The Grand Canal Shoppes opened on June 16, 1999, shortly after the Venetian. The mall has many designer and upscale boutiques, and includes indoor
canals, where
gondolas take people around the facility. Live performances can also be found throughout the mall.
A second mall, The Shoppes at the Palazzo, opened on January 18, 2008, and has since been rebranded as part of the Grand Canal Shoppes. In total, the facility features more than 200 tenants and 875,000 sq ft (81,300 m2).
History
The Grand Canal Shoppes are part of the
Venetian resort, both developed by
Las Vegas Sands. The Venetian opened on May 4, 1999,[1] although several features were still under construction, including the Grand Canal Shoppes.[2] The mall's opening was rescheduled several times, delayed in part by county inspections of fire safety systems. It eventually opened on June 16, 1999, with 16 of 72 tenants.[3][4] The $300 million mall was built on the Venetian's second level, above the casino floor.[3] It was managed by
Forest City Enterprises, which also held ownership in two other Las Vegas area retail centers:
Showcase Mall and
Galleria at Sunset.[5]
In 2004, Las Vegas Sands sold the mall to
General Growth Properties (GGP) for $766 million.[6][7] The sale helped Las Vegas Sands to finance construction of
The Palazzo, a sister resort to the Venetian.[8][9] GGP agreed to pay an additional $600 million for future retail space in the Palazzo.[10] The Shoppes at the Palazzo opened on January 18, 2008, though with less tenants than expected,[11] due to construction delays.[12] The Shoppes at the Palazzo have since been rebranded as part of the Grand Canal Shoppes.[13][14]
As of 2008, the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian averaged 20 million visitors a year.[15] In 2013, GGP sold half of its interest in the Grand Canal Shoppes, including the Shoppes at the Palazzo, for net proceeds of $410 million as part of a new joint venture with
TIAA-CREF.[16] GGP was acquired by
Brookfield Properties in 2018.[17]
The Shoppes at the Palazzo measured 450,000 sq ft (42,000 m2).[26] In total, the two malls feature 208 tenants and 875,000 sq ft (81,300 m2), including 736,228 sq ft (68,397.8 m2) of retail space.[17] The Palazzo side of the mall, like the Venetian, also featured high-end retailers, including
Cole Haan and
Piaget.[27] Its
anchor store was a three-level, 85,000 sq ft (7,900 m2)
Barneys New York,[28] which announced its closure in 2019, after the company filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[29]
One of the mall's earliest restaurants, WB Stage 16, was a themed eatery which also included a lounge and a private screening room for parties. The restaurant area was themed after four
Warner Bros. films, including Gold Diggers of 1933, Casablanca, Ocean's 11 and Batman.[30][31]
A risqué nightclub, known as the Act, opened in 2012,[32][33] as a Las Vegas outpost of the Box in New York and
The Box Soho in London. The club struggled financially, and Las Vegas Sands sought to evict it, alleging obscene and sexual acts.[34][35] It closed in 2013.[36][37]Atomic Saloon Show, developed by
Spiegelworld, opened in 2019, taking over the former Act space.[38][39][40]
In 2021,
PanIQ Escape Room opened a location at the mall that includes cocktail service.[49][50] Villa Azur, a small chain of restaurants originating in
South Beach, eventually opened a location at the Grand Canal Shoppes in 2022. Villa Azur is a European restaurant and lounge featuring live entertainment.[51][52][53] Flight Club, a 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) bar and
darts facility, also opened in 2022. It includes a 27-seat bar designed to resemble a carousel.[54][55][56]
Gallery
Grand Canal Shoppes (2021)
Gondola ride
A restaurant in the Grand Canal Shoppes
Living statue performer in the Grand Canal Shoppes
^"Annual Report". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2023. The Venetian Resort Las Vegas features an enclosed retail, dining and entertainment complex, referred to as the Grand Canal Shoppes. The portion of the complex located within The Venetian Tower (previously known as 'The Grand Canal Shoppes') and the portion located within The Palazzo Tower (previously known as 'The Shoppes at The Palazzo') were sold to GGP Limited Partnership ('GGP') in 2004 and 2008, respectively.