The future of the Strip is in the hands of a 28-year-old from Tonopah. Okay, maybe that’s overstating it a tad, but Jon Gray is the man in charge of the LINQ, Caesars’ unique project set to open in December between the Quad and Flamingo casinos. The 200,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment district, anchored by the world’s tallest observation wheel, the 550-foot High Roller, will be the biggest thing to hit the Strip for the foreseeable future.

Gray worked his way from front desk jobs to the Palms, where he was mentored by George Maloof. Last April, Caesars snatched up the rising casino star.

“Growing up enamored with the Strip, it was kind of a no-brainer when I understood the magnitude of this project,” Gray says.

Already, he’s locked down a fresh selection of tenants for the LINQ, including the massive Brooklyn Bowl, a live music venue, bar and restaurant with bowling lanes; a combo sushi joint with an Asian night market in the basement; and the largest Yard House in the country. “We want to stay true to this experience and create a place where people can find a mix of familiar and new things, and really bring a cool new vibe to the Strip. If all the little details are a hit, I know the big stuff will fall in line,” Gray says. “I don’t feel the pressure as much because we know this is going to change where Las Vegas is going.”

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