There is some serious shopping going on the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip.

Nearing the end of a three-year, $1 billion expansion and renovation project, the mall is not only the biggest shopping center in all of Nevada, it's one of the biggest in the world. With over 2 million square feet of space -- including seven major department stores and over 250 other retailers -- people who haven't reached their credit card limits should make a pilgrimage to the Fashion Show immediately.

Go back and look at that number again. $1 billion. The owners have spent more money to expand and renovate this mall than it cost to build all of Paris Las Vegas. The mind reels.

Outside, along the Strip just opposite Treasure Island and the upcoming Wynn Las Vegas, you'll notice the giant space-ship looking thing hovering over the main entrance. That's called the Cloud, and it's part of a multimillion-dollar multimedia display system that features lights, video displays and music in yet another "Hey, look at me and then come inside," gambit, not unlike the Pirate Battle or Bellagio Fountain Shows.

Once you get inside, check the maps because it's easy to get turned around. There are several levels, with a rising terrace effect as you move from front to rear, so it's not as simple as taking the ground floor from one end to the other and then coming back on the second floor like you do in most malls.

The overall design of the place is very sterile and more than a little cold in my opinion, but maybe that's to get you out of the public areas of the mall and into the stores where you'll actually spend money. And, boy oh boy, do you have a lot of spending opportunities here.

The major department stores include Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Dillard's, Robinsons-May, Bloomingdale's Home and Nordstrom. The much ballyhooed Lord and Taylor store was never completed, and that space will be turned into smaller shops.

In between those big-box retailers you'll find just about every other store you can possibly imagine, and quite a few that you couldn't. Among the more recognizable names: Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Apple Computers, Bang and Olufsen stereo systems, bebe, Bernini, Brookstone, Coach, Crabtree & Evelyn, the Disney Store, Fredericks of Hollywood, GAP (of course), Godiva Chocolatier, Guess, J. Crew, Louis Vuitton, Nine West, Puma, Quicksilver, Sharper Image, Swarovski crystal, Tommy Bahama's, Victoria's Secret, Williams-Sonoma, and Zales Jewelry.

Note that the above list is about one-tenth the number of actual stores in the mall, so it doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

There's also a big new food court with lots of name-brand fast-food style eateries, so if you're longing for a taste of home via Wendy's or California Pizza Kitchen, head here first.

In the center of the big new part of the mall is a fashion-show-runway theater of sorts. Equipped with giant televisions, lights, and a massive sound system, the area can host everything from concerts and special events to actual models on a catwalk. There's even a giant stage that rises hydraulically from the floor to reveal an enclosed display area -- it had new Jaguars (the car, not the animal) in it the last time I stopped by.

And just to prove this isn't your garden-variety mall, they also feature a full-service concierge staff that can arrange show tickets or restaurant reservations while you're off blowing your hard-earned dough on gadgets at the Sharper Image. They even offer valet parking.

Like I said: serious shopping.

Fashion Show Mall
3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 369-0704
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Individual store hours may vary.

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