Report on Harrah's/Imperial Palace Construction

Greetings from the Imperial Palace, courtesy of hotel wifi!

As expected, the surrounding area is pretty much a construction zone. Everything is being demolished or being prepped for demolition/renovation.

Between Harrahs and the IP, a dreaded pedestrian construction barrier-walkway has been erected. The old liquor store, camera store, and Ghirardelli's buildings are being completely torn down. The Carnival Court is operating as usual.

Inside the IP, a lot of renovation preliminaries have just begun. As you walk in the IP's front doors, the entire area to your right as been ripped up and blocked up with an aluminum barrier. Construction materials are piled up in the blocked off area (you can see in through the old lounge's glass windows which are not yet blocked). The old karaoke stage area on the 3rd floor of the casino is torn out and an ugly mess sits in its place. The back areas of the casino are devoid of any gaming machines.

The O'Shea's parking garage is being imploded May 1st. My room overlooks the IP pool, and the entire front of the parking garage that faces the IP is covered with a series of black tarps. Obviously to prevent it from being too much of an eyesore as it's being prepped for demolition.

As for the land east of Harrah's/IP/Flamingo, it's a dirty ripped-up construction zone. Winnick Avenue (the old connector between the IP and Koval) is completely gone. Deep trenches are dug everywhere and construction vehicles & materials are strewn about. Only a narrow north/south alleyway provides an exit from behind the construction nightmare.

After tomorrow, I probably won't return to center-strip until this nightmare of demolition, renovation, and rebuilding is done next year. I hate vacationing anyplace that's under construction, and it has only just begun here.

Next stop, downtown! Which is also undergoing major renovations. Wheee!

 

Thanks for update. I will be in town towards the end of May, I hate construction/change but hoping the end result will be worth it.

 

Yeah its bound to happen right. The good news is that Carnival Court still operates, the other side of the street is untouched, the PHo/Cosmo side looks good, and after several cocktails..who cares about the construction right?

 

Thanks for the update....arriving Sunday at Harrahs with a rental car. Are they really imploding the garage or just tearing it down? We were supposed to drive out to VOF May 1...but if there really is an implosion, the hubby will probably want to hang around for it.

 

No thanks.....

My wife and I have stayed many times at the IP on our past visits. We really liked being central to so many other casinos. But this year, we are staying at the Cosmo for our 20th wedding anniversary.

It sounds like the area near the IP will be a war zone. I think we'll just stay near the south end of the Strip this summer. Plus, with our rental car, maybe we'll visit some of the other casinos off the strip (i.e. Palms, Red Rock, M Resort etc.).

 

Vegas Tripping says May 1 between 1 and 2 am...guess no sleep for us that night! At least the dust cloud should subside by the time we are out and about Tuesday morning.

 

If Winnick is closed, the only way into IP by car is using the driveway off the Strip? I ask because I'm staying there next week and I don't get in until "late" Friday night (11pm), and I would rather tell my cabbie to drop me off at Flamingo or Harrah's if the only way to get to IP is to sit in traffic on the Strip for half a block, only to wait 15 minutes to barrel through the mass of people walking on the Strip.

 

Thank you sooo much for the info. on the IP

After reading about all the construction going on I decided to cancel the IP and changed over to Ballys for June 3-5th.
I am all set. "WHEW'......

I can't handle dust clouds.

 

We are new to Vegas and have a hotel room booked at Flamingo, will that be ok?? Now i'm a bit concerned..even though with all the drinking I will be doing, I might not notice to much...lol

 

Based on that phrase... I would expect you will be JUST fine at Flamingo.

If you want it to be a little more comfortable, upgrade your room to the GO room. Online nowadays, it should only be a $20 upcharge/night, maybe $30.

Its worth it.

 

We do have a Go Room, was just concerned with the construction...thanks for your reply

 

will be at Harrah's at the end of May guess just have to live with it for this year and next year stay somewhere else - hope not too bad.... can always go across the street and down on that side to go south.

 

I'm lucky I'll be avoiding this. I was staying at Harrah's until tonight. I'm staying at Bally's due a good deal/offer.