South Las Vegas is ready to get some true Southern Hospitality now that Olympia Gaming is preparing to break ground on their $1 billion Southern Highlands Resort. With final touches taking place on the project design, everything is looking right on schedule to begin construction this summer. Comprising seventy undeveloped acres along the intersecting roads of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard South, Southern Highlands is being developed according to the new high standard of Las Vegas locals casino resorts, like the Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch.

This is why nearby properties like South Point (just three miles north of Southern Highlands) should not be too concerned about losing business and getting overly competitive. Gaming analysts say that it makes sense for Olympia Gaming to build a higher-end resort, considering the great successes of Green Valley and Red Rock. Olympia Gaming most definitely has been consumed with planning and development, for in addition to the Southern Highlands Resort, the Olympia Group is also developing a 2,675 acre residential development, which is to include a 56-acre commercial parcel with another casino property, pending approval.

Just last month Olympia announced that five top operations positions had been filled. It will likely not be until after this summer and construction begins on Southern Highlands Resort that a General Manager will be named. Ultimately, everything is right on schedule, for construction completion of Phase I is not even planned to wrap until Fall of 2009.

While Southern Highlands Casino will be aimed at many Las Vegas locals, including those of Olympia's residential development, the resort amenities will be largely targeted to out of towners from nearby California, and even regional tourists who are seeking a gaming-themed vacation off of the Strip. Approved to offer 3,200 room accommodations, Olympia says the resort will open with more rooms than other off-Strip casinos. However, a critical component of the groups business strategy is to book convention space early on, and to keep booking it. This will be key to filling all the rooms, and ultimately, bringing more traffic to the proposed 120,000 square foot casino.