Las Vegas Weekly

January 13, 2010 · 11:32 AM

Exclusive: ‘Secret summit’ launches world-class medical center plans

By Robin Leach

Larry Ruvo, Vicente Fox Quesada and Marta Sahagun Fox at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Photo: Isaac Brekken/WireImage

A two-hour “secret summit” is set to take place this afternoon joining together competing hotel chiefs with civic heads to cooperate in bringing a super-executive medical center to Las Vegas.

Mayor Oscar Goodman hinted about the “Medical Mecca” in yesterday’s State of the City address. Oscar said it would be the continuing building blocks of making our city similar to great medical centers in Houston that made headlines two decades ago.

Las Vegas already has the best hotel suites, security, restaurants and shopping for weeklong stays by overseas guests, including royalty, world leaders and top corporate leaders of the world’s largest companies.

Photo: Cashman Photography

P. Diddy tours the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in downtown Las Vegas.

They, along with their spouses, plus myriad support staff and assistants, would continue to run their far-flung global endeavors while here for the week or month of medical checkups and treatment.

The master plan will be pitched today downtown at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which was masterminded by Larry Ruvo, the head of Southern Wine & Spirits. Larry firmly believes that the Cleveland Clinic, which oversees the Frank Gehry-designed brain institute, can dramatically change and jumpstart anew our battered Las Vegas economy.

The Cleveland Clinic is the most prestigious medical group in the world, and today its executive leadership will lay out a timetable of action for the hotel owners, presidents and city leaders for joint cooperation. Oscar told me that he is promising full city support, and I’m reliably informed that the rival heads of the The Venetian and Palazzo and the Wynn resorts are backing the plan.

Photo: Courtesy

Siegfried & Roy with Larry Ruvo at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in downtown Las Vegas.

I was told: “This can be open by November. It will move very quickly. The Cleveland Clinic is hopefully committed to a huge Las Vegas expansion. A medical facility of this nature would put us on the world map as something very important other than our reputation for entertainment and gaming. Direct flights are already in place from Britain and Europe and one-stop from Asia if these folks don’t fly in on their own private jets.

“If every hotel president cooperates, we have all the infrastructure in place already. We can build here faster and better than any other city in the world, so November is very realistic to launch. It is a fantastic opportunity, and reaction so far is positive and impressive. If the hotels can market this together and not market against each other, this is an opportunity not to be missed.”

Watch for even more startling Las Vegas developments with the Cleveland Clinic experts as plans unfold. They’ve been ranked No. 1 in world-class heart care for 15 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report, and 33 of its physicians are regarded as America’s best doctors.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabik.com

Larry Ruvo and Jerry Springer at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

It’s no secret that many royal families around the world make annual treks to the Cleveland Clinic for medical checkups and treatment ranging from heart and lung transplants to cancer care. The doctors there have received patients from 28 states and eight countries.

Tomorrow, we have even more exciting news about the brain institute and its annual Keep Memory Alive gala set for Feb. 28.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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