The total estimated development cost is $4.8 billion, up from aprevious estimate of $4.4 billion. Initial completion for 65 of the87 acres is slated for the third quarter 2010. The executivedesigner is BLT Architects. The contractor is Tishman Construction.As part of the ground-breaking event, new renderings of the projectwere released, including the image above.

Within the overall Echelon Place development will be EchelonResort. To be wholly owned by Boyd, Echelon Resort is slated toinclude 3,000 of the 5,000 rooms in two high-rise towers, HotelEchelon and the Suites at Echelon, each with its own full-servicespa, as well as the casino, two theaters (one with 4,000 seats andthe other with 1,500 seats), 25 restaurants and bars and a poolarea.

The rest of Echelon Place would be developed via joint venturesand include three additional hotels, a 750,000-sf outpost of theLas Vegas ExpoCenter, 300,000 sf of retail space, and several morerestaurants, bars and nightclubs. The property also will havecovered parking for 8,000 vehicles.