WHITE PLAINS, NY— Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will return to the Las Vegas market and open its first Westin hotel ever in Nevada when The Westin Casuarina Hotel & Spa debuts there this fall. The Westin Casuarina Hotel & Spa, located at the site of the former Maxim Hotel just off the strip, will offer 825 guestrooms, a spa, pool with six pool-side cabanas, a 20,000 square-foot casino, meeting space and a restaurant with a private dining room. The hotel and casino will be owned and operated by Columbia Sussex, which operates more than 50 full-service properties in the U.S. and overseas. Starwood will franchise the hotel under its Westin brand. More than $75 million is being invested to completely refurbish the 17-story property to reflect Westin brand standards in the lobby, guestrooms, meeting space and public areas, the company noted. The hotel is located just steps from the famous Las Vegas Strip, across from Ballys and walking distance to the Flamingo Hilton, Paris, Bellagio, and Caesars. The hotel is located less than one mile from the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Starwood gave up its presence in the Las Vegas hotel market when it sold Caesars Palace and the Desert Inn Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in 1999 and 2000 respectively.
