Paradise Road casino OK’d

Friday, July 7, 2000 | 10:44 a.m.

Clark County Commissioners gave the green light Thursday to a proposed casino on Paradise Road across from the Hard Rock resort.

The commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the necessary zone change from general commercial to resort/gaming.

Briad Lodging Group, the developer, needed the zone change to build an eight-story, 317-room hotel tower and 55,000-square-foot casino. Plans also include restaurants, a six-story parking garage and a convention center.

The move essentially moves the existing gaming enterprise zone east to cover the proposed resort's 5.8 acres.

Clark County planning staff had recommended denial because the parking garage, at 62 feet high, would conflict with design standards in county codes.

The proposal had won approval from the Paradise Town Board and the Clark County Planning Commission.

Brad Honigfeld, president of Briad Lodging, said he isn't sure what the casino theme will be.

A design review of the casino will likely be held within the next six months, he said.

Honigfeld estimated the cost of the project at $100 million.

No one spoke against the proposed casino resort at the commissioners' regular zoning meeting.

Based in Florham Park, N.J., Briad's primary business is restaurants. It operates 38 Wendy's and 16 TGI Friday's restaurants, primarily in the New York and Philadelphia metro areas.

Briad also operates three Marriott hotels in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Prior to Thursday's County Commission vote, Briad said it hoped to break ground on the project later this year with completion in 2001.

The parcel at the northeast corner of Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue was acquired from Mitsubishi Motor Sales America. The land is the former home of a car rental outlet.

The parcel has access to Swenson Street on the east.