The renovation of downtown Las Vegas continued last week, with a notable property doubling its casino size in under five days.
The latest Downtown Las Vegas property owned by Derek and Greg Stevens to receive a major renovation was the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino on Fremont Street. Notably, this renovation was completed in just 106 hours.
Construction commenced Monday morning after months of planning, and a soft re-opening took place at noon on Friday.
Golden Gate casino size doubled
The casino floor of the Golden Gate expanded to almost twice its original size. It incorporated the neighboring Le Bayou Casino and the alley that previously divided the two properties.
The newly constructed casino space in Nevada features 100 additional slot machines and a centerpiece of a 24-foot TV tower.
One Bar at One Fremont Street, part of the Golden Gate property, has been expanded by twenty feet. The bar is located on the edge of the property, facing the Fremont Street Experience. In addition to this, the renovation also upgraded the Fremont Street facade of the property, introducing a velvet-draped entrance to the casino.
The entire property has been updated with new fixtures and carpeting, and the restrooms have undergone renovation. Additionally, the casino’s Club 1906 loyalty card membership desk has been relocated.
Months of planning goes in to 106-hour job
Derek Stevens informed the Las Vegas Review-Journal that eight months of planning was required to organize the 106-hour renovation. The establishment shut down at 2 a.m. local time on Monday. Nearly 140 shift workers worked nonstop until the property reopened at 12 p.m. on Friday.
Stevens stated that the potential for rain on Thursday nearly resulted in delays. However, since the weather remained dry, the construction teams managed to finish the work.
The oldest hotel on the Fremont Street Experience
The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, formerly known as the Hotel Nevada, is the most ancient hotel on the Fremont Street Experience, having first opened its doors on January 13, 1906. A casino was originally part of the establishment until Nevada outlawed gambling in 1909. However, when the state lifted the gambling ban in 1931, the property underwent a name change to Sal Sagev and the casino was once again in operation.
In 1955, the name of the property was changed to Golden Gate, and then later to Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in 1974. The Stevens brothers bought half of the property in 2006 and later acquired the rest of it. They then constructed a five-story luxury hotel tower, a new lobby, and exterior in 2012.
Transforming the way visitors experience Downtown Las Vegas
The Stevens brothers are dedicated to revolutionizing how visitors enjoy Downtown Las Vegas. In 2011, they purchased Fitzgeralds Las Vegas, located down the street from the Golden Gate, and invested $22 million in its renovation and rebranding. This culminated in its transformation to the D Las Vegas a year later. Additionally, the William Hill Sports Book was also launched at the D.
The Stevens brothers also invested $10 million in 2014 to demolish the former courthouse at Carson and 3rd, and constructed the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center in its place.
They also acquired several properties at the Fremont Street Experience, including the Las Vegas Club, and initiated demolition to pave the way for a new resort project earlier this year. The hotel-casino project, tentatively named 18th Fremont Street, is reportedly progressing as planned.
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