See also:

• Las Vegas Strip
• Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
• August 2018 visit to the Venetian

In April 1996, Sheldon Adelson announced plans to create on the property the largest resort on the Strip. This project would be situated on the former Sands property. On November 26, 1996, eight years after it was purchased by the owners of The Interface Group – Adelson, Richard Katzeff, Ted Cutler, Irwin Chafetz and Jordan Shapiro, the Sands Hotel was imploded to make way for The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. Groundbreaking for the hotel began on April 14, 1997.

The resort opened on May 3, 1999, with flutter of white doves, sounding trumpets and singing gondoliers, with actress Sophia Loren joining The Venetian Chairman and Owner, Sheldon G. Adelson, in dedicating the first motorized gondola. Built at a cost of $1.5 billion, it was one of the most expensive resorts of its kind when it opened.

On June 27, 2003, the 1,013-room Venezia Tower opened. It was built on top of the garage parking lot.

In 2010, it was announced that it will be affiliated with InterContinental Hotels Group.

In October 2011, the Cantor Race & Sportsbook opened, which was the only Las Vegas sportsbook that was open for 24 hours a day. On June 11, 2012, the Venetian opened Carnevale, a summer-long festival that is anchored by a nightly 3-D projection show on the clock tower. In September 2012, The Blue Man Group show closed and relocated to the Monte Carlo, after being at the Venetian for six years.(from Wikipedia)