Skift Take
Can such a thing as a boutique or lifestyle casino resort with nearly 3,000 rooms actually work? We'll find out soon.
Sitting in one of the bar spaces at the newly opened Freehand New York, Andrew Zobler, the founder and CEO of the Sydell Group, asks, "Do I look tired?"
I'd just asked Zobler how he felt about opening three new hotels in just four weeks, and truth be told, he had reason to be tired.
"This is really not recommended," Zobler said of the timing of the hotel openings, which included the LINE DC, followed by the Freehand New York, and the NoMad Los Angeles, all of which opened in January. "It wasn't really intended that way. No one would sort of plan to open three hotels in a four-week period, but actually, now that we're over the hump, it feels really good."
And now that those openings have been completed, Zobler is turning his attention toward his next big project for 2018: a 2,700-room joint venture with MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, called Park MGM, which also includes a 292-room NoMad hotel as a "resort within a resort." The NoMad Las Vegas is scheduled to open later this year, while Park MGM is slated to open in the spring.
For this next major endeavor, Zobler is seeing if and how he can translate what he's done in the boutique space — ushering in a neighborhood renaissance by transforming old buildings into lifestyle hotels and restaurants — albeit on a much grander scale. Zobler himself has extensive boutique and lifestyle hotel experience, having worked previously with hoteliers such as Barry Sternlicht (W Hotels), Andre Balazs (The Standard), and the late Alex Calderwood (Ace Hotels).
For the Park MGM, Zobler and his team were commissioned to transform the former Monte Carlo resort, which sits in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, and is part of a $550 million investment. But although the stakes are high and the scale monumental, Zobler is grateful for MGM giving him and his team creative license.
[caption id="attachment_273370" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The Skylark Suite at Park MGM. Source: Sydell Group[/caption]
In fact, Sydell Group was approached by MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren, who loved staying at the NoMad in New York City. Murren approached Zobler and his business partner, Ron
