The revamp of Sahara Las Vegas is set to continue until 2021. The next phase of this redevelopment will focus on the Vegas Strip frontage of the iconic casino and hotel. Significant changes will be seen in the William Hill sportsbook, restaurant, and beer garden as part of this renovation.
Chickie’s & Pete’s, a well-known sports bar and crab house in Philadelphia, will take over the bar and restaurant area of the William Hill sportsbook. This new venue will succeed Beers & Bets, which had temporarily replaced Umami Burger in the bar and restaurant space.
Anthony Olheiser, VP of Food and Beverage at Sahara Las Vegas, shares with PlayNevada that Sahara is thrilled to introduce new ideas to the market. He further adds that with the growing focus on professional sports in Las Vegas, they are excited to welcome Chickie’s & Pete’s to their portfolio as it offers an amazing experience for sports enthusiasts, complete with a unique menu that appeals to food lovers.
Olheiser informed the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Chickie’s & Pete’s is planning to enlarge their sportsbook area from 5,500 to 9,000 square feet. The patio beer garden will be integrated into the indoor space. In addition, a new entrance will be included to facilitate easy access from the Vegas Strip to the sportsbook/restaurant. Finally, Chickie’s & Pete’s is set to introduce virtual reality golf pods.
The sportsbook at Sahara will undergo construction and renovations after the NFL Draft.
New look for Sahara on the Vegas Strip
In 2017, Alex Meruelo acquired SLS Las Vegas with plans to transform the property. By early 2019, Meruelo had announced a series of alterations to the existing property. As the initial phase of renovations neared completion, he declared the end of SLS Las Vegas, reinstating its former name, Sahara. The primary focus of the first phase of changes was the casino floor and the hotel.
The alterations to Chickie’s & Pete’s is a component of Sahara’s new renovation phase. The company unveiled its ongoing plans for a $150 million resort transformation this week. This new phase encompasses major enhancements to the property exterior, the introduction of entirely new restaurants, and much more.
In 2020, Sahara Las Vegas is set to revamp the iconic casino fronting Las Vegas Boulevard. The modifications will encompass a fresh, new facade facing the Strip, inclusive of a completely renovated porte cochère and a new digital signage package. A unique water feature will stand as the key attraction of the resort’s main entrance, replacing the SAAM blob statue that some might recall from SLS.
Inside, there will be an addition of more new restaurants, including Chickie’s & Pete’s. This autumn, a small Chinese noodle restaurant will open its doors next to the sportsbook. The former Sayer’s Club/Club 101, located on the opposite side of the sportsbook, will be transformed into an as-yet-unnamed Italian restaurant.
Finally, the unused Bazaar casino (adjacent to Jose Andres’ Bazaar Meat) will be transformed into a new, more affordable restaurant by Chef Andres. This is great news for those who enjoy Bazaar’s cuisine but would like a more relaxed setting with less expensive prices.
Poker room returns to Sahara
The original Sahara ended its poker services when it closed in 2011. However, when it was reopened as SLS Las Vegas in 2014, the new owner chose not to include a live poker room. This year, the situation changed when Sahara allocated some space previously used for high limit table games to open a new poker room.
Sahara’s new poker room consists of seven tables. It features a substantial 16-foot by nine-foot LED video wall along with five more screens scattered across the room for monitoring sports. Players have the luxury of having food from Northside Café delivered right to their table.
Every day, tournaments are held with a minimum of four start times. The entry fees for these tournaments vary from $45 to $100. The main tournament is No Limit Texas Holdem. In addition, live cash games occur daily with promotions running throughout their duration. Sahara Las Vegas Poker Room provides a competitive 10 percent rake with a maximum of $4.
By registering to play cash games through Poker Atlas, players can earn $2 in rewards points for every hour they play. These points can be exchanged at various resort restaurants, including Bazaar Meat. Additionally, Club 52 members are given the opportunity to receive customized deals and exclusive access to all that Sahara Las Vegas offers.
