After nearly 2 decades, Fontainebleau officially joins Las Vegas Strip with lavish opening

Justin Timberlake, Tom Brady, Cher, Kim Kardashian among first guests at newly opened resort-casino

Mark Wahlberg says Las Vegas is 'much slower' than Los Angeles

The actor moved to Las Vegas in 2022.

The long-awaited Fontainebleau resort and casino has joined the Las Vegas Strip.

Fontainebleau is the largest occupied building in all of Nevada, standing at 67 stories.

The resort has an ideal location on the Strip, just a block away from the Las Vegas Convention Center.

VISITING LAS VEGAS? 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO ON VEGAS STRIP

This resort has been a long time coming. 

Jeffrey Soffer, chairman and chief executive officer of Fontainebleau Development, first began construction in 2007.

Since then, many owners came and went leading up to the final completion and opening in 2023. 

The exterior of Fontainebleu

Fontainebleau is the newest addition to the Las Vegas Strip. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Funding was lost and the project was halted in 2009, when it had reached 70% completion, according to the Associated Press.

LAS VEGAS, MIAMI, ATLANTA RANKED AMONG ‘MOST FUN’ CITIES IN AMERICA: STUDY

A couple of different owners took over before Soffer and Fontainebleau Development, in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments, were able to finish the project after reacquiring it in 2021.

Real estate mogul Jeffrey Soffer

Jeffrey Soffer, chairman and CEO of Fontainebleau Development, went through many ups and downs in the years it took to finally open the luxury resort in Las Vegas. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Bringing Fontainebleau Las Vegas to life has been an extraordinary journey," said Soffer, per the Associated Press. 

"Opening a resort of this size and scope is a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

This resort was a $3.7 billion project, one of the most expensive on the Strip. 

It's second only to Resorts World, which was a $4.3 billion endeavor.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The new casino features more than 3,600 rooms for guests, 1,300 slot machines, 128 gaming tables and more than 36 bars and restaurants.

Entrance to Fontainebleu

Fontainebleau has finally opened its doors to the public. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The resort opened with an extravagant welcome party that featured several A-list celebrities.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Justin Timberlake gave an invite-only performance at which celebrities including Tom Brady, Cher, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Lenny Kravitz and Ivanka Trump were in attendance.

Casino section of Fontainebleu

There are 1,300 slot machines for guests to use at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel, supported her husband while he sang hits like "SexyBack," "Like I Love You," "Rock Your Body," "Suit & Tie," "Cry Me a River" and "Mirrors," according to People magazine.

Post Malone is set to perform on New Year's Eve weekend.

Las Vegas recently opened another hotel, Durango, although this hotel is located a few miles away from the busy Strip, making it more of an attraction for locals than tourists.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital. 

Authored by Ashlyn Messier via FoxNews December 14th 2023