Photo courtesy South Point Casino
Published Monday, July 12, 2010 | 8:01 a.m.
Updated Monday, July 12, 2010 | 3:35 p.m.
Sun Archives
Map of South Point Hotel Casino and Spa
The South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas today announced a $20 million, 55,000-square-foot expansion of its casino, with the first phase opening Friday.
The first phase includes 600 slot, video poker and video keno machines, a newly designed 175-seat race book, a new poker room and an entertainment area called the Grandview Lounge. The Grandview is named for the South Point's neighboring timeshare development.
Of the gaming machines, 400 are new and 200 were relocated from elsewhere in the casino to the expansion area at the south end of the casino.
The second phase will feature a restaurant well known in the Midwest, Steak 'n Shake, and a future Japanese sushi teppanyaki restaurant. The timing for the restaurants is not set, but the South Point hopes for a fall opening of Steak 'n Shake.
"The space will enable us to open more of the slot floor to foot traffic. I think people will feel more comfortable in the whole casino with the opening of this new area," owner Michael Gaughan said in a statement.
The new poker room features 22 tables and three daily tournaments.
The South Point last expanded with a third hotel tower that opened in July 2008. With 830 rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting space, that lifted the room total to 2,163 and cost $100 million.
The privately owned property, the largest locals hotel-casino in the Las Vegas Valley, opened in December 2005.
Officials today said that the expansion has helped restore hours for some employees whose hours were cut during the recession.
There have not been layoffs at the property, which employs 2,300 people.
"The expansion has enabled us to give full time hourly employees their regular hours back. More importantly, we have moved a number of our `extra board’ and part time staff to full time," South Point said in a statement today.
Located South of the Strip, South Point is a hot spot frequented by locals. The hotel-casino is decorated in a Pacific Coast feel, with golds, reds and browns, mixing an island feel with the ambiance of Southern California.
Guests rooms feature 42-inch flat screen TVs, iPod docking stations and plush linens. Outside, the property features landscaped gardens, a hospitality to entertain poolside and a sand volleyball court.
When it comes to gaming, the South Point has more than 120,000 square feet of casino games, as well as a separate race books and sports books, a bingo and poker room. South Point also has some family friendly features, like a 64-lane bowling center, an arcade and a 16-screen movie theater.
Dining options range from an upscale meal at Michael's Gourmet to ice cream at Kate's Korner. The 24-hour Coronado Cafe is the perfect spot for a late-night craving, which include six midnight to 6 a.m. "graveyard" specials. Other restaurants include the Big Sur Oyster Bar, Don Vito's, Garden Buffet, Seattle's Best Coffee House and the Del Mar Deli.
One of South Points more unique features is the Equestrian Center and Arena, a first for Vegas. The Equestrian Center holds a variety of events, from college basketball to Championship Bull Riding.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy