Saturday, May 27, 2006

The Stratosphere is approaching the city about building a nightclub atop its
centerpiece tower in place of the roller coaster, which was shut down in
December. Stratosphere executives were to present a site plan to the Las
Vegas City Planning Commission on Thursday night. The idea is to build a
6,880-square-foot nightclub 900 feet above Las Vegas. The nightclub would be
on the tower's 111th and 112th level and include an outside revolving
observation deck. "We would have a 360-degree view and it easily would be
the most spectacular nightclub in Las Vegas," Stratosphere spokesman Mike
Gilmartin said. No designs or renderings have been drawn up.

Gilmartin said the nightclub would take advantage of its location atop the
Stratosphere Tower, offering skyboxes and views of the city.

"We would like to turn the site of the High Roller (roller coaster) into a
nightclub setting," Gilmartin said.

The High Roller, a fixture at the Stratosphere since its opening in April
1996, was considered the country's highest roller coaster. It carried some 4
million riders around the 32-degree banked track since opening.

Work crews have been disassembling the 840-foot track over the past few
months in the evening hours. Three rides remain atop the Stratosphere Tower;
The Big Shot, X Scream and Insanity.

The proposed nightclub is just one of a number of changes being planned over
the rest of the year by Stratosphere owner American Casino Entertainment
Properties, a subsidiary of the Carl Icahn-controlled American Real Estate
Partners. Plans include a casino renovation and more entertainment offerings
and could include the construction of an additional hotel tower.

Gilmartin said the Stratosphere had an additional item pulled from the
planning commission agenda on vacating portions of Philadelphia and Commerce
streets, where the casino's ownership has acquired land parcels for
expansion.

He said the Stratosphere taking over those streets wouldn't affect residents
or businesses since the casino company has already purchased that land.