Gaming Commission Approves Resorts World Las Vegas License in Time for June Opening

Posted on: May 21, 2021, 04:14h. 

Last updated on: June 30, 2021, 09:40h.

Larry Henry Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Gaming Business, Legislation, Politics, Regulation.

The Nevada Gaming Commission this week approved licensing for Resorts World Las Vegas. This approval was the final hurdle before the hotel-casino opens June 24. 

The five-member commission on Thursday unanimously OK’d the license for the resort’s parent company, Malaysia-based Genting Berhad PTD, according the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Genting Chairman Kok Thay Lim appeared at the meeting virtually from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the newspaper reported. Resorts World Las Vegas President Scott Sibella also participated.

The $4.3 billion resort is on the northwest end of the Strip near Circus Circus. The red-tinted Resorts World was built at the site of the now-demolished Stardust Casino. 

Though the resort is opening in June with 3,506 guest rooms, it is expected to add more rooms over time, Sibella said at the commission meeting. The resort right now is only using about two-third of its available space at the site.

Sibella said the company’s goal “is to always add rooms,” the newspaper reported. 

“We know we have the land, and we built purposely with these open areas where we could build more rooms, more attractions, and then, of course, COVID hit, so we kind of put that on the side and concentrated on getting this in on time and on budget,” he told the commission.

Hawker Market ‘Street Eats’  

When it opens, Resorts World will be a limited-smoking property, Sibella said earlier this year. Smoking will be banned everywhere except the gaming floor.

Among other highlights, the resort will feature more than 40 food and beverage locations. A 24,000-square-foot dining area called “Famous Food Street Eats” was built to resemble Asian hawker markets. The street food restaurants include Ten Suns Braised Beef and a bubble tea shop called Tiger Sugar.

Plant-based ice cream will be available at Craig’s Vegan, a Los Angeles ice cream store whose brands include Melrose Mint Chip, according to its website.

The hotel portion of Resorts World, with three Hilton-branded options, has separate entrances and lobbies for each. Hotel guests can participate in the Hilton Honors rewards program. Gaming, shopping, and dining loyalty points can be earned through Genting Rewards.

The property also will be in partnership with Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange. This will allow guests to use a Gemini crypto wallet at the resort.

Room Reservations Available

During the commission meeting, gaming regulators asked the company’s officials about their commitment to philanthropy, the Review-Journal reported.

Lim said he anticipates the Las Vegas team will work to fund projects involved in seeking to cure Alzheimer’s disease, the newspaper reported.

“This being our largest undertaking in the US, of course we have to defer to my local team in terms of coming up with how we’re going to approach the group’s efforts for the benefit of the Vegas community,” Lim said. “We did speak on Alzheimer’s being very close to my heart.”

Sibella also discussed the air filtration system at the resort. 

When we set up in this property, there will be no smoke lingering, so it’s going to be safe air,” he said.

The resort has begun accepting reservations on its website. A deluxe room with one king bed and a partial view of the Strip starts at $179 in the Hilton portion of the property, according to the website.