PHOTOS: Cromwell Hotel Opens Soon on Vegas Strip

The Cromwell, the new iteration of the seedy Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon, is prepping for its May 21 opening, while reservations are already being accepted.

The $185 million renovation of Bill's turned a smoke-filled casino that specialized in five-buck steak dinners into a new hip casino and hotel that could rival the nearby Cosmopolitan, and other properties like the MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. Visitors to Vegas also notice the Cromwell's new Parisian-style awnings and black railings, courtesy of architect Leo A. Daly and design studio Tandem Las Vegas. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis will open her first restaurant at The Cromwell, while nightlife guru Victor Drai will operate nightclubs there (Drai is opening a gay club at nearby Bally's). See pics of The Cromwell's progress below: