ail ▁and ▁ar cade ▁area ▁was ▁red es igned ▁into ▁the ▁Studio ▁Walk , ▁an ▁area ▁res emb ling ▁a ▁Hollywood ▁sound ▁stage ▁and ▁featuring ▁various ▁restaur ants ▁and ▁sh ops . ▁ ▁Dem ol ition ▁of ▁the ▁l ion ▁entrance ▁began ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁take ▁two ▁weeks , ▁while ▁the ▁$ 2 5 0 ▁million ▁renov ation ▁project ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁finished ▁by ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁new ▁fac ade ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁cost ▁$ 4 0 ▁million ▁to ▁construct . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁property ▁installed ▁ 1 8 ▁prom ot ional ▁and ▁entertain ment ▁LED ▁screens , ▁including ▁ 1 5 ▁outside ▁the ▁resort . ▁Install ation ▁of ▁the ▁l ion ▁statue ▁was ▁under way ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 - p ound ▁p aw . ▁Assembly ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 - p ound ▁statue ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁finished ▁later ▁that ▁month . ▁The ▁statue ▁we igh s ▁ 5 0 ▁tons , ▁and ▁at ▁ ▁tall , ▁on ▁a ▁ 2 5 - foot ▁ped est al , ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁bronze ▁statue ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁The ▁new ▁fac ade ▁also ▁included ▁ 1 1 ▁stat ues ▁of ▁wing ed ▁Atlas - like ▁men ▁holding ▁ 1 6 - foot ▁diameter ▁bow