Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace is a luxury casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, and one of the defining hospitality brands of modern Las Vegas. Opened in 1966 by developer Jay Sarno, the property introduced an unusually explicit classical-Roman design language to the Strip. Its architecture, statuary, fountains, columns and imperial imagery helped establish the idea that a casino could be marketed not only as a gambling venue, but also as a theatrical destination built around spectacle, status and fantasy. The name evokes ancient Rome, although the resort is a modern commercial entertainment complex rather than a historical reconstruction. The property combines hotel accommodation, casino gaming, restaurants, bars, pools, a spa, retail, nightlife and large-scale live entertainment. Its principal accommodation towers have been expanded and renovated over time, while the resort’s Forum Shops became a major luxury-retail component. The Colosseum at Caesars Palace developed into one of Las Vegas’s best-known concert venues, hosting long-running residencies and appearances by internationally prominent performers. This entertainment identity has helped the brand remain relevant as the Strip shifted from primarily casino-centered tourism toward integrated resorts emphasizing dining, shopping, conventions, nightlife and destination experiences. Caesars Palace has changed corporate hands several times. It was associated with Caesars World and later ITT, whose ownership supported a major late-1990s expansion and advertising push. Park Place Entertainment subsequently promoted a property revival and used the resort as a flagship for a broader corporate repositioning that included adopting the Caesars Entertainment name. Harrah’s Entertainment acquired Caesars Entertainment in the mid-2000s, bringing Caesars Palace into the enlarged Harrah’s portfolio. The resulting company later operated under the Caesars Entertainment name. A further restructuring followed the financial difficulties of Caesars Entertainment Operating Company and its Chapter 11 process. In 2020, Eldorado Resorts completed its acquisition of Caesars Entertainment and adopted the Caesars name, leaving Caesars Palace as a flagship property within the combined company. Brand communications have repeatedly presented the resort as a place where guests can experience celebrity, luxury and theatrical escape. Campaigns such as “Live Famously” emphasized a renovated property, high-profile dining and performers, while the later “Like a Caesar” platform used humorous Roman characters and social video to make the luxury proposition more approachable. The resort’s brand scope should therefore be understood as broader than a hotel label: it is a destination brand spanning gaming, lodging, food and beverage, retail, wellness and entertainment, with the Las Vegas property serving as its best-known expression.

Caesars Palace opened on the Las Vegas Strip in 1966 under developer Jay Sarno. Its Roman-inspired architecture and highly staged atmosphere distinguished it from the more conventional casino hotels of the period. The concept treated the resort as an immersive fantasy: classical references, monumental decoration and ceremonial imagery were used to associate a stay with imperial luxury. This approach became central to the property’s identity and helped make Caesars Palace one of the Strip’s most recognizable names. Over subsequent decades, the resort expanded its accommodation, gaming, retail, dining and entertainment offer. The Forum Shops became an important luxury-shopping destination, and The Colosseum developed into a prominent venue for major concerts and residencies. These additions supported a broader shift in Las Vegas toward integrated resorts in which gambling operated alongside retail, restaurants, nightlife, wellness and ticketed entertainment. In the 1990s, ITT’s Caesars World subsidiary undertook a substantial renovation and expansion. A new hotel tower, larger casino areas, an expanded pool, a health spa and additional retail capacity were promoted as part of a program intended to help the established resort compete with newer properties such as the Mirage, MGM Grand and New York-New York. The expansion was accompanied by a large advertising effort aimed particularly at affluent leisure travelers in Southern California and Las Vegas. Park Place Entertainment later used Caesars Palace as a flagship in a repositioning strategy. Its 2003 “Live Famously” campaign presented the resort’s refurbishment, restaurants, shopping and headline performers as evidence of a renewed luxury proposition. The company also planned to adopt the Caesars Entertainment name, reinforcing the property’s role as a defining brand within the corporate portfolio. Harrah’s Entertainment agreed to acquire Caesars Entertainment in 2004 and completed the transaction in 2005. Caesars Palace consequently became part of a much larger gaming and hospitality network. The combined company later operated under the Caesars Entertainment identity and underwent additional corporate restructuring. Caesars Entertainment Operating Company entered Chapter 11 proceedings during a period of heavy financial pressure, eventually emerging after a restructuring that separated operating and property interests and sought to restore investment capacity. In 2020, Eldorado Resorts completed its acquisition of Caesars Entertainment after regulatory approvals. Eldorado adopted the Caesars name, and Caesars Palace remained one of the combined company’s flagship Las Vegas resorts. In the late 2010s, the property continued refreshing its guest proposition through tower renovations, new restaurants and brand marketing. The “Like a Caesar” campaign used an intentionally playful interpretation of Roman luxury, combining video, social media, packages and on-property experiences. This approach preserved the brand’s long-standing association with opulence while making the tone more humorous and accessible. Today, Caesars Palace remains an active destination resort whose brand spans rooms and suites, casino gaming, restaurants, bars, pools, spa services, shopping, nightlife and live entertainment. Its importance lies both in its physical operation and in its symbolic role: the resort helped define the visual language of themed Las Vegas and continues to serve as a high-profile expression of Caesars Entertainment’s hospitality portfolio.

• 2020

  Eldorado completes Caesars transaction

  [5]Eldorado finishes $17.3B buyout of Caesars Entertainmentapnews.com

  Eldorado Resorts completes its acquisition of Caesars Entertainment and retains the Caesars corporate name.

