Luxor Las Vegas
Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox casino Luxor Las Vegas is a casino hotel on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The resort is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. Luxor features an ancient Egyptian theme, and includes a Template:Convert casino and 4,407 hotel rooms. The resort's pyramid is 30 stories and contains the world's largest atrium by volume, measuring Template:Convert. The tip of the pyramid features a light beam, which shines into the night sky and is the most powerful man-made light in the world.
Luxor was developed by Circus Circus Enterprises at a cost of $375 million. Construction began on April 21, 1992, and the resort opened on October 15, 1993, with 2,526 rooms. A renovation and expansion project, costing $300 million, took place from 1996 to 1997. The project included the addition of two 22-story hotel towers, as well as Nevada's first 3D IMAX theater. The Egyptian theme was scaled back as well, including the removal of an indoor Nile River ride.
MGM acquired Luxor in 2005. The company launched a $300 million renovation two years later, further scaling back on the Egyptian theme while adding new restaurants and clubs. An esports arena was added in 2018, the first to open on the Strip. Luxor has hosted various entertainers, including comedian Carrot Top, the Blue Man Group, and magician Criss Angel.
History
Construction and opening
The resort was announced by Circus Circus Enterprises on November 14, 1991. Known temporarily as "Project X", the pyramid-shaped resort would be built on the Las Vegas Strip.<ref name=Mulligan>Template:Cite news</ref> Groundbreaking took place on April 21, 1992, with the project by then known as "Luxor", after the Egyptian city of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Veldon Simpson was the architect,<ref name=Skin/> while Yates-Silverman, Inc served as interior designer.<ref name=Sneak>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Kamin>Template:Cite news</ref> President and owner Charles L. Silverman traveled to Egypt three times to study the country's atmosphere.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Of all the casino resorts that his firm had designed, Silverman called Luxor "the most interesting and difficult".<ref name=Johnson/> Before the ancient Egyptian theme was chosen, Yates-Silverman had suggested developing the land with a moat and a real riverboat casino to traverse it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Egyptologists were hired to create and oversee Luxor's theme, which was prevalent throughout the resort.<ref name=Waddell/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The interior included replicas of various Egyptian artifacts, made of fiberglass and plaster.<ref name=Johnson>Template:Cite news</ref>
Perini Building Company served as general contractor.<ref name=Unveiling>Template:Cite news</ref> The project employed more than 150 contractors and 3,500 construction workers,<ref name=Making/> several of whom died while building the resort,<ref>Retrieved September 21, 2023:Template:Ubl</ref> Waltek, a Cincinnati-based company, provided the metal-and-glass exterior for the pyramid. Standing 30 stories high, it was one of the largest metal-and-glass projects ever.<ref name=Skin>Template:Cite news</ref> leading in turn to rumours that the building is cursed or haunted.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The pyramid was topped off on July 9, 1993.<ref name=Unveiling/>
Luxor cost $375 million to build.<ref name=Waddell/> The resort was financed using internal cash flow from other Circus Circus properties and did not include any outside financial investors.<ref name=Mulligan/><ref name=RMN_94>Template:Cite news</ref> Circus Circus chairman William Bennett said the most challenging aspect of construction was dealing with Clark County officials, who he felt were overly critical of the resort due to its pyramid shape. He claimed county regulations, including improved fire precautions, added unnecessary costs to construction.<ref name=Waddell/>
Luxor hosted a pre-opening event for hundreds of invited guests on the night of October 14, 1993.<ref name=Sneak/> It opened to the public the following day at 4 a.m., welcoming thousands of people.<ref name=Waddell>Template:Cite news</ref> It would compete against two other upcoming resorts, MGM Grand and Treasure Island. All three resorts had a family-oriented focus.<ref name=Mulligan/><ref name=Unveiling/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Luxor employed 4,500 workers.<ref name=Making/>
Tupac Shakur, who was fatally shot in Las Vegas in 1996, had been staying at the Luxor during his visit to the city, although his injuries sustained from the drive-by shooting occurred four miles from the resort.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Renovations and ownership changes
Within a few years of the Luxor's opening, resort executives concluded that it needed to be improved and enlarged.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A $300 million renovation and expansion was launched in January 1996, and was mostly finished a year later.<ref name=Secrets/> The changes included two additional hotel towers.<ref name=Secrets/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The casino interior, which was redesigned,<ref name=Unveils>Template:Cite news</ref> had initially included sections dedicated to space travel and the skyline of New York City, both of which were removed.<ref name=Secrets/><ref name=ThenNow/><ref name=wapo>Template:Cite news</ref> The Egyptian theme was also scaled back.<ref name=Briggs>Template:Cite news</ref> The changes improved revenue, and Luxor was a consistently profitable resort as of 2003.<ref name=ThenNow>Template:Cite news</ref> It was reported four years later that more people visited the resort than the actual city of Luxor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Circus Circus Enterprises was renamed Mandalay Resort Group in 1999,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was acquired by MGM Mirage (later MGM Resorts International) in 2005.