Editorial: Shot in the arm

Saturday, April 21, 2007 | 7:10 a.m.

The northern end of the Las Vegas Strip can use an infusion of new blood, especially after watching the southern half grab all the glory the past several years. The entrepreneurial spirit that introduced world-renowned resorts to Las Vegas didn't extend to that part of the Strip that runs up to Sahara Avenue.

Much of the northern Strip is made up of aging casinos and vacant land. But that location, with easy access to Interstate 15, has always had the potential to thrive. Three recent announcements raise hopes that business people with fresh ideas can inject excitement into a part of Las Vegas Boulevard that sorely needs it.

The first announcement came in March, when Sam Nazarian, the son of an Iranian construction tycoon, stated his intent to purchase the Sahara . Because Nazarian runs a company whose holdings include four of Los Angeles' most exclusive nightclubs, he has a record of attracting the type of clientele that Las Vegas aggressively seeks.

On Monday, Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd., a top Australian gaming and entertainment company, announced it would invest $250 million in Fontainebleau Resorts LLC, which plans to open the 63-story, $2.8 billion Fo ntainebleau-Las Vegas resort south of the Sahara in 2009.

The third announcement came Thursday when MGM Mirage disclosed that it was piecing together a 78-acre site to upgrade Circus Circus while providing additional development opportunities across the Strip from the Sahara. The gaming giant certainly has the money and vision to breathe new life into the area.

Nazarian, Fo ntainebleau and MGM Mirage all have potential to attract an enormous amount of tourism to the northern end of the Strip.

Hopefully that foot traffic would spark increased entrepreneurship north of Sahara Avenue so that more of Las Vegas could share in the Strip's good fortunes .