The development group behind the $1-billion Planet Hollywoodendeavor includes Douglas P. Teitelbaum, Robert I. Earl andTheodore W. Darnall. Earl is one of the founders of PlanetHollywood. Teitelbaum is a managing principal of Bay HarbourManagement LLC of New York, a company that is in the business ofturning around distressed operations. Darnell is an officer withStarwood Hotels & Resorts, which will run the hotel under theSheraton flag. The group announced in September 2004 that it wasacquiring the Aladdin property out of bankruptcy for $635 millionwith plans to transform it into Planet Hollywood Resort &Casino.

As part of the renovation and re-branding of the Aladdin, theold resort is getting a new facade, new slot machines, renovatedhotel rooms and a new layout for the casino floor that will includemore restaurants. In addition, the casino's 7,000-seat showroom hasbeen reconfigured as two spaces, one with seating for 3,200 andanother with seating for 1,300.

A source at Planet Hollywood tells GlobeSt.com that 95% of theresorts interior public areas have been renovated and thatrenovation of the first 600 hotel rooms is just getting started."We anticipate the room and the exterior renovations will becomplete ahead of the grand opening, which is scheduled forSeptember 27-28," she says.The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casinoeventually will have 2,600 movie-themed rooms and suites, a newpoker room and, coming this summer, the Pink's Race and Sports BookLounge. Also opening this summer will be several new restaurants,including Strip House, an upscale Steakhouse chain from New York;KOI, which harkens from Los Angeles; Yolos, a neo-Mexicanrestaurant; Alfredo of Rome, serving traditional Italian fare; anda deli chain called Earl of Sandwich. Existing restaurants includea P.F. Chang's China Bistro and Spice Market Buffet.