Thursday, June 6, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
A fireworks show visible throughout Las Vegas will herald the opening of the Monte Carlo hotel-casino late June 20, resort officials said.
Though the resort won't officially open until the early morning hours of June 21 -- the first day of summer -- a party for invited guests the previous night will be capped by the 11 p.m. fireworks show.
Doors will open shortly afterward for the general public to experience the second of three mega-resorts to open in Las Vegas this year. The $344 million Monte Carlo boasts more rooms -- 3,014 -- than the recently opened Stratosphere resort complex or New York-New York, which is due to open by year-end.
A joint venture between Circus Circus Enterprises and Mirage Resorts, Monte Carlo is "located at the epicenter of a three-mile corridor of entertainment structures without peer anywhere in the world," said Glenn Schaeffer, Circus Circus president.
Located near the corner of the Strip and Tropicana Avenue, the Monte Carlo will feature a 90,000-square-foot casino with 2,200 slot machines, 95 table games, a high-limit gaming area, a race and sports book, a poker room, keno and a 55-seat bingo room.
It will also include a microbrewery, wedding chapel, six restaurants and 20,000 square feet of retail shopping space.
The resort is modeled after the Place du Casino in Monte Carlo and features fanciful arches, chandeliered domes, marble floors, ornate fountains, gas-lit promenades and a Gothic glass and marble registration area overlooking a water park.
"We're aiming for the mass-market player and tourist, with our distinction being the experience of royalty for a value price," Schaeffer said.
Standard rooms, which feature marble and granite finishes as well as brass fixtures, cost $60 during the week and climb to $100 on weekends.
"I'm pleased that we've been able to meet all our construction deadlines and are able to open on the first day of summer, as originally anticipated," Schaeffer said. "At Circus Circus, we pride ourselves on finishing our projects on time and on budget, and Monte Carlo is no exception.
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