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two years after the acquisition, MGM announced plans for a $300 million renovation of Luxor that would remove much of the Egyptian theme.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Luxor president and chief operating officer Felix Rappaport said, "We're not a British museum with ancient artifacts, we're a casino-resort. This was a brilliantly conceived building from the outside. The pyramid always created a sense of wow and wonder, but the inside never delivered on that promise."<ref name=Farewell/> He further said: "We are trying to be approachable. We want to be a cooler and hipper middle-market property. We want to be less themed but still a middle-market property." Despite the interior changes, the exterior Egypt theme remained in place.<ref name=Abowitz>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort added more adult-oriented and modern lounges, restaurants and clubs.<ref name=Farewell>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The hotel rooms were renovated in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Vici Properties purchased MGM Growth Properties a year later, thereby acquiring numerous Strip properties, including Luxor. MGM continues to operate the resort.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2007 bombing
On May 7, 2007, a homemade pipe bomb exploded in a vehicle in the Luxor parking garage, killing one man in his 20s.<ref name=usa>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Jury/><ref name=Convicts/> The victim, an employee at Nathan's Famous hot dog restaurant in the Luxor food court, was the intended target.<ref name=Jury/> The resort was not evacuated, operations continued uninterrupted, and the parking structure as well as the casino were undamaged.<ref name=usa/>
Two men were found guilty of the bombing, with the motive being the victim's relationship with an ex-girlfriend of one of the perpetrators. In 2010, each was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.<ref name=Jury>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Convicts>Template:Cite news</ref>
Property overview
Template:Comparison of pyramids.svg Luxor is at the southern end of the Strip,<ref name=Southern>Template:Cite news</ref> and is located between two other resorts developed by Circus Circus Enterprises: Excalibur to the north (opened in 1990) and Mandalay Bay to the south (opened in 1999). The Mandalay Bay Tram travels between the three properties.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Luxor's pyramid is 30 stories,<ref name=Skin/> standing Template:Cvt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Its exterior sides are sometimes used for advertising.<ref>Retrieved September 21, 2023:Template:Ubl</ref> The pyramid includes the largest atrium in the world by volume, measuring Template:Convert.<ref name=Unveiled/> The resort's exterior features a recreation of the Great Sphinx of Giza, located in front of the pyramid and facing the Strip.<ref name=Neon>Template:Cite web</ref> The recreation is 106 feet high, 80 feet wide, and 262 feet long (Template:Cvt).<ref name=Sneak/> Within the body of the sphinx is the resort's porte-cochère.<ref name=Neon/> An obelisk stands in front of the sphinx.<ref name=Neon/>
The hotel includes 4,407 rooms.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It originally opened with 2,526 rooms, all of them located in the pyramid.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The rooms line the pyramid's interior walls, and walkways outside the rooms overlook the atrium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The interior of the pyramid uses inclined elevators, traveling at a 39-degree angle, to bring guests to their rooms.<ref name=Waddell/><ref name=Kamin/> The structure features eight elevators, with two at each corner of the pyramid.<ref name=Sneak/> The two additional hotel towers added in 1996 are located just north of the pyramid.<ref name=Secrets/><ref name=Unveils/> The ziggurat-shaped towers,<ref name=Unveils/> designed by Klai Juba Architects,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> are 22 stories and added nearly 2,000 additional rooms.<ref name=Secrets/><ref name=Unveils/> The exterior of the hotel structures, including the pyramid, is made up of black glass panels.<ref name=Neon/>
Luxor includes a Template:Cvt casino.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Upon opening, it featured 2,500 slot machines, many of them Egyptian-themed. The casino also included 82 table games, a poker room, and race and sports books.<ref name=Waddell/> A high-end gaming pit was added in the 1996–97 renovation.<ref name=Secrets/> Giza Galleria, a small retail mall with 18 tenants, was also opened.<ref name=Unveils/><ref name=Galaxy>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Briggs/> In addition, the Mandalay Place mall is located on a skybridge that connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Hidden begin
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Aerial view of the pyramid and its adjacent towers -
The sphinx entrance along the Strip -
The Luxor's exterior obelisk -
Egyptian architecture inside the pyramid -
A hotel room in the pyramid -
The Luxor's casino floor
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Luxor Sky Beam
