Encore Opens (2008)

2008

Date: December 22, 2008; doors opened at 8 p.m.
Location: Immediately north of and connected to Wynn Las Vegas on the Strip
Key people: Steve Wynn; design chief Jerry Beale; nightclub operator Victor Drai (XS)
Cost: $2.3 billion
Construction start: 2006, a year after Wynn Las Vegas opened
Rooms: 2,034 suites; standard suites 700 sq ft (vs 640 sq ft at Wynn), largest over 5,800 sq ft
Casino: 72,000 square feet
Staff: 5,000-plus employees, about 1,400 of them from Wynn Las Vegas
Dining at opening: Five new restaurants, including Sinatra, plus seven bars
Where to see it today: Encore at Wynn Las Vegas: Sinatra restaurant, Encore Theater, XS nightclub

About

Wynn Resorts planned Encore before Wynn Las Vegas even opened. In April 2005, Steve Wynn told the Las Vegas Sun that a second resort would go up just north of the first. The company's filing for 2005 described a 2,054-room tower on about 20 acres next door with a budget of about $1.74 billion, with construction expected to begin in 2006 and opening by the end of 2008.

Encore opened on schedule but larger. The finished resort cost $2.3 billion and had 2,034 suites. On December 22, 2008, hundreds of people waited in five lines for the doors to open at 8 p.m., and the parking garage filled about 30 minutes later. From its brown glass exterior to the logo, the Las Vegas Sun called it nearly a mirror image of Wynn Las Vegas. Design chief Jerry Beale called it the flirty younger sister of Wynn.

The timing was hard. Encore opened during the worst recession in the modern resort era. Before opening, Wynn cut room rates at both resorts to $149 at Wynn and $179 at Encore. The Sun noted that Wynn Las Vegas and Encore had been financed before building began, and that about 1,400 of Encore's more than 5,000 workers came over from Wynn Las Vegas.

Encore leaned toward nightlife. Its casino was smaller, 72,000 square feet against 111,000 at Wynn, and the centerpiece was XS, a nightclub run by Victor Drai. 'In my business gaming has never been the driver,' Wynn told the Sun. The resort also opened Sinatra, a restaurant honoring Frank Sinatra, among five new restaurants and seven bars.

What to expect

Encore operates today as part of Wynn Las Vegas. Sinatra, which opened with Encore in 2008, still serves near Encore Tower Suites. Wynn says it is the only restaurant the Sinatra family has allowed to carry Frank Sinatra's name. Executive Chef Theo Schoenegger, who joined the opening team in 2008, still runs the kitchen.

Encore Theater hosts touring headliners and comedians. XS, the nightclub that opened with Encore, is closed for renovation until November 5, 2026, according to the resort's page.

Before and after

Good to know

Encore's suites were bigger than Wynn's at opening: 700 square feet for a standard suite versus 640 square feet for a Wynn standard room, the Las Vegas Sun reported.
Encore grew between planning and opening. In 2005 the plan was a 2,054-room tower budgeted at about $1.74 billion; it opened with 2,034 suites at a cost of $2.3 billion.
The resort was built on land that came with the old Desert Inn, which Wynn Resorts bought in 2000 along with the Wynn Las Vegas site.
XS is closed for renovation until November 5, 2026. Check the resort's site before planning a night there.
Comedian Danny Gans had been booked as Encore's first headliner from February 2009, the Sun reported at opening.

Questions about Encore Opens (2008)

When did Encore Las Vegas open?

Encore opened on December 22, 2008. The Las Vegas Sun reported that the doors opened at 8 p.m. to hundreds of people waiting in five lines, and that the parking garage was full about 30 minutes later. Nearly all the slot machines were in use, and many restaurants and bars looked full on opening night.

How much did Encore cost?

Encore cost $2.3 billion, according to the Las Vegas Sun's opening coverage. Construction began in 2006, a year after Wynn Las Vegas opened. In 2005 the company's filing had planned a smaller budget of about $1.74 billion for a 2,054-room tower, so the project grew between planning and opening.

How many rooms does Encore have?

Encore opened with 2,034 suites. Standard suites measured 700 square feet, compared with 640 square feet for Wynn Las Vegas standard rooms, and the largest suites topped 5,800 square feet. The Sun reported that Encore room rates were expected to run about 20 percent higher than Wynn's on average.

Why did Encore open during a recession?

Encore had been financed before construction began, so it could open on schedule even as the economy collapsed in 2008. Wynn cut room rates to $149 at Wynn and $179 at Encore with a dining credit. He also moved about 1,400 Wynn Las Vegas workers to Encore rather than laying people off, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Is the Sinatra restaurant at Encore still open?

Yes. Wynn's site lists Sinatra near Encore Tower Suites and says it is the only restaurant the Sinatra family has allowed to carry Frank Sinatra's name. Executive Chef Theo Schoenegger joined the opening team in 2008 and still runs the kitchen, serving dishes such as spaghetti and clams and veal Milanese.

Is XS nightclub open?

XS, the Victor Drai-run club that anchored Encore's nightlife when it opened in 2008, is closed for renovation until November 5, 2026, according to Wynn's page for it. When open, it typically runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 p.m. Check the resort's site before planning a visit.