The times are changing in Las Vegas.
Construction cranes seem to be a permanent part of the Las Vegas skyline at this point as casinos are built or upgraded along the Strip as well as in the emerging downtown Fremont St. area..
It's almost like a domino effect as each casino spends millions of dollars to upgrade their look, the next casino must spend money to keep up with the Joneses.
The Strip is expanding as world class attractions are being built on the North Strip while Circa on Fremont St. upped the game downtown.
Resorts World International opened on the North Strip, and the long-delayed Fontainebleau has been put back on track for a late-2023 opening. Those projects are being joined by a major renovation of Wynn Resorts (WYNN) signature property and multiple new massive projects (at least two casinos, an NBA-ready arena, and likely a Major League Baseball stadium) being in the works.
Big projects from Caesars (CZR) and MGM (MGM) are currently underway while some of Sin City's most iconic attractions also get makeovers.
Family friendly Circus Circus is also getting an update according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Now, add the Plaza Hotel & Casino to the list of casinos undergoing changes.
Plaza Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas Plaza Hotel's Transformation
On June 14, the Plaza Hotel & Casino unveiled four large-scale projects that will reimagine the casino resort's landmark Main Street facade at a press conference.
The casino wants to change along with the times.
Like our neighbors and city leaders, we have been committed to revitalizing downtown Las Vegas into a destination known for great art, dining, culture, hospitality, and entertainment,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino said, according to Fox5 Vegas.
“Today, we unveil plans to further these efforts and transform Main Street into an unforgettable and must-visit place in Las Vegas for food, drinks, and gaming.”
The Plaza's iconic dome will feature a new outdoor Carousel Bar. Next to that, the Plaza is building what it calls "downtown's first smoke-free and social media friendly gaming space."
On the roof of that new gaming space the Plaza is building Oscar's Patio, a rooftop restaurant named after former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. The Plaza says Oscar's Patio will be the first restaurant to offer open-air fine dining in downtown.
Finally, the Plaza is also building a new Pinbox Doughnuts location on the property that will offer an exclusive menu with alcohol-spiked versions of the dessert spot's doughnuts.
The Plaza expects to start construction in June with a completion date at the end of the year.
Las Vegas Has Made its Comeback
It started with March Madness and continued through the National Football League (NFL) Draft leading into what looks like a potentially record-setting summer. Las Vegas turned the corner on the covid pandemic and saw visitors flock to the Las Vegas Strip hotels.
“Despite the dramatic increases in gas prices, pent-up demand for travel seems to be winning out at this point,” Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Spokesperson Lori Nelson-Kraf told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
"Through the first four months of this year, Harry Reid International Airport has served nearly 549,000 international passengers, compared to about 758,000 for all of last year, according to figures from the airport. In April alone, about 200,000 international travelers passed through the airport, signaling an increase of about 170,000 passengers from April 2021," according to the paper.
After two years of lockdowns, quarantines, and travel restrictions, Americans want to ditch their masks and hit the road. Las Vegas seems well poised to benefit from this as it has everything from its signature casinos to a huge array of entertainment options, concert headliners, Carrot Top, and major sporting events.
