Philippe Starck to Redesign the Iconic Sahara Las Vegas

On Tuesday, LA-based hospitality company sbe (the hotel, restaurant, and nightlife tycoons responsible for many a see-and-be-seen hot spot in Los Angeles) and real estate investment firm Stockbridge Capital Group announced that the old Sahara (the iconic 50s-era Rat Pack den that closed in 2011) will come back to life as the SLS Las Vegas with the help of $300 million in already raised funds.

Like the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, The Redbury, and soon-to-open SLS South Beach, the SLS Las Vegas will be a high-styled luxury resort with a boutique feel. Interiors will be designed by Philippe Starck, in his first Las Vegas venture, and dining will be helmed by acclaimed James Beard chef Jose Andres.

When it opens in 2014, the SLS will be a mixed-use resort and casino with a host of sbe's lionized dining and nightlife brands, like The Bazaar and Katsuya, and over 1,600 guest rooms and suites. A boon for Nevada's economy, the project will create thousands of local jobs and reenergize the northern section of the Strip which has seen its share of bankrupt hotels and stalled projects in the past few years.

Photo credits: Sahara Las Vegas via Shutterstock; Sahara Las Vegas via Shutterstock