By Jacquelynn D. Powers, Photographs: Theodore Marienthal

hether he is donning a tuxedo for a black-tie gala, making a cameo on Will & Grace or entertaining guests in his comfortable office, Mark Juliano embodies the changes happening all over Las Vegas, and especially those at Caesars Palace, the hotel he runs. Juliano is part of an elite club of men transforming Sin City from slots and strippers to a town driven by entertainment, nightlife and hipsters. Yes, the familiar vices are still around—especially at an older property like Caesars Palace, one of the last bastions of old-school gaming on the Strip—but there's almost a sense of nostalgia about it, as the past (gum-snapping, curvaceous cocktail waitresses with attitude) gives way to the present (the unfailingly polite Céline Dion's blockbuster show).

And while Juliano's Caesars Palace is nowhere near as chic as the Palms, Hard Rock or THEhotel, it has recently repositioned itself as an opulent shopping, dining and gaming mecca. Aside from Dion, the hotel boasts Elton John, celebrity chefs Bobby Flay and Bradley Ogden and the hot nightclub Pure, where the divalicious Mariah Carey rang in 2005. There's also The Forum Shops at Caesars, whose third phase recently debuted with the hautest names in fashion, including Ted Baker, Nanette Lepore, Scoop, Kate Spade, Juicy Couture and Harry Winston. Chronicling the entire transition is Caesars 24/7, the requisite reality show on A&E. "There's a glamour to the place, which was created a long time ago, and which has taken on a life of its own," Mark explains of the 39-year-old property. "But you need to maintain it and continue to add to it."

While some of these changes have been philosophical, there has also been a flurry of construction at Caesars Palace over the last two years, since Juliano, a casino veteran, took over as president. Most notable is the enhanced Strip access provided by the newly built Roman Plaza and the expanded Forum Shops. "It was an opportunity for us to bring the corners of the hotel down to the Strip," Juliano describes, "but still to maintain the set-back elegance of the fountains, cypress trees and porte-cochere. We wanted to take advantage of the 35 to 40 million people a year who walk by the Strip and through that intersection. We made the crossover from the Bellagio and Flamingo dump right down into the Plaza. We took a ho-hum, drab corner and made it exciting."

Created to be Vegas' version of Rockefeller Center, the Roman Plaza was home to a public ice-skating rink over the holiday season. There is also a restaurant, Viale, and an amphitheater, where boxing matches, tennis exhibitions and concerts are held. (A bout between Wladimir Klitschko and DaVarryl Williamson brought back a glimmer of the glamour of Fight Night at Caesars Palace.) Adjacent to the Plaza is the streetlevel entrance to The Forum Shops, with its majestic architecture and reflecting pool. "Forum I and II were great," Juliano says, "but they knew they had to do something different at Forum III. There is natural light that comes in from the atrium and the big windows from the Strip, which makes it a whole different experience. As amazing as the space is, the mixture of retailers is just as amazing. The restaurants are one-of-a-kind for the West Coast: Joe's Stone Crab is only the second location they have outside of Miami, and Il Mulino is the first location outside of New York."

More of a retail attraction than a practical spot to purchase ChapStick, The Forum Shops, which is owned by Simon Property Group, attracts Gucci gawkers and Paris Hilton wannabes. "The Forum is the must-see destination in Las Vegas," Mark, a father of five, asserts. "The Forum is probably the only place in the world where you can buy a $5 slice of pizza and a $5 million necklace at Harry Winston. There is something for everybody. You don't feel intimidated, but you do feel you are somewhere special."

Also driving significant traffic is the Colosseum, which was built for Dion's show, A New Day. With the success of that partnership guaranteed, the top brass at Caesars started searching for another act to fill in the 140 nights when the Colosseum was dark. "We looked for a big star who could perform frequently and sell 4,200 seats a night," recalls Mark. "Elton's name came up over and over again. So he flew in, saw the space and he loved it. But it's a very big space for people to fill. Elton knew he and a piano would not quite do it. That's when he hired David LaChapelle and they created that enormous extravaganza"...

For the full story, Subscribe to Vegas Magazine now!