Sahara Las Vegas on Friday revealed the two latest moves in its $150m remodel – an award-winning chef and the city’s newest entry in the swimming pool arms race.
Chef Shawn McClain, a James Beard award-winner, along with partners Richard and Sarah Camarota of MC Hospitality, will be bringing Ballo to the Sahara. The resort described the restaurant as seasonal Italian cuisine representing a number of Italy’s regions.
Signature dishes will include handmade pastas, Roman pizzas, fresh seasonal vegetable dishes and salads, rustic fire-roasted meats and fish, and desserts featuring espresso liqueurs.
“We are continually seeking to set the standard with our culinary program,” Anthony Olheiser, Sahara Las Vegas vice president of food and beverage, said in a statement.
“We are inspired by Alex Meruelo's vision for Sahara and are so excited to join the culinary lineup,” added McClain.
Those old enough to remember when a hotel swimming pool was merely a hole in the ground filled with water in which people, well, swam, will be shocked by the lengths to which Las Vegas resorts are pouring resources into these venues.
After several years of swimming pools spaces being turned into “day clubs,” when Circa opened in October 2020 it upped the ante with its “Stadium Swim,” which boasts three levels of pools and a 40-foot-tall high-definition screen that is used to show games of the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team.
Sahara on Friday said its Azilo Ultra Pool, is nearing completion and will be open this summer.
What is an ultra pool? At Sahara, it will be a 35,000-square-foot poolscape and event space.
The focal point will be 10,000-square-foot LED walls that wrap around the pool perimeter. The featured portion of the LED wall is two stories high and spans the length of the pool’s south side.
According to Paul Hobson, the resort’s senior vice president and general manager, Azilo’s LED wall is one of the largest to be featured in a private setting on the Las Vegas Strip.
The wall’s multiple screens can be synchronized, while the main screen can be partitioned into several smaller screens, giving guests the ability to watch multiple games or events simultaneously.
“As Las Vegas continues to evolve, we plan to be on the forefront of that evolution as we continually refine and enhance the guest experience at Sahara,” said Hobson. “Azilo Ultra Pool and Ballo, along with the other many updates we have made to the resort, create an elevated guest experience.”
