However, such plans failed for years to materialize as Klein had difficulty finding an adequate location and partner at a time that would be ideal.

[1] In 2004, private investment group Edge Resorts began discussions with Starwood about jointly opening a W hotel in Las Vegas.

Later that year, Edge Resorts purchased 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land at the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, occupied by the Ice nightclub.

The project would be built on the 21-acre site, located east of the Las Vegas Strip and near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Its primary competitors were expected to be the Hard Rock, Mandalay Bay, the Palms, and Wynn Las Vegas.

Investors for Edge Resorts were not concerned about the large amount of Las Vegas hotel condo projects announced up to that point.

[1][2] In January 2006, it was announced that the project had received $232.5 million in pre-development financing from Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking.

[9] In December 2006, Edge Resorts hired Credit Suisse to evaluate offers from people and groups that were interested in partnering with Edge Resorts and Starwood on the project,[10][11][6] as rising construction costs and the additional land meant that a third partner would be required to help finance the project.

[13] In January 2009, plans were announced to build the world's largest hotel on the site, with 6,745 rooms, as well as a casino and retail complex.

[17][18] A 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m2), four-story paddock structure was built on the land for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.