Heart-Shaped Casino Tower Secures Final Approval on Former SkyVue Site

Clark County commissioners granted unanimous approval for a 752-room, 29-story casino resort that features a heart-shaped glass facade with integrated LED displays, and the project now occupies the long-vacant south Las Vegas Strip parcel once intended for the SkyVue observation wheel.

Developer Eli Applebaum, operating through Kulik River Capital, will integrate the existing concrete support columns from the unfinished 2012 wheel structure into an elevated sky venue restaurant while adding a full casino floor, multiple restaurants, retail outlets, a pool deck, entertainment zones, convention facilities, and structured parking to complete the mixed-use destination.

Site History and Reuse of Existing Infrastructure

The property sat dormant for more than a decade after the SkyVue wheel project stalled, leaving behind massive concrete pillars that now form the structural backbone for the new sky venue restaurant perched above the casino floor, adn this approach reduces both material costs and construction timelines by capitalizing on foundations already driven into the ground.

Planners redesigned the tower height downward to secure Federal Aviation Administration clearance, and the revised elevation still allows for the distinctive heart-shaped silhouette while meeting airspace safety requirements over the southern Strip corridor.

Project Components and Layout Details

The resort will house 752 guest rooms across 29 stories, with the heart-shaped glass exterior serving as both an architectural signature and a dynamic digital canvas for LED content visible from the Strip and surrounding roadways, and ground-level elements include the casino gaming area connected directly to restaurants, retail promenades, adn entertainment venues that flow toward the pool and convention spaces.

Parking structures will accommodate visitor and operational needs without expanding the overall footprint, while the sky venue restaurant reuses the original concrete columns to create an elevated dining experience that overlooks the Strip and integrates with the broader entertainment programming.

Approval Process and Regulatory Steps

Commissioners reviewed the full site plan during a public hearing and voted unanimously in favor after confirming that the design met zoning, traffic, and height criteria, and the FAA had already issued its determination following the reduction in overall tower elevation that preserved the signature heart shape without encroaching on flight paths.

According to project documentation, the development reuses remnants of the 2012-era wheel infrastructure to accelerate permitting and minimize new foundation work, and this reuse strategy aligns with county goals for sustainable redevelopment of stalled Strip parcels.

Timeline and Next Phases

Construction sequencing will begin with reinforcement of the existing columns and foundation work, followed by erection of the 29-story tower and installation of the glass facade system, while interior fit-out for the casino, restaurants, and convention areas will proceed in parallel once the structural shell reaches completion, and observers note that the reuse of prior infrastructure could compress the overall schedule compared with a ground-up build on a cleared site.

County records indicate that final design refinements and contractor selection remain ahead, yet the unanimous approval clears the regulatory path for groundbreaking once financing and permitting close in the coming months.

Conclusion

The approved heart-shaped resort represents a direct continuation of redevelopment efforts on the southern Strip parcel that remained idle since the SkyVue wheel project ended, and the combination of existing column reuse, FAA-compliant height adjustments, and a full suite of casino, dining, retail, and convention amenities positions the project as a self-contained destination that integrates prior infrastructure with new construction elements under Kulik River Capital leadership.