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The tip of the pyramid is three stories,<ref name=Unveiled>Template:Cite news</ref> and features a beam of light known as the Luxor Sky Beam.<ref name=Aliens/><ref name=Beacon/> It is the most powerful man-made light in the world,<ref name=Lake>Template:Cite news</ref> using curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> G-Force International Entertainment Corporation was hired to design, build and install the lighting system.<ref name=gforce/> Each lamp is 7,000 watts and cost approximately $1,200 as of 2001; at full power, the system costs $51 an hour to operate, with $20 of that going toward electricity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The beam was activated on the night of October 14, 1993,<ref name=Making>Template:Cite AV media</ref> and has operated reliably since then.<ref name="gforce">Template:Cite web</ref> On a clear night, it is visible up to Template:Convert away by aircraft at cruising altitude, such as over Los Angeles.<ref name="gforce"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Moths are also attracted to the light,<ref name=Lake/><ref name=Aliens/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which in turn attracts bats and owls.<ref name=Beacon/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The lamp room, located about Template:Convert below the top of the building, can reach temperatures of Template:Convert while the lights are operating. Because of the heat, the room is serviced by a staff of two workers during the day. Temperatures of Template:Convert have been recorded Template:Convert above the pyramid tip.<ref name=Beacon>Template:Cite web</ref> The beam originally measured 42.3 billion candela,<ref name=Aliens>Template:Cite news</ref> and shone Template:Convert high.<ref name=Fox>Template:Cite news</ref> Since 2008, only half the lamps have been lit as a cost- and energy-saving measure. The resort later surveyed tourists about the possibility of turning off the beam completely, an idea that was largely rejected.<ref name=Beacon/>
Other lighting
Aside from the sky beam, the pyramid would blend in with the darkness of nightfall, as it initially lacked any other exterior lighting. In 1997, Bee Construction fitted the four outer edges of the pyramid with computer-guided strobe lighting. Four years had been spent researching and developing the $1 million project, and another two months were spent installing it. The project was accompanied by an outdoor sound system, allowing for synchronized light-and-sound shows.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Luxor sued Bee in 2003, alleging that the lighting system contained design and construction flaws which resulted in frequent power shutdowns. The suit further alleged that Bee had failed to honor contracts to repair or replace the system components.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New LED lighting was added along the pyramid's exterior edges in 2019. The lights are programmable and feature a variety of colors.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Attractions
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Upon its opening, Luxor included the Template:Convert Karnak Lake, located in between the sphinx and obelisk. More than 100 computer-controlled fountains would spray water up from the lake by day, and as part of a free nightly show in which lasers shot out from the eyes of the sphinx. The lasers would project Egyptian imagery onto a Template:Convert high water screen formed by the fountains.<ref name=Waddell/><ref name=Fox/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show was meant, but ultimately failed, to rival a popular Strip attraction, the volcano at the Mirage resort.<ref name=Fox/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the end of 1995, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a shutdown of all laser light shows within Template:Convert of McCarran International Airport, putting an end to the Karnak Lake attraction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
At its opening, the resort also featured the indoor Nile River Tour, a paid 15-minute ride that brought guests to different parts of the pyramid and passed by pieces of ancient artwork on a river that encircled the casino.<ref name=Sneak/><ref name=NileRiver>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=wapo/> The river was Template:Cvt long,<ref name=Campbell/> and was removed after three years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Secrets of the Luxor Pyramid, created by visual effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull,<ref name=Waddell/> also debuted with the resort.<ref name=Drucker/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It consisted of three 15-minute attractions, including "In Search of the Obelisk", "Luxor Live", and "Theater of Time". Each show took place in its own theater, with the final one projected on a seven-story screen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1996, the seven-story screen was repurposed as an IMAX theater showcasing various 3D films, the first Nevada venue to do so. Meanwhile, "In Search of the Obelisk" was successful enough to receive nationwide distribution at other IMAX theaters.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A Template:Cvt indoor playground called Play Playground, for children and adults, opened in 2024. It serves as immersive entertainment, providing various activities such as games and a bounce house. It has since pivoted to only for people 21+<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Museum and exhibits
