Fontainebleau Las Vegas names new CFO and administrative officer ahead of December 13 opening

Fontainebleau Las Vegas has made significant senior appointments in the lead-up to its scheduled December 13 opening, with John Helderman named as Chief Financial Officer and general counsel Stacie Michaels promoted to the role of Chief Administrative Officer.

Helderman has over 25 years of gaming, finance, and accounting experience. His previous roles include Chief Financial Officer positions at The Brennan Entities, a Las Vegas-based financial services operator; and Bluberi Gaming, a slot company. Additionally, he has held the position of Vice President of Finance at several Las Vegas Strip resorts.

He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit organization Goodwill of Southern Nevada. Currently, Helderman is a board member of Goodwill and an alumnus of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2022.

For her part, Michaels has been with the Fontainebleau Las Vegas since 2022 after spending over a decade in various senior roles, including Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary within the Las Vegas gaming and hospitality sectors.

“As we near our global debut, we are developing a successful culture under the guidance and perspective of seasoned leaders in gaming and beyond. John and Stacie bring invaluable expertise to our resort," Fontainebleau Las Vegas President Mark Tricano said.

"They have a critical understanding of the Las Vegas market, the leadership and business acumen that this industry covets, and a commitment to fostering a culture of excellence in the Fontainebleau tradition."

The long-awaited launch comes after almost two decades since the beginning of the towering 67-story structure's construction in 2007. The initial opening date was originally slated for two years later, in October 2009. However, progress came to a halt in the wake of the Great Recession in 2008.

In 2018, the resort underwent a name change to Drew Las Vegas following its acquisition by Steven Witkoff and New Valley LLC, who purchased the property for $600 million. Nevertheless, construction was once again suspended in March 2020, this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the property was reacquired by one of its original developers, Soffer, who subsequently resumed construction efforts.

Fontainebleau Las Vegas resides on nearly 25 acres adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center District's West Hall on the Las Vegas Strip. It is expected to offer visitors a collection of restaurants, shops, pool experiences, nightlife, spa, and wellness services, as well as convention space. The property will be solely operated by Fontainebleau Development upon its opening.

The Fountainbleau resort is named after Miami Beach’s 1950s-era Fontainebleau hotel. The resort, one of the tallest buildings in Nevada, will have 3,644 hotel rooms and suites, 550,000 square feet of meeting space, and 150,000 square feet of casino space when it opens later this year.

Additionally, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will feature a total of 36 restaurant concepts, helmed by esteemed chefs and restaurateurs such as Chef Gabriela Camara, Masas Ito, Kevin Kim, Alan Yau, Evan Funke, and David Grutman, Bloomberg reported. These dining establishments are scheduled to commence their openings in December 2023, with additional openings continuing throughout 2024.

In early September, Fontainebleau announced that it is looking to hire over 6,500 members ahead of its grand opening. In the same month, It announced collaborations with several high-profile architecture and design partners to help shape the luxury resort. The resort also released new renderings of the property.