Flooding delays the opening of the Resort at Summerlin

Gary Thompson

Monday, July 12, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

The Resort at Summerlin, the luxury hotel-casino complex targeting golf and gambling customers, won't open as planned tonight due to minor damage from last week's storm.

"It's very disappointing," Brian McMullan, president of resort developer Seven Circle Resorts Inc., said today.

"I'd love to tell you the exact day we're opening, but right now it looks like Wednesday, perhaps a bit later."

McMullan has overseen construction of the $276 million resort that features two hotels and a 50,000-square-foot casino surrounded by lushly landscaped gardens and pool areas.

"I didn't think at first the flood damage was so bad, but it must have got in the electrical circuits," he said. "We had quite a big leak in the casino in an area where they were putting in electric lights to illuminate the (ceiling) arches.

"This put back our testing, and so we're testing again tonight. The hotel itself is in great shape, but we can't open the casino until we complete the tests," McMullan said.

Repairing the damage isn't expected to cost much money, he said. "But we have to get this right before we open to the public."

When the resort does open, it still will be about two months away from completion. Initially, the 286-room Regent Grand Spa will be the only one of two separate hotels in the complex that will open.

The 255-room Regent Grand Palms is expected to open in mid-September.

When completed, the 54-acre complex at Rampart Boulevard and Summerlin Parkway will offer luxury amenities, including an Aquae Sulis spa, several restaurants, an art gallery and high-end retail outlets.

Seven Circle Resorts will operate the Resort at Summerlin under a licencing agreement with Regent International, which operates some of the world's finest hotels.

Seven Circle is a subsidiary of Swiss Casino Holdings of America, which is majority owned by Swiss Casino Holdings AG. The parent company operates casinos in Europe.