Paris LAs Vegas

Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas rises to the occasion

Share

Jul 8, 2009

The 50-story Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas is one attraction that has literally gone through the roof..Hovering 50 feet above the Las Vegas Strip, with three of its gigantic legs springing from the resort’s 85,000-square-foot casino floor and rising through its ceiling, the 540-foot-tall tower is the hotel’s centerpiece and signature landmark. An exact half-replica of the one in Paris, France, it weighs in at more than 7 million pounds.      

The resort’s construction of the replica of Paris’ famous landmark, as well as the authentic re-creations of other legendary structures found in that city – the Arc de Triomphe, the Paris Opera House and the Louvre – began with research. A team of designers, architects and hotel executives made numerous trips to Paris to photograph and sketch the noted venues to capture the intricate details that make each one unique. 

 Where the Eiffel Tower was concerned, designers obtained Gustav Eiffel’s original 1889 drawings to help execute the massive undertaking. Construction was challenging, to say the least, especially in view of the fact that there are major differences in climate and wind velocity between Paris, the “City of Lights,” and Las Vegas, the “Neon Jungle.” Not to mention the variations between building and fire codes back in 1889 and those of modern day.      

Unlike the French original, Paris Las Vegas’ Eiffel Tower is fireproof and stable enough to withstand earthquakes. It is also welded together rather than being riveted like the original, although the designers painstakingly added the rivets to ensure the authenticity of the tower’s appearance. The lighting system on the Eiffel Tower was designed to the exact specifications of the lighting that was added to the real Eiffel Tower for its 100th anniversary in 1989.      

Guests can take a tour to the top of the Eiffel Tower, where from the observation deck on the 46th floor, you can have an incredible view of Las Vegas and its surrounding mountains – especially at dusk when the Strip lights up.  The tower can be rented out for special occasions such as a marriage propsoal or intimate wedding.    

 You can also have a glittering view of the city from the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, located on the 11th story. There you can enjoy (pricey) French cuisine in a softly lit dining room served by a waitstaff that is fluent in both English and French.   

 It’s a top-notch experience all the way around.  

- by Bobbie Katz, Las Vegas Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)