The Titanic gamble

ONLY in Las Vegas could they consider building a hotel and casino designed to look like the Titanic crashing into an iceberg.

Even in the desert heat, the towering five-star Titanica Las Vegas Hotel will send a chill down the spines of holidaymakers.

And when they step inside the 30-storey hotel, tourists will find an Underwater World theme park - and a band playing in the hotel foyer, just like on the real Titanic which sank in the Atlantic in 1912 with the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

But the company behind the massive project yesterday denied that it will be the ultimate in tackiness.

"It will be the ultimate entertainment and holiday destination with the same sophistication of the great cruise liners," said Jason Dries- Daffner, spokesman for the San Francisco-based firm E Design.

The company are in the middle of negotiating a deal for work to start in the year 2000 on the pounds 123million hotel, which will have 3,000 period- style rooms.

Of course, being in Las Vegas, it will have a casino, which will take up four floors.

Mr Dries-Daffner said: "We are trying to make it as close as possible to the true dimensions of the boat. The only difference is that when you see a boat you only see it from the water up. Ours will show the whole ship, including the propellers and rudder.

"It's in the middle of the desert so with the iceberg in the background it is going to be stunning.

"The fact that you will be looking at the boat from an angle that you would never see it at really intensifies the experience.

"Once you are inside the building, the public spaces are going to be incredibly lush and lavish. We are trying to get as much as possible a turn-of-the-century feel. We will recreate as much of the opulence as possible.

"The hotel suites on our boat will be bigger than the original and will probably be used to cater for VIP guests."

Mr Dries-Daffner says the company developed the idea before the release of the blockbuster film Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

He told the Sunday Mirror: "We are talking with developers and hoteliers to give the project life.

"There's a fascination with the tragedy which can be transformed into the hotel and casino. The movie has given us more attention."

He admitted the idea was controversial, adding: "We have really hit a nerve with this one, both in a positive and a negative way."

Hollywood art director Syd Mead, who worked on films like Blade Runner, Alien and 2001, has offered to help design the hotel interior.

Mr Dries-Daffner said: "With the increase in glass technology, we will do a lot of things to lessen heat gain in the building.

"The design will give the feeling of icy coolness to heighten the experience."

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