A film crew follwed Stupak all day leading up to the opening. More than 8,000 VIP guests visited the resort for a premiere pary on the night of April 29, 1996 hours before its midnight opening. Stupak McGuire. Other attendees included Nevada governor Bob Miller and Las vegas mayor Jan Laverty Jones. Media from arounf the world also attended the event which was broadcast live by CNBC as wess as television stations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. A six minte freworks show costing $50,000 began at 10:30 p.m. Doors in the tower's pod had been left partially open to accommodate television camera cables and smoke from the fireworks filled the pod and set off fire alarms resulting in the shutdown of elevators and stranding hundreds of VIP guests. The $550 million comples featured 354,000 sq ft (32,900 m2) including 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) of entertainment and shopping space. A 97,000 sq ft (9,000 m2) casino was part of the resort's first phase which also included 1,500 hotel rooms.
The hotel portion was expected to open on May 7, 1996. An sdditional 1,000 hotel rooms were expected to be finished in November 1996. AKids Quest child care center was also expected to open at the resort later in 1996 as part of the resort's second phase. The resort had 3,100 employees.
The casino featured 2,600 slot machines and was decorated with a world's fair theme and bright colors. The hotel included a bronze statue of Stupak which he dislijed and never approved saying They spent $100,000 more for that statue than I spent to open my first place in 1974.
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