Off-Strip Casinos Show Off New Looks
Nugget Climbs Back Atop Downtown Heap
POSTED: Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Several Las Vegas casinos have undergone remodeling, renovation, and expansion recently. But since none of them are located on the Strip, they tend to fly under the radar a little bit.I recently went on a self-guided tour of several of these casinos. Here's the report:Golden Nugget
The Grande Dame of downtown has new owners. You've heard that before about the Golden Nugget and have heard promises about sprucing the old gal up. These new owners have put their money where their mouths are, and the results are truly spectacular.The changes are subtle in some places, dramatic in others. The casino has been completely redone with new ceilings, carpeting, wall treatments, lighting, gaming tables and slot machines. It's a huge departure from the old look and feel and brings it more in line with Strip-style amenities, complete with wooden casings on the slots, just like at Bellagio or Wynn Las Vegas.There are several new restaurants from corporate owner Landry's, plus some new bars and lounges, and an all-new buffet.The lobby has gotten a sprucing up, as have most of the public areas, and the spa has gotten a complete makeover. Rooms are being renovated as well.Most dramatic is the new pool area. What used to be a fairly pedestrian splash-around is now a lush outdoor wonderland, complete with cabanas, a pool bar and a giant aquarium that you can literally slide through from the second floor down into the pool -- a tube carries you through the middle of it.The Golden Nugget has been suffering a bit in recent years, but these changes put it back on the top of the downtown heap and make it competitive with major Strip resorts.Green Valley Ranch
A major expansion has added a host of new amenities and gambling opportunities at this posh resort on the south side of town. A new adjunct to the main casino near the former race and sports book has added more slot machines, a couple of new restaurants, a new poker room and an all-new race and sports book. The old one is currently walled off while workers turn it into an entertainment venue.The addition is seamless with the older part of the casino and makes this place even more of a lure than it already was. Another winner.Fiesta Henderson
There's a bit of a dichotomy happening at the Fiesta Henderson. Once known as the Reserve, the original casino had a jungle theme. Much of that remains in the older part of the public areas, complete with hanging vines and stony outcroppings of rock.But a major new expansion shows the future of the hotel, which is much more in line with the look and feel established by corporate parent Station Casinos. Take the elevators out of the new parking garage and you enter a new casino area with high ceilings, earth tones, accessible aisles and plenty of lighting. The hotel registration area has been redone to match this new look, and the owners have also added a state-of-the-art race and sports book, a new bar and a larger rewards center. More changes are on the way in 2007.The Palms
The new Fantasy Tower at The Palms is getting a lot of press for its Fantasy Suites, opulent retreats for the rich and famous that most people will never get to stay in. There's a basketball suite, complete with a hardwood half-court; an "erotic suite: that features its very own stripper pole; the kingpin suite with a bowling alley; a hip-hop themed suite with a DJ booth and dance floor; and more.The rooms you most likely will be staying in are very similar to the rooms in the older tower, which are lovely. It's sort of W-inspired -- modern without being too over-the-top, with fluffy white duvets, sleek furnishings, flat-screen televisions, and Jacuzzi tubs standard in every room.At the top of the tower is the new Playboy Club with a gaming salon, restaurant and high-energy nightclub called Moon. (Full review)The pool area has also gotten a revamp, with a multi-level deck featuring a sandy beach area, a lot of cabanas, a bar with gaming tables, and even a suspended pool with a glass bottom.The Cannery is one of the few casino-hotel options on the north side of town worth really talking about, and a new addition has enhanced the appeal of the place. There's a huge new parking garage that leads to a major casino expansion with plenty of slots, mostly of the nickel, penny and quarter varieties.Take the hallway toward the big new movie theater complex and you'll find several new restaurants, a revised race and sports book, a new bingo room, and a new poker room.Santa Fe Station
The unveiling of the first phase of the major overhaul to the Santa Fe Station on the far north side of town happens next week and will feature a new parking garage, a 259-seat race and sports book, two new restaurants (including the hotel's first buffet), a new high-limit slot area, and more casino space for lower-limit gaming adding more than 400 slots and video poker machines.More changes are on the way here through 2007, including a new poker room, two additional restaurants -- Tides Oyster Bar and Salt Lick BBQ -- and a Center Bar concept similar to the ones at Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort.The Full Story
