County officials have reviewed the implosion and demolition plans and the Fire Department is expected to issue permits about a week before the implosion.

New York-based Elad Group bought the property in May for $1.2 billion and closed it July 16.

The development group, which is controlled by Israeli billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, plans to build a $5 billion mixed-use project modeled after New York's Plaza Hotel on the 34.5-acre site.

The project still has to be approved by the county's planners and commissioners.

"We've started the entitlement process and hope to begin excavation sometime in the mid- or third quarter 2008," said Daniel Wade, chief operating officer of the proposed project, in a statement.

Elad Group hired Wade, a former MGM Mirage executive and vice chairman, in late August.

The plans for the implosion and demolition were submitted by Lakeside, Calif.-based Clauss Construction and Phoenix, Md.-based Controlled Demolition.

The New Frontier will be Controlled Demolition's 16th major hotel demolition in Clark County. Prior projects include the Landmark, Aladdin, Dunes, Castaways, Hacienda, Sands and, most recently, the Stardust in March.

Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or (702) 477-3893.