Template:Multiple image King Tut's Tomb and Museum opened at Luxor in December 1993.<ref name=Tut93>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It consisted of four rooms dedicated to Egyptian history, featuring replicas of various ancient items;<ref name=Tut93/><ref name=Padgett/> these were created for the museum by artists near Cairo, and Egyptologist Zahi Hawass gave his approval of the items before they were put on display.<ref name=Lillis/> The museum's centerpiece was a replica of King Tutankhamen's tomb, as found in the Valley of the Kings. The replica cost approximately $360,000.<ref name=RMN_94/><ref name=Tut93/><ref name=Padgett>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Template:Cvt museum closed in June 2008, part of Luxor's efforts to scale back on its Egyptian theming.<ref name=Lillis>Template:Cite news</ref> The replica artifacts were donated to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> where they are displayed in its "Treasures of Egypt" exhibit, opened in January 2010.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The King Tut museum was replaced by Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,<ref name=Lillis/> featuring various items from the Titanic, including The Big Piece. It opened later in 2008,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> along with Bodies: The Exhibition;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> both had previously been on display at the nearby Tropicana resort. Moving them to Luxor required the removal of the IMAX theater and a game arcade.<ref name=Trop>Template:Cite news</ref>
An Template:Cvt sports memorabilia exhibit, known as "Score!", opened in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another exhibit, Discovering King Tut's Tomb, opened in 2022, marking the 100th anniversary of the tomb's discovery.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Restaurants and clubs
Luxor opened with seven restaurants,<ref name=Sneak/> and a food court was added in 1997.<ref name=Galaxy/> The following year, Gourmet named Luxor among the top 50 resorts in the U.S., primarily because of its restaurants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Notable eateries around that time included the Luxor Steakhouse,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and a French gourmet restaurant known as Isis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is also home to Diablo's Cantina, a restaurant serving Mexican cuisine on the atrium level.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Company American Bistro opened in 2007, with Nick Lachey, Paris Hilton and Wilmer Valderrama as investors.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Isis was also replaced that year by CatHouse, a nightclub and restaurant with Kerry Simon as chef.<ref name=Farewell/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was modeled after a 1940s bordello.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The restaurant portion closed in 2010, followed by the nightclub two years later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other notable restaurants have included Tender, specializing in steaks and seafood.<ref>Retrieved September 19, 2023:Template:Ubl</ref>
Template:AnchorRa, a bar and nightclub, opened in December 1997. It was named after the Egyptian god of the sun, Ra.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was subsequently turned into the LAX nightclub,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which opened in 2007 with a party hosted by Britney Spears. The two-level venue measured Template:Cvt.<ref name=Spears_07>Template:Cite news</ref> LAX was popular among celebrities,<ref name=Domanick>Template:Cite news</ref> and included Christina Aguilera and DJ AM as investors.<ref name=Spears_07/> The club proved to be successful, outlasting its original Los Angeles counterpart,<ref name=Domanick/> before closing in 2017.<ref name=Transforming/>
Video gaming and esports
Upon its opening, Luxor included the Template:Cvt VirtuaLand video game arcade, created by Sega.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The arcade later became known as Games of the Gods,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> before being removed in 2008.<ref name=Trop/>
Luxor announced in 2017 that it would close LAX and convert it into an esports facility.<ref name=Transforming>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Known as Esports Arena and part of an eponymous chain, it opened in March 2018, becoming the first esports venue on the Strip and only the second one in the Las Vegas Valley.<ref name=Transforming/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The facility was added in an effort to attract the Millennial demographic.<ref name=Transforming/><ref name=BigTime/> It was renamed HyperX Arena at the end of 2018, through a partnership with HyperX.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The multi-level venue measures Template:Cvt and includes a two-story video wall.<ref name=BigTime>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2023, the HyperX Arena had hosted 700 events and more than 500,000 people since its opening.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Live entertainment
Luxor initially included the 900-seat Pharaoh's Dinner Theater.<ref name=Spared/><ref name=Arena/> It hosted The Winds of the Gods, a show centered on a plot to overtake the Egyptian throne. It included chariot races, belly dancers, and a trained elephant.<ref name=Drucker>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Campbell>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The theater later hosted an ice production known as Le Ice Show. The venue closed in December 1995, making way for convention space.<ref name=Spared>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Arena>Template:Cite news</ref>
