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Justin M. Bowen / File photo
The Fremont Street Experience and Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas are shown.
Published Monday, Sept. 13, 2010 | 9:34 a.m.
Updated Monday, Sept. 13, 2010 | 10:23 a.m.
RELATED STORY: With Plaza implosion out, Goodman seeking ‘gateway’ to Symphony Park
Map of Plaza Hotel and Casino
Plaza Hotel and Casino
1 Main Street, Las Vegas
More than 400 employees of the Plaza Hotel & Casino face layoffs in the next 60 days as the downtown Las Vegas property closes its 1,037-room hotel and portions of its casino in early November.
While the company says the hotel closure will be followed by planned renovations of all guestrooms and hallways, it appears the closure is also associated with the recession that has hurt the Las Vegas gaming industry -- with downtown taking an especially brutal hit.
The Plaza will be "minimizing operations'' on Nov. 11, property manager Bobby Ray Harris told employees in a memo last week.
"I have suggested and been convinced for many months that an on-going 'Band-Aid' approach will not significantly change the operating results and that only substantial improvements to the property can make it successful in the long run,'' the memo said. "The economy, coupled with the need for a significant capital infusion into the property, has affected the Plaza's ability to remain competitive in the industry.''
Harris, the president and chief operating officer of PlayLV, manager of the Plaza and its sister properties, is due to leave as manager of the properties next month, when Anthony F. Santo takes over.
Santo, who will also run the Plaza's sister downtown properties the Las Vegas Club Hotel & Casino and the Western Hotel & Casino, told Nevada gaming regulators last month the properties are losing money but negotiations were under way for a $20 million loan to refurbish the Plaza.
Santo also said last month there would be "12 months of hard times" while construction work is under way at the Plaza, to be renamed Union Plaza.
Downtown Las Vegas casino revenue fell in July for the 26th consecutive month, the state Gaming Control Board reported last week. It said the July year-over-year decline was 19.2 percent, to $32.1 million.
That compared to a statewide decline of 4.9 percent.
But the July 2010 and July 2009 numbers tell only part of the story. Downtown gaming win in July 2009 had already fallen 11.6 percent from $45 million in July 2008.
And the Plaza isn't the only downtown property to be suffering from the double whammy of the recession and growth in the Las Vegas hotel room inventory, including a new 500-room tower at the downtown Golden Nugget that opened in November.
Late last year, Binion's shut its 365-room downtown hotel, citing the economic downturn.
In a statement today confirming the planned layoffs, the Plaza's parent company hinted that economic realities are driving the plan to shut down the entire hotel as opposed to closing just individual floors for renovations.
"Tamares Real Estate will be investing a substantial amount of money into its Plaza Hotel & Casino, including renovating all 1,037 guestrooms and hallways, new restaurant and bar concepts and upgrading the casino floor. These improvements are expected to take up to 12 months to complete," Kenneth Landfield, chief operating officer of Plaza owner Tamares U.S. Real Estate, said in a statement today. "The Plaza has been experiencing the same kind of operational difficulties as other casino hotels and many other businesses in Las Vegas. Despite the most difficult economic conditions in recent memory, however, we are extremely excited about the future of downtown Las Vegas and are committed to working through this process to the benefit of our employees, our customers and the city of Las Vegas."
"In accordance with employment laws, our tenant, Plaza Hotel & Casino, LLC, has issued notices to more than 400 employees explaining that their employment could be terminated within 60 days," Landfield said. "This action is necessary for us to reorganize and renovate the Plaza over the next year, during which time we will be closing portions of the casino and all hotel rooms. We anticipate that some employees will be retained to continue various operations, including, among other things, slot machines in the casino, the Firefly restaurant, ‘The Rat Pack is Back’ show and the food court."
The Las Vegas Club Hotel & Casino and the Western Hotel & Casino aren't affected by the announcement.
"In fact, we anticipate that many employees from the Plaza will be offered jobs at the Las Vegas Club, which during this renovation period will be handling future room reservations, bingo and some other amenities formerly housed at the Plaza," Landfield said in the statement.
Tamares Real Estate is part of the Tamares Group, a privately owned international investment company.
