Sahara Loses Its Moroccan-Inspired Rooftop Thingys

Against all odds, it appears the Sahara is actually going to become SLS Las Vegas.

Somewhere along the way, our few remaining traces of skepticism began to cling to the Moroccan-inspired ridges along the top of the hotel. You know the ones.

Time for a little dermabrasion.
It’s time for a little dermabrasion.

Well, the folks at SLS Las Vegas are erasing all traces of these distinctive decorative flourishes. Take a look.

The Sahara's getting some new fillings.
That’s a hell-ton of spackle.

For better or worse, the Sahara is rapidly fading away.

Considering the massive amount of work that’s already been done to turn the Sahara into SLS Las Vegas, these changes are cosmetic, but for us they symbolize a turning point in the de-theming of what was once a hotel that seemed to be at the center of the Las Vegas universe. It was the preferred haunt of the famed Rat Pack, after all.

We can see our high roller suite from here.
We can see our high roller suite from here.

SLS Las Vegas is expected to open in the fall of 2014, after $415 million in renovations.

It will have 1,600 rooms, a modern look, a 60,000-square-foot casino (with 80 table games and 800 slots), a 45,000-foot conference center and a dozen restaurant and nightclub offerings.

It won’t have $1 blackjack, a NASCAR Cafe or a roller coaster. But if all goes according to plan, it will have ample amounts of new.  And in Las Vegas, new always trumps rooftop thingys.