The Grande Dame of downtown has new owners. You've heard that before about the Golden Nugget and have heard promises about sprucing the old gal up. These new owners have put their money where their mouths are, and the results are truly spectacular.The changes are subtle in some places, dramatic in others. The casino has been completely redone with new ceilings, carpeting, wall treatments, lighting, gaming tables and slot machines. It's a huge departure from the old look and feel and brings it more in line with Strip-style amenities, complete with wooden casings on the slots, just like at Bellagio or Wynn Las Vegas.There are several new restaurants from corporate owner Landry's, plus some new bars and lounges, and an all-new buffet.The lobby has gotten a sprucing up, as have most of the public areas, and the spa has gotten a complete makeover. Rooms are being renovated as well.Most dramatic is the new pool area. What used to be a fairly pedestrian splash-around is now a lush outdoor wonderland, complete with cabanas, a pool bar and a giant aquarium that you can literally slide through from the second floor down into the pool -- a tube carries you through the middle of it.The Golden Nugget has been suffering a bit in recent years, but these changes put it back on the top of the downtown heap and make it competitive with major Strip resorts.Green Valley Ranch
A major expansion has added a host of new amenities and gambling opportunities at this posh resort on the south side of town. A new adjunct to the main casino near the former race and sports book has added more slot machines, a couple of new restaurants, a new poker room and an all-new race and sports book. The old one is currently walled off while workers turn it into an entertainment venue.The addition is seamless with the older part of the casino and makes this place even more of a lure than it already was. Another winner.Fiesta Henderson
There's a bit of a dichotomy happening at the Fiesta Henderson. Once known as the Reserve, the original casino had a jungle theme. Much of that remains in the older part of the public areas, complete with hanging vines and stony outcroppings of rock.But a major new expansion shows the future of the hotel, which is much more in line with the look and feel established by corporate parent Station Casinos. Take the elevators out of the new parking garage and you enter a new casino area with high ceilings, earth tones, accessible aisles and plenty of lighting. The hotel registration area has been redone to match this new look, and the owners have also added a state-of-the-art race and sports book, a new bar and a larger rewards center. More changes are on the way in 2007.The Palms
The new Fantasy Tower at The Palms is getting a lot of press for its Fantasy Suites, opulent retreats for the rich and famous that most people will never get to stay in. There's a basketball suite, complete with a hardwood half-court; an "erotic suite: that features its very own stripper pole; the kingpin suite with a bowling alley; a hip-hop themed suite with a DJ booth and dance floor; and more.The rooms you most likely will be staying in are very similar to the rooms in the older tower, which are lovely. It's sort of W-inspired -- modern without being too over-the-top, with fluffy white duvets, sleek furnishings, flat-screen televisions, and Jacuzzi tubs standard in every room.At the top of the tower is the new Playboy Club with a gaming salon, restaurant and high-energy nightclub called Moon. (Full review)The pool area has also gotten a revamp, with a multi-level deck featuring a sandy beach area, a lot of cabanas, a bar with gaming tables, and even a suspended pool with a glass bottom.The Cannery is one of the few casino-hotel options on the north side of town worth really talking about, and a new addition has enhanced the appeal of the place. There's a huge new parking garage that leads to a major casino expansion with plenty of slots, mostly of the nickel, penny and quarter varieties.Take the hallway toward the big new movie theater complex and you'll find several new restaurants, a revised race and sports book, a new bingo room, and a new poker room.Santa Fe Station
The unveiling of the first phase of the major overhaul to the Santa Fe Station on the far north side of town happens next week and will feature a new parking garage, a 259-seat race and sports book, two new restaurants (including the hotel's first buffet), a new high-limit slot area, and more casino space for lower-limit gaming adding more than 400 slots and video poker machines.More changes are on the way here through 2007, including a new poker room, two additional restaurants -- Tides Oyster Bar and Salt Lick BBQ -- and a Center Bar concept similar to the ones at Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort.The Full Story
- Off-Strip Casinos Show Off New Looks
- Golden Nugget Buffet Moves Near Top Tier
- Vegas Q&A: Does Vegas Have Gay Areas?
Rick Garman is the head writer for Vegas4Visitors
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