The Plaza, renovated in 2011, has a lobby that features marble and inlaid mosaic tiles, chandeliers and a plush front desk that matches the classic Las Vegas feel with a contemporary look.
The hotel has 1,003 rooms and suites that showcase views of the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas. Amenities include world-class entertainment, a casino floor that offers an array of classic gaming choice, which include 600 slot machines, a 400-seat bingo room, 18 table games and 57,120 square feet of casino space.
Among the dining options is Oscar's Beef * Booze * Broads, a steakhouse opened by former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, which is located in the glittery dome enclosure above the hotel's main entrance.
The Plaza sits at the west end of the Fremont Street Experience on the site of the first train depot and auction site in Las Vegas, dating back to the San Pedro-Los Angeles-Salt Lake Railroad in 1905. The railroad was sold to Union Pacific in 1921 and the depot was demolished in 1970 to make way for the Union Plaza Hotel, built in 1971.
The hotel has been featured or is visible in several movies, including the 1971 James Bond film, "Diamonds are Forever;" the 1989 film "Back to the Future Part II;" the 1995 move "Casino," and the 2000 movie "Pay it Forward."
And down we go. Where it stops, nobody knows.
wow. this is .. bad!! sad!! sorry vegas. I hope you will recover soon.
isn't this the same thing the Lady Luck told their employess when they closed down for renovatins....and still no Lady Luck. This was for years ago.....
what do you bet they do the same thing.....
Wow my family and I are coming there in December and we were going to book our rooms there sure glad we did not. That really is too bad for the employees I sure hope things start getting better for eeryone there in Vegas. Vegas is like a second home to me and my husband who love coming there and this year we are bring our kids and my father-in-law because I want our kids to see a different part of the world and because Vegas is the only place I have been I want the kids to see why we love it. People are so great everywhere we go there we have great conversations with the locals and employees I hope things will turn around for everyone there and if I could come to Vegas and help in anyway I would just to keep everyone empoyeed.
I am assuming that there will jobs created with the renovations. Effectively a zero sum loss total jobs. (I hope)
And yet another casualty of the Harry Reid/Nancy Pelosi/Obama clan.
Will the voters of Nevada learn or will they re-elect the incompetent Harry Reid and continued to be purified by pain ?
FIRE HARRY REID TODAY !! NOW !! End the misery.
Yeah nit-wit.. Harry Reid is to blame because this company seems incapable of making good business decisions.
Turn the plaza into an asylum, we have enough casinos, with not enough players, and we have many nuts, junkies, creeps, that need a place to call home, get the cash from Barry O.
Vegasbike, I am assuming the jobs that are created for the renovations will be of a construction nature - and wouldn't be a bit surprised to see more brown faces than white or black... well at least there should be SOME kind of payroll taxes being withheld... but that sure doesn't do a thing for those who will NOT be placed at the Las Vegas Club. This country needs to stop this illegal immigration once and for all and then tend to getting the overseas jobs shipped BACK HERE where they belong.
I hope this is not like another Lady Luck renovation!
Thanks Harry!!!
That's sad. A great downtown legend closes its doors ...temporarily. Me and my wife we always wanted to stay some nights at The Plaza, and we loved the "Lucky 7" buffet, which wqas a great deal:
http://www.plazahotelcasino.com/
Comment removed by moderator. Name calling.
Hmmm...I guess the Plaza's owners didn't give any tribute to Harry's re-election campaign. So they get no phone calls to Harry's money men, J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs (also Harry campaign contributors).
Very sad but it was either the Clark County Health Dept. closing it down or the company itself............
wonder when MGM will start the same
sad to see another piece of history suffering from an over abundance of rooms/casinos. As for blaming the administration... that is an easy toss of blame. Accept the fact that "greed" doesn't work and the only way Vegas will survive the present financial situation is to return to guest service first... bottom line second...
If the Plaza reopens I'll eat my hat!
Comment removed by moderator. Repetitive comment.
The entire property isn't closing, as is made clear in the story. As I understand it, this is a planned closure as part of the $20 million rehab of the property.
Of course, the naysayers and those who employ schadenfreude will predictably have other armchair predictions.
