Clooney Set to Become Partner in Vegas Casino

In yet another case of life imitating art, actor George Clooney is close to becoming a partner in a Las Vegas casino/hotel/condominium which is valued at approximately $3 billion.

The star of 'Ocean's Eleven' and its sequel 'Ocean's Twelve' is expected to have Cindy Crawford's husband Rande Gerber as one partner with the possibility of another famous actor coming on board.

'We are talking to our friend Brad Pitt about being involved in the design,' Clooney said in a statement Monday.

Pitt, a co-star in the Ocean's films with Clooney, reportedly has a strong interest in architecture.

'For the past several years, Rande and I have sought a project that evokes the style, sophistication and glamour of Las Vegas,' Clooney said.

The project, called Las Rablas, will not be built on the strip but to the east of it near the Hard Rock Hotel. Clooney apparently prefers that since he wants a place that is more in tune with the dinner jacket crowd than the more casual atmosphere found on the strip.

His goal is to recapture the old Las Vegas. 'We're investing financially and creatively to develop an idyllic environment that reflects our personal tastes and interests and where we can relax with our friends who also love this town,' Clooney said in the statement.

Groundbreaking on the project is scheduled for mid-2006 with completion some time in 2008. The finished project will feature approximately 4,400 units and will be over eight million square feet.

'I don't know that I will make a dime on any of this. I could lose my shirt,' Clooney told the 'Los Angeles Times.' 'But it will be a big adventure.'

Clooney also announced that 25 percent of any profits he makes will go to the British charity Make Poverty History.