New Echelon Renderings

The latest renderings show off more detail like, the illuminated sides of the tallest tower with what looks like backlit, frosted, white glass.  Gone is the LED waterfall between two main towers.  The Shangri-La is well defined as an appendage on the north side of the two main towers.  The Delano tower has a diamond pattern fascia. The most dramatic difference is the entrance to High Street (the retail mall). It has a very understated, sophisticated design. From the looks of it, there will be store windows along The Strip (just like the big cities).

The previous renderings hint at an LED waterfall between the two main towers.

The entrance to High Street looks a bit...well...pedestrian.

These are the first renderings of Echelon
which are sparse in detail. 

Echelon  News & Views

NEWS 10/30/08   Echelon's construction will be delayed through the end of 2016. The project may be downsized or built in phases.



NEWS 8/1/08    Construction on Echelon was suspended today due to the uncertain credit market and overall  economic conditions.  They hope to resume construction sometime in 2009. 
   

The plan (above) shows how the project will use the site. The main hotel tower, the suites tower and the Shangri-La hotel tower are part of the same structure. The Mondrian and Delano hotels are also attached at the hip. All these towers will have different heights, as seen in the renderings above.

The large surface parking lot should be just a temporary cover until phase 2 uses that space.

Viva McDonald's Opens

12/12/08 The new McDonald's called "Viva McDonald's" opened today.

The new 8,600-sq.ft. facility is rife with outdoor and indoor video monitors displaying "The McDonald's Channel" (snippets of the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and Science Channel).

Other unique features include wireless internet access and a new line of "gourmet" coffees, lattes, and espresso drinks.

So now there's a cool new place to load up on hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup, yum.

Now, Boyd can destroy the old Mc Donald's and clear the land so it can sit vacant 'till who knows when.

 
Photos 12/12/08 by Pocheco

Hey, don't move my McCheese

McDonald's is moving out of the way of Echelon, snuggling up to Slots-a-fun (on the strip near Circus Circus).  Boyd struck a deal with McD's, purchasing the McDonald's land for $15+ million and selling them the other lot for 11.8+ million, giving McD's a bigger lot and enough profit to build a new restaurant (and a side of fries). This is a win/win situation, and with the new location so close to the original, McD's won't loose even a day of business.

The photo (below left) shows the new McD's rendering and the site (below right) graded and ready. Construction trailers are in place between the two properties.  The new McDonald's will be more adult, with a second floor WiFi lounge. 

        
Rendering courtesy McDonalds
Photo 10/18/07 by Aaron Auxier


 Photo 6/9/08 by frandoo4 shows
the progress.


Photo 8/24/08 by Aaron Auxier
Mickey D's shaping up

Echelon Forest

So, what's up with the small forest between Echelon and the construction trailers?  Those are the transplanted trees that used to live around the Stardust.  The trees will be re-used in Echelon's Landscaping (waste-not want-not).  The palm trees are there too, just not in this shot.  Click image to enlarge.

Echelon Construction Photos

This is the last construction-shot of Echelon until construction resumes.

A nice aerial shot (looking southeast) shows the overall progress of the main tower which includes the Echelon Resort, The Enclave (suites tower), and the Shangri-La. The theater is pretty fat on the west side of the podium level where it will meet the convention center.
Photo 7/13/08 by Dan McLean

Echelon picking up speed.
Photos 7/12/08 by Mark Diederichsen

A rare view, shot from Fontainebleau (far left) shows the whole Echelon site. Photo 6/9/08 by frand004. Another view, (center) this one from Wynn, shows the southwest portion of the project. Photo 6/10/08 by Andrew Stoner. The third shot is from Echelon's webcam 6/11/08 at 6:30 a.m.

Shot from the parking garage at Wynn Las Vegas,
Echelon is up to its fifth floor.
Photo 5/2/08 by Jay Abramson

Scott Becker captures a close-up of
the northwest side of Echelon.
Prominent, is the Shangri La tower
Photo 5/4/08

A composite from Echelon's webcam (looking west),
shows the site buzzing with activity
Photo 5/1/08

Echelon is coming along nicely. 
This (split) shot was taken by Gary Wayne on 3/28/08
from the Palazzo.

Two shots of Echelon construction
(near right) by Mark Diederichsen 3/12/08
and a birds-eye from Trump Tower (far right) 3/16/08 by Aaron Auxier

Work on the first floor of the main resort/suites tower/Shangri La is underway in the foreground while the parking garage is being constructed far behind.
Photo 3/2/08 by Aaron Auxier

Things are bustling on the huge Echelon site (near right)
The main resort tower is taking shape (far right)
Photos 2/2/08 by Brian Fey

Five cranes, standing tall and waiting for Echelon to
start its vertical ascent.
Photo 1/22/08 by Mark Diederichsen

The tower cranes are being installed adjacent
to the main tower's foundation.
Photo 12/0207 by Scott Becker

The first Big Pour
Dozens of cement trucks take place in a 20 hour
continuous pour of the thick foundation of the main
resort tower on the Echelon site.
Photo 11/13/07 by Mark Adams

Finally, some rebar. Construction is
underway in this photo 9/30/07 by Erik Warnke

News 6/19/07 Echelon Las Vegas Breaks Ground

The next ultra-luxurious uber-mega-resort, Echelon celebrated its official groundbreaking today. Boyd Gaming also announced that the price tag for the resort has increased from $4 billion to $4.8 billion.