Where Resorts World now stands sat an iconic piece of Las Vegas history: Stardust. 'And the spot itself means a great deal.' Long road to opening 'It took a while to recover from the recession and for Las Vegas to get its groove back,' said Nevada historian Michael Green.

The opening of the mega hotel represents a major turning point for a slice of Las Vegas Boulevard battered by the last recession that never quite recovered – until now. Late Thursday evening, the $4.3 billion Resorts World Las Vegas welcomed the public inside. The first new resort built on The Strip in more than a decade is now open.