Unwin, who could not be reached for comment, will be hired by project owner Deutsche Bank. He will oversee the resort even if another company is brought in to operate the hotel and casino.

Deutsche Bank, which paid $1 billion to acquire the project at a foreclosure sale in August, is rumored to have an agreement with Hilton Hotels Corp. to operate the property under the Conrad and Hilton brands, but the bank would not confirm that scenario last week.

No applications for a gaming license for the 2,998-room hotel-condominium-casino had been filed with Nevada gaming regulators as of Friday, according to the Nevada gaming control board office.

The Cosmopolitan, which is scheduled to open in September 2010, is on 8.5 acres between MGM Mirage’s CityCenter and Bellagio properties on the Strip.

Unwin’s hiring is the first public announcement related to the project since Deutsche Bank hired New York-based Related Cos. in September to oversee completion of the project.

The bank acquired the project, which was half finished after its original developer and owner, Bruce Eichner and his company, 3700 Associates LLC, entered foreclosure proceedings.

Cosmopolitan officials have remained quiet about its plans for the resort’s condominium units. The resort had contracts to sell 1,825 condominium units in late October, the last time that data were reported.

A few lawsuits have been filed in federal court in Nevada and Clark County District Court by some buyers who want their deposits, some of which were paid as long as 4 years ago, refunded.

Unwin, who joined Caesars Palace in May 2004, has 30 years of hotel experience. Before joining Caesars, he was chief operating officer for Ian Schrager Hotels, and held positions at Fairmont, Marriott and Westin properties, where he began his career in 1979.

In an company memo dated July 20, Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner credited Unwin with leading the property’s recent renovation and expansion of the 79-acre property’s convention and pool areas.

Unwin has a bachelor of arts in English from Western Washington State University.

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