A 1,200-seat venue was subsequently added.<ref name=Secrets>Template:Cite news</ref> Known as the Luxor Theater, it has since been expanded to 1,500 seats.<ref name=CarrotTop>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A production show, titled Imagine, A Theatrical Odyssey, opened in the venue in 1997.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show closed at the end of 1999, with the Blue Man Group taking over the theater.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They performed at Luxor until 2005.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After a decade of playing at other Strip resorts, the Blue Man Group returned to Luxor in 2015,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> displacing the dance group Jabbawockeez.<ref name=Timeless>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Broadway musical Hairspray opened in February 2006,<ref name=Robertson>Template:Cite news</ref> replacing the Blue Man Group.<ref name=Timeless/> Like most Broadway-to-Vegas shows, Hairspray was shortened from its original version for a new runtime of 90 minutes.<ref name=Robertson/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show experienced poor ticket sales and closed four months later.<ref name=Robertson/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Magician Criss Angel partnered with Cirque du Soleil to open a show at Luxor,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> titled Believe. It debuted in 2008,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was the first Cirque show to feature an individual star.<ref name=Mindfreak>Template:Cite news</ref> The show initially received criticism, prompting Cirque to give Angel more creative control and fine-tune it.<ref name=OpenAnother/><ref name=Mindfreak/><ref name=Kats2018/> Believe ran until 2016, when Angel and Cirque debuted a new show at Luxor known as Mindfreak Live!, based on his television series Criss Angel Mindfreak (2005–2010).<ref name=OpenAnother>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Angel ended his run at Luxor in 2018, after 10 years of performances there.<ref name=Kats2018>Template:Cite news</ref>
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In October 2019, Cirque debuted a new show known as R.U.N, described as bringing an action movie to life for its audience. The show took over and renovated the theater previously used by Angel. In a departure from previous Cirque shows, R.U.N lacked any acrobatic acts and featured rock and roll music, as well as stunts such as motorcycle jumps and pyrotechnics.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Plug/> The show was written by Robert Rodriguez, with music composed by Tyler Bates. R.U.N received mixed reviews and poor ticket sales, and it lacked the time and funds needed to make improvements, closing after four months.<ref name=Plug>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2021, Luxor debuted a variety show featuring acts from the television program America's Got Talent. Originally titled America's Got Talent Las Vegas Live, the show was a collaboration between MGM, Syco Entertainment, and Fremantle.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2023, the show was retitled America's Got Talent Presents Superstars Live, and it surpassed 500 performances.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Aside from its main theater, Luxor also includes the 350-seat Atrium Showroom.<ref name=CarrotTop/> Midnight Fantasy, a topless show, debuted there in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was created and is produced by Anita Mann,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the title has since been shortened to Fantasy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Comedian Carrot Top has shared the Atrium Showroom with Fantasy since 2005, when he signed on for what was originally a three-year residency.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is contracted to continue performing at the resort until 2030.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In popular culture
Luxor is often viewed as a prime example of 1990s Postmodern architecture, and its sphinx appeared on the cover of architecture scholar James Steele's book Architecture Today.<ref name=Architect >Template:Cite book</ref> The resort has appeared in numerous films, including Showgirls (1995),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Synthetic Pleasures (1996),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Mars Attacks! (1996).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Up in the Air (2009), main character Ryan Bingham is asked to take a picture in front of Luxor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A futuristic, abandoned version of the pyramid is seen in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), along with other famous landmarks in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Will Smith filmed the music video for "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" (1998) in the hotel's lobby and in front of its sphinx.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort was also featured in the television shows Fear Factor,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Criss Angel Mindfreak,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and CSI.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A replica of Luxor, named "The Camel's Toe", appeared in the Las Venturas area of the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Sampson/> The video game Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013) also features a mission set in Las Vegas, which includes an Egyptian-themed casino inspired by Luxor.<ref name=Sampson>Template:Cite news</ref> An Egyptian-themed nightclub appears in the Phantom Liberty (2023) expansion pack for the video game Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) that is inspired by Luxor.
See also
- Cathedral of light
- spectra (installation)
- A Symphony of Lights
- Tribute in Light
- List of tallest pyramids
- List of largest hotels
- List of integrated resorts
References
External links
Template:Las Vegas skyscrapers Template:Las Vegas casinos Template:Las Vegas Strip Template:MGM Resorts International
- Pages with broken file links
- 1993 establishments in Nevada
- Hotel buildings completed in 1993
- Hotels established in 1993
- Casinos completed in 1993
- Casinos in the Las Vegas Valley
- Landmarks in Nevada
- Las Vegas Strip
- Mandalay Resort Group
- MGM Resorts International
- Novelty buildings in Nevada
- Pyramids in the United States
- Resorts in the Las Vegas Valley
- Skyscraper hotels in Paradise, Nevada
- Esports venues in Nevada
- Casino hotels in the Las Vegas Valley
- Ancient Egypt in the American imagination
- Postmodern architecture in the United States
- Convention centers in Nevada