseball bats, then torch, then stick under water in a filming tank. As a professional pianist, it hurt to see the thing and know that that is what they did, although I would be lying if I said I never in my life felt like doing that to a piano myself.

-- Thomas Shoebotham (cathytom@ix.netcom.com), April 13, 1998.


Thomas...

Thanks for the info on the piano; now I know I'm not just imagining things. I *knew* I'd heard about it somewhere. Thanx again!

Melissa

-- Melissa (mfreed@rollins.edu), April 13, 1998.


HOHO Bravo Dan, a masterpiece of satire. Well done!

-- Lianne (liannegraham@one.net.au), April 14, 1998.


Okay, I was wondering how long it would take people to notice that that couldn't possibly be real. Come on, folks! "Wasmay"?? R. Dawson? Bally Resorts? A Russian exploratory ship getting into the American capitalist exploitation that is Las Vegas (okay, *that* might be believable)?

The tone is perfect. I agree with Lianne -- nice work, Dan!

-- Alison (akaufman@worldbank.org), April 14, 1998.


Very funny, but there is a disturbing ring of truth here! Any time you get a mega-success like the TITANIC movie, there is bound to be all sorts of merchandising spin-offs, TV miniseries, sequels, prequels, etc., etc. I truly fear that somewhere, sooner than we think-a new plywood and fibreglass "Ship of dreams" will take shape, probably to sit baking in the central Florida sun, a sad, lifeless testimonial to bad taste and exploitation for everyone. And it will only cost a family of four $150.00 a day to stay on it--WOW!

-- Michael Eisner (foo@bar.com), April 16, 1998.

The date of the original press release on this wouldn't happen to have been April 1, by chance?

-- Kip Henry (kip-henry@ouhsc.edu), April 17, 1998.

Very funny. The writings had a feel of authenticity. The first time I looked at Dan's followup response, about the Red Roof Inn, I thought it was weird that the rooms would be available on an hourly basis. Now I'm laughing of course. Dan, this is exquisite work. You have a gift, Dan, you do. You make idiots of people. Nah, congrats on the originality. I suppose you conjured up the ship replicas too..

-- Bob Gregorio (rgregorio@ibm.net), April 17, 1998.

Bob, as far as I know the two proposed replicas are real stories. I heard about the Swiss one from several sources (and not on April 1). This bit of satire was my way of pointing out the folly of it all. I didn't mean to fool anyone, just get them to think about the propriety of these planned replica Titanics. For those who failed to see the humor, no offense. Good satire has to have a grain of truth to be effective. Just close your eyes and try to imagine a 1600 foot Titanic with 8 funnels sitting in the middle of the Nevada desert. If it still seems plausible, see you at the groundbreaking. It's on Feb. 30...

-- Dan Dalton (DDalton2@prodigy.net), April 17, 1998.


Also scheduled in Las Vegas on Feb. 30: The "NOW Race Against Prostate Cancer" 10k charity run. Jane Fonda, Patricia Ireland, Eleanor Smeal and Rush Limbaugh will be there! Don't miss it!

-- Dan Dalton (DDalton2@prodigy.net), April 17, 1998.

Dan, your idea of the Titanic replica sitting in a desert at Vegas isn't so ludicrous-after all, there was a almost 800 foot replica sitting in the desert in Mexico!

-- Laura (lrc@usit.net), April 19, 1998.

GAC: This is Titanic.dashA - Las Vegas Resort.

-- Dan Dalton (foo@bar.com), August 07, 1998.

Dan...great stuff. If you don't write professionally, you damn well should.:)

-- Gilded Age Junkie (GildedAgeJunkie@yahoo.com), August 07, 1998.

The one and only Official Titanic Resort website can be seen at www.TitanicResort.com All parts were trademarked BEFORE the movie ever came out!

-- Allen Rubin (KingOfTheWorld@TitanicResort.com), November 08, 2002.

Funny. If there is only one Titanic Resort in Vegas at www.TitanicResort.com - where is it located. I don't see one....

-- Christina McLeod (joyced7@hotmail.com), November 08, 2002.

It's in development. I own the trademarks and anyone who infringes on them gets sued. Bob Stupak was shut down an d so was Ballys!

-- Allen Rubin (KingOfTheWorld@TitanicResort.com), January 04, 2003.

I feal an exact reproduction of the titanic is a great idea. but its an EXACT reproduction no doubling the size adding funnels or eny anything tacking summating so beautiful and preaches and twist it in to Los verges style i mean cum on IM the people who lived threw that tragedy and saw a Las verges style titanic it would crush them. make it true dont destroy that beautiful ship

-- keith ronald tritto (krt171@aol.com), February 20, 2003.

So what's up with the hotel in Las Vegas? Are they going to build it or not?

-- jaime lara (jaimetheimpaler@aol.com), October 21, 2003.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