• 2018

  “Like a Caesar” campaign launches

  [7]“Like a Caesar” campaign launchesnovacancynews.com

  The resort introduces a humorous integrated campaign built around a fictionalized Caesar and themed guest packages.

• 2005

  Harrah’s completes Caesars acquisition

  [6]Harrah’s completes Caesars acquisitionsec.gov

  Harrah’s Entertainment acquires Caesars Entertainment, bringing Caesars Palace into its expanded portfolio.

• 2003

  “Live Famously” campaign launches

  [2]Caesars launches new ad campaignm.lasvegassun.com

  Park Place Entertainment markets the resort’s renovation and entertainment revival through a national campaign.

• 1997

  Major expansion and renovation promoted

  [1]The Media Business: Expanded Caesars Palace Enlarges Its Ad Campaignnytimes.com

  ITT and Caesars World open a new tower as part of a broad renovation involving guest rooms, gaming, spa, pools and retail.

• 1966

  Caesars Palace opens

  Jay Sarno opens the Roman-themed casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

A premium, theatrical Las Vegas resort built around Roman-inspired spectacle, casino gaming, celebrity entertainment and integrated luxury hospitality.

• Hotel accommodation · 1966

  Caesars Palace hotel

  The resort’s accommodation business includes multiple towers, guest rooms and suites positioned around the property’s Roman-inspired luxury identity. Rooms and public spaces have been renovated in successive programs to keep the flagship property competitive with newer Las Vegas resorts.

• Casino gaming · 1966

  Caesars Palace casino

  The casino is the core gaming operation of the resort, offering table games, slot machines and related premium gaming experiences within the themed Caesars Palace environment. Gaming is integrated with the hotel, dining, entertainment and loyalty ecosystem.

• Live entertainment venue · 2003

  The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

  The Colosseum is the resort’s principal concert and performance venue. It became especially associated with high-profile residencies and international recording artists, strengthening Caesars Palace’s position as an entertainment destination rather than simply a casino hotel.

• Luxury retail · 1992

  Forum Shops

  Forum Shops is the resort’s large retail complex, designed as an extension of the Roman-themed environment. Its luxury and specialty stores add a destination-shopping dimension to Caesars Palace and broaden the property’s appeal to non-gaming visitors.

• 2019Like a Caesar: second social iteration

  United States

  Courageous and Do Not Disturb created short social films featuring playful scenarios such as a Minotaur pool party, levitation and a horse valet.

  Outcome. The campaign extended the brand platform through social storytelling centered on escapism, fun and luxury.

  Source
• 2018Like a Caesar

  United States

  An integrated campaign used a sharable video, sweepstakes and room packages to show a playful Caesar enjoying the resort’s rooms, pools, restaurants, nightlife, spa and shopping.

  Outcome. The campaign refreshed the Roman-luxury proposition with a more approachable and humorous tone.

  Source
• 2003Live Famously

  United States

  Park Place Entertainment promoted the resort’s refurbishment, dining, retail and headline entertainment through print advertising and planned television activity.

  Outcome. The campaign supported a broader effort to restore Caesars Palace as a leading luxury destination and flagship property.

  Source
• 1997Expanded Caesars Palace advertising campaign

  United States

  ITT and Caesars World supported the opening of a new tower and wider renovation with an aggressive advertising program aimed at affluent travelers, particularly in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

  Outcome. The campaign positioned the renovated resort as a stronger competitor to newer upscale Strip properties.

  Source

• 2020

  Transition to Eldorado’s Caesars portfolioM&A

  Background

  Eldorado Resorts pursued the acquisition of Caesars Entertainment to create a substantially larger gaming and hospitality company.

  Action taken

  After regulatory approval, Eldorado completed the transaction and adopted the Caesars name, with Caesars Palace continuing as a flagship resort.

  Aftermath

  Caesars Palace remained an operating property within the combined company.

  Source

• 2003

  Use Caesars Palace as a corporate flagshipStrategy

  Background

  Park Place Entertainment sought to revive the resort’s position against newer luxury properties and use its popularity to support companywide performance.

  Action taken

  The company invested in renovations, new restaurants, expanded shopping and headline entertainment, supported by the “Live Famously” campaign.

  Aftermath

  The property became a central symbol of the company’s intended transition toward the Caesars Entertainment identity.

  Source

• 1997

  Invest in a major resort expansionStrategy

  Background

  The established Caesars Palace faced competition from newer and larger upscale resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.

  Action taken

  ITT’s Caesars World subsidiary invested in a large renovation and expansion covering a hotel tower, casino areas, spa, pools and retail.

  Aftermath

  The investment was presented as a way to modernize the flagship and reinforce its luxury positioning.

  Renovation and expansion budget. $500 million (1997)

  Source

1. 1The Media Business: Expanded Caesars Palace Enlarges Its Ad Campaignnytimes.com
2. 2Caesars launches new ad campaignm.lasvegassun.com
3. 3Caesars Palace launches dynamic brand campaign, Like a Caesarcaesarstravelpartners.com
4. 4Courageous and Do Not Disturb Selected by Caesars Palace for New Social Campaignprnewswire.com
5. 5Eldorado finishes $17.3B buyout of Caesars Entertainmentapnews.com
6. 6Harrah’s completes Caesars acquisitionsec.gov
7. 7“Like a Caesar” campaign launchesnovacancynews.com