Casino's reopening seen as positive step for Lake Las Vegas

The reopening of a 275-slot machine casino normally wouldn't merit a blip in the land of megaresorts.

But tonight's unveiling of the newest version of Casino MonteLago is being hailed as the latest sign that Lake Las Vegas has put behind two troubling years of bad news.

The community is celebrating the reopening of Casino MonteLago, which closed 14 months ago. Restaurants throughout the adjacent MonteLago Village are providing food for a preopening VIP party that is expected to attract Henderson officials. Throughout the weekend, various events have been planned, with food and bands.

"We're the only casino opening this year in all of Las Vegas," said Intrepid Gaming President Jon Berkley, whose Las Vegas-based company is operating the 40,000 square-foot casino. "Casino MonteLago will be superelegant, but not arrogant. It will be a fun place."

Casino MonteLago will open to the public at 9 p.m. following a fireworks display over the lake.

Ravella at Lake Las Vegas, which reopened in February on the site of the Ritz-Carlton, which was closed 10 months earlier, is offering its 340 hotel rooms for $49 a night through the Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the return of casino gaming to the community.

Casino MonteLago will have 275 slot machines and electronic table games. The casino will not have a live table game pit, but Berkley isn't ruling out adding table games and dealers in the future.

He said two expansions in the gaming area are already being planned because of preopening interest.

The casino will employ more than 100 workers and have one restaurant.

Berkley said the past few months of readying Casino MonteLago for its reopening, by adding some of the newest slot machines and gaming devices available, made him and the Intrepid Gaming team feel like part of the revived community.

Berkley said Casino MonteLago will market not only Lake Las Vegas, but also to the 22,000 homes adjacent to the community and the 100,000 homes in nearby Henderson. The idea is promote Lake Las Vegas as whole.

"That's never been done before with this community," Berkley said. "There is no property anywhere like this."

Berkley told Nevada gaming regulators this month that the reopening of Casino MonteLago would be a psychological boost to Lake Las Vegas, a 3,600-acre master-planned community centered on a 340-acre artificial lake.

Casino MonteLago and the Ritz-Carlton closed within months of each other last year. Two of the development's three 18-hole championship golf courses are closed and operators of the development filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in July 2008.

However, the 493-room Loews Lake Las Vegas and condominiums at the Aston MonteLago Resort remained operating, along with the Jack Nicklaus-designed SouthShore Golf Club.

MonteLago Village, the resort's retail and dining attraction, is more than 90 percent occupied.

Berkley, who lives in Summerlin, said the drive to Lake Las Vegas is easy from all parts of the valley.

"The casino is located in the social hub of Lake Las Vegas," Berkley said. "It's important for it to succeed."

Intrepid Gaming is leasing the Casino MonteLago space from Village Hospitality LLC. The company is the fourth operator of the casino since it opened in April 2003 at a cost of $60 million.

Berkley said Casino MonteLago was "focused" on positive cash flow.

At the Nevada Gaming Commission hearing, Chairman Peter Bernhard questioned Berkley and his team's commitment to the project given his lack of a personal investment in the casino.

"You have no skin in the game," the chairman said.

But Berkley said Intrepid Gaming has put "it's heart and soul" into reviving Casino MonteLago.

"All of our skin is in this game," Berkley said.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. MrSmokestoomuch Jun. 1, 2011 | 6:26 p.m. Report Abuse

   "We're the only casino opening this year in all of Las Vegas".
   
   So, you're either a moron or a genius, which is it? I wouldn't expect a strictly slots only casino to be all that risky. You plug the machines into the wall, open the front door and walk away.

2. DavidM64 May 30, 2011 | 9:28 p.m. Report Abuse

   ... well, don't forget there is the Ravella Hotel attached, which specializes in large groups and conventions. Ravella brings their own captive audience to Lake Las Vegas, which is different than when it was the Ritz. Things are different now. Some people just won't/can't accept postive news and would rather spin around in negativity. By the way, speaking of more positive news, the Reflection Bay golf course has been sold and should be re-opened in a few months. Villa Palermo, another new subdivision in Lake Las Vegas started selling homes in mid-April, they have sold 4 homes in 6 weeks. Tremezzo and Belle Fiore have similar numbers. Things just keep looking better and better for Lake Las Vegas!!!! Welcome Casino Montelago!!!!! FYI today, Monday... afternoon. The casino still packed... not with the press either. :)

3. TwoDogs May 29, 2011 | 11:43 p.m. Report Abuse

   I traveled from Seven Hills twice a week to Monte Lago before it closed. I was very happy to hear it was re-opening this weekend.
   
   What a let down! I could not believe the new owner's took an already small casino floor and reduced it another Thirty (30%) percent.
   
   Floor staff cut by fifty (50%) percent.
   Six (6) ash trays total. (If they wanted a Non-Smoking facility, they should have posted it.)
   Sports book upstairs closed.
   Game Kings .25 bet or 1.25 bet.
   Hot Dog stand in the middle of the gaming floor.
   
   I got the feeling locals were not wanted or welcome.
   
   If these owner's hired 100 people, I would like to know where the other 85 were?
   
   It appears the new owner's were torn between a mini Bellagio and a Circus Circus theme.
   
   Great space, sad operator's!

4. VegasDude2010 May 29, 2011 | 8:16 p.m. Report Abuse

   Hey DavidM64 - of course it was packed! They had special invitees and the press there. Next week you'll hear the crickets, and it will go downhill from there.

5. stationary May 27, 2011 | 11:56 a.m. Report Abuse

   I agree. Too far to drive for just another slot house. Maybe the immediate locals but, will that be enough?

6. O.butthead May 26, 2011 | 10:46 p.m. Report Abuse

   I give it two years. First year they'll blame the economy and then find sucker investors to carry them over for the 2nd year and then it's over. None of the casinos in town wanted that place when it was sold by the tribe.

7. DavidM64 May 26, 2011 | 10:33 p.m. Report Abuse

   The casino and Lake Las Vegas Village was PACKED tonight! News crews every where. Certainly a wonderful grand opening celebration.
   
   The restaurants in Lake Las Vegas are reasonably priced and the service at all of them are fantastic.
   
   It's a new day for Lake Las Vegas!

8. VegasDude2010 May 26, 2011 | 7:14 p.m. Report Abuse

   Inexperience Big John? I think not. What I do think is these are going to be very tight machines, no payoffs to the fools playing them to pay for this ridiculous venture. It won't last 6 months.

9. Matthew.Archuleta May 26, 2011 | 7:00 p.m. Report Abuse

   Having done lots of work at Lake Las Vegas since the beginning, I was a Mason, I sure hope it keeps going. That is one BEAUTIFUL PROJECT!!!! GOOD LUCK!!! Thank you Matt Archuleta

10. Outoftowner May 26, 2011 | 6:39 p.m. Report Abuse

    Best of luck for the operation.

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