Las Vegas is about to get a lot more audacious. Clark County officials have approved plans for a 752-room resort that will sit proudly on the Strip with a giant, unmissable heart carved into its center. The project, approved by the Zoning Commission in July, will finally breathe new life into the long-abandoned SkyVue site near Mandalay Bay, where a failed observation wheel project has been rotting since the early 2010s.
Developer Eli Applebaum, working through Kulik River Capital, envisions something genuinely bold. The 29-story tower will feature a massive heart-shaped opening running through the middle, while the entire exterior wraps in LED screens designed to pump out animated content all day and night. Add in a rooftop restaurant suspended 265 feet above ground (built into the leftover concrete columns from the SkyVue disaster), a casino, convention space, restaurants, and a pedestrian plaza inspired by downtown's Fremont Street Experience, and you've got a resort that refuses to blend in.
When ambition meets skepticism
The internet had opinions. Lots of them. Social media users quickly branded the design everything from "tacky" to "atrociously tacky," with many comparing the structure to an oversized Valentine's Day decoration. The heart-shaped void and LED facade drew particular ridicule. Some skeptics questioned whether this project would ever actually get built, comparing it to countless Vegas drawings that never made it past the rendering stage. One Reddit user sarcastically offered odds that the final building would "look anything like the pic."
But not everyone was ready to dismiss the vision. A vocal minority celebrated the return of unapologetic, themed Vegas after years of generic glass towers dominating new construction. "I love the cheesy Vegas vibes," one commenter wrote, while others pointed out that theme hotels are quietly making a comeback. There's something refreshing about a city deciding that bold, ridiculous architecture might actually be more fun than another sleek corporate box.
The practical hurdles
Getting to approval wasn't straightforward. Developers had to trim about 60 feet from the building's height to satisfy Federal Aviation Administration requirements due to proximity to Harry Reid International Airport. That meant reducing the room count and scaling back the original vision, though what remains is still plenty spectacular. The fact that officials unanimously approved the revised plans suggests the city is genuinely behind bringing this project to reality.
The timing is significant. Vegas is pushing hard to attract visitors with new entertainment concepts, and visitor numbers have taken a hit in recent years. Rising travel costs, international travel complications, and competition from online gambling all contributed to a 7.5% drop in visitors to around 38.5 million in 2025. A landmark resort that gets people talking and photographing? That's exactly what the city needs right now.
The heart-shaped hotel represents something deeper about Vegas identity. For decades, the Strip became increasingly corporate, swapping character for polish. This resort, love it or cringe at it, is unquestionably distinctive. Whether that turns out to be brilliant or catastrophic, at least it's trying. And in a city built on risk-taking and excess, that's kind of the whole point.
