Downtown’s Las Vegas Club Casino Has Been Sold
Las Vegas has become a virtual musical chairs of hotel-casinos, with multiple game-changing (yes, we said it) sales in the works, some confirmed officially and other not (yet).
Now comes news Fremont Street’s troubled Las Vegas Club has been sold and will close at midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015.
The Las Vegas Club was purchased by Derek and Greg Stevens (under the company name 18 Fremont Street Acquisition LLC), owners of The D and Golden Gate casinos.
Las Vegas Club is the sister casino of The Plaza, and both are operated by the same company, Tamares Group.
Following on the heels of our story, Tamares Group released this statement, on Aug. 14, 2015: “Today we are excited to announce the sale of the Las Vegas Club to Derek and Greg Stevens’ company. The Tamares Group, owner of the Las Vegas Club, and PlayLV, its operator, had been working on various development prospects for the Las Vegas Club, but it is clear that the sale of the property provides a greater opportunity for the future of the company, its staff and the Fremont Street neighborhood.”
The statement continued, “Tamares and PlayLV will focus their efforts on their signature downtown property, the Plaza Hotel & Casino, and we look forward to welcoming many members of the Las Vegas Club staff to the Plaza team in the coming weeks. In the interim, until closure of the Las Vegas Club for renovations by its new owner, PlayLV will continue to run the day-to-day operations of the Las Vegas Club.”
Derek and Greg Stevens, new owners of the Las Vegas Club, are a known quantity in Vegas and the purchase comes as no surprise to downtown enthusiasts. (This blog counts itself among those who are enthused about downtown, of course. Our day gig is in marketing at Fremont Street Experience. Our opinions are our own.)
Las Vegas Club includes its 19,616-square-foot casino and now-closed hotel. The hotel portion of Las Vegas Club has 410 rooms.
Las Vegas Club will always hold a special place in the heart of neon sign-lovers, because it was the first casino in Las Vegas to boast a neon sign, in 1931. It was the second neon sign in all of Las Vegas. A few more followed.
The Las Vegas Club was originally located across Fremont Street, next to what is now La Bayou casino. (Slogan: Come for the beads, stay for the daiquiris and whatever that strange stuff is on the ceiling.”)
In recent years, Las Vegas Club has struggled. Rumors of a renovation never materialized, and a portion of the casino was converted into a gift shop.
There’s been some talk recently of a CVS pharmacy moving into the Las Vegas Club, but that deal seems unlikely now that new ownership is taking over the reins. Please, in the name of all that’s holy, be unlikely.
The sale of Las Vegas Club offers the promise of a revitalized casino and possibly new room offerings downtown. Given the way The D and Golden Gate have evolved, there are great things ahead for Fremont Street and downtown Las Vegas.
Per the Tamares statement, we trust displaced employees of the casino will smoothly transition to the Plaza, just across the street. No word yet on the Las Vegas Club’s infamously sad go-go dealers, but go-go dealers don’t seem to go unemployed long in Las Vegas. Even the sad ones.
Thanks to our friends at EdgeVegas.com for putting us on the scent of this scoop with a carefully-worded Tweet.
These are interesting times for Las Vegas, to be sure, including Fremont Street and downtown. Change is good. Unless it’s a 50-cent piece. Those are truly annoying.
Leave your thoughts on “Downtown’s Las Vegas Club Casino Has Been Sold”
15 Comments