in the third quarter of the year. Construction began in April 2014. To avoid major room closures, only a few floors were worked on each week leading up to the eventual completion of renovations, which also included revamping the lobby. Other changes included redesigned hallways and furnishings. The renovations cost $80 million, and largely took place inside the tower, which retained its gold appearance. THEhotel signs were removed from the tower in June 2014, and were replaced two months later with new signs for the renamed hotel. Delano Las Vegas officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 2, 2014. A grand-opening party was held on September 18, 2014, with Samantha Ronson as DJ and a performance by Magic!. The party was also attended by Charlotte Ronson and actress Jaime King. The hotel's penthouses were the last remaining rooms to undergo renovations, with completion expected for October 2014. The new property was inspired by the Delano South Beach in Miami, while also having a Mojave Desert theme in addition to an abundance of white coloring. Delano Las Vegas is also an homage to 32nd U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and included the Franklin lounge as well as iceboxes resembling Roosevelt's hat box. On display in the hotel's entrance was a 126,000-pound metaquartzite boulder, divided in half. The boulder, approximately 150 million years old, was nine feet tall and five feet deep. The hotel's designers had discovered the boulder while trekking in the Mojave Desert in Jean, Nevada, and the process to transport it to the hotel included the use of a 240-ton hydraulic crane. Amenities The tower, with 1,118 rooms, brought the Mandalay Bay's total room count to 4,762 upon its opening. It offered the largest standard suites in Las Vegas, measuring . The hotel's first floor included a bar, a 24-hour restaurant, and a lobby. Floors 3 through 6 contained 80 business suites as well as conference space. The tower's regular suites were located on floors 7 through 38, while floors 39 through 41 contained VIP suites from to . The 24-hour restaurant, known as The Cafe, had seating for 150 people. A $25 million spa was expected to open in the first quarter of 2004. Mix, a restaurant and lounge by Alain Ducasse, opened in December 2004 on the 43rd floor. The restaurant included seating for 240 people, and floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a view of the Las