You can't remodel a 60 year old joint that's almost falling in pieces. You could only rebuild it. But this would probably cost too much. I rather take it the casino will remain open but the Hotel Towers will simply shut down. Just like the Binions. Vegas Club will follow this trend, which if then the beginning of the end in this corner of downtown.
The other hotels, the California, Mainstreet Station and the Golden Nugget, I am sure they let the champagne bottles crack.
From Switzerland
The article didn't disclose whether the casino floor will also be affected or just the hotel operations. Anybody knows? The casino floor has some legendary touch and it would be really sad to see the entire Plaza Hotel AND Casino to shut down. I hope not.
From Switzerland
Blah blah blah. Keep blaming Reid, Pelosi, and Obama for the eight years of lies, deception, and tyranny under Republican rule. Deny, deny, deny!
Let's not forget the the greed of those thinking their homes were ATMs and a get-rich-quick infomercial, most of whom should never had been able to purchase in the first place.
If you think Anglo and Boner are going the make things any better, just look at their track record of no taxing and all spending, not to mention furthering their own social agenda in an effort to brainwash the angry God fearing clan of Kool-Aid drinking sheeple.
$20m to renovate that dump? That's not even enough to put lipstick on the pig...
Take out a 20 million loan,then shut down most of your operations at the same time.That's like me getting cash out of my home and then quitting my job.Ia'm glad The Las Vegas Club and the Western Hotel & Casino are making so much money to hold you over and make the loan payments for the Plaza,or are you going to make the loan payments from the loan itself?What will that leave for renovations.I must say my gut feeling is Plaza workers better start looking for any other oppertunities.The Plaza is not looking out for your interests,they could have remodeled one floor at a time,it's just easier with you all out of their hair?Something else is going on here,and Ia'm afraid they are too scared to divulge that reallity to you at this point.The reality I suspect is they will be unable to compete with even more debt added for renovations,thus early termination for all .I hope for the best for the workers,but I doubt you will be seeing it here for a very long time.Good Luck!
@bookofdoubt:
The damage had already been done by January 2007, after six years of 100% GOP control. It took less than a year for the dam to finally buckle. But of course, you don't see it this way, because you're in denial of the utter failure and disgrace your little party left the country in.
20 million bucks buys alot of lipstick but it's still going to oink like the pig it is. At least they're pumping money into it until such time they change their minds. Cost overruns will probably do them in. Welcome to the start of another cheery week.
"You can't remodel a 60 year old joint that's almost falling in pieces. You could only rebuild it. "
Incorrect. Plenty of other cities remodel old buildings all the time. In fact, two large office buildings in Downtown were recently remodeled and look great. The Plaza isn't "falling in pieces." The cosmetics are worn, but the bones are fine. Over the past 20 years, Las Vegas has trained people to believe only in "implode and rebuild." That's fine; I have no problem with that way of thinking if you can afford it.
But there is something to be said for remodeling an existing building. Ask any business expert what the most cost effective way to open a new business is, and they will say, "Find an existing business of the type you want to open, buy it, and remodel it to your stylistic requirements." Building from scratch is costly and inefficient (two things Strip casinos never had to care about from 1989-2005).
The demise of Las Vegas has been on everyone's lips since 1905, long before the grandparents of most of those who post here were born. When this recession ends, Las Vegas will be a leaner, more livable place. I, for one, look forward to that day.
No recovery is coming. People are in too much debt. Debt is like the black oil in "The X-Files"--it doesn't go away. Student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt--and that's bad news because student loans are more toxic than credit cards. Now even nurses are in trouble with their loans:
http://cbs4.com/CBS4yourmoney/college.un...
Hey gbigs--who do you want for governor in Calif? Meg says she wants to eliminate the capital gains tax to stimulate business, and Brown wants to encourage green jobs. Calif. is definitely a mess that can't be fixed.
"The article didn't disclose whether the casino floor will also be affected or just the hotel operations. Anybody knows? "
Actually, Boris, the story does indeed state that the casino floor and FireFly restaurant will remain open during most of the remodel.
Thank you Gibbons!
I can only eyeroll at the political garbage in this article's comments section.
The fact of the matter is, the Plaza is one of the worst hotel/casinos in Las Vegas. Or at least it was some years ago when I stayed there. Terrible employees/customer service, ugly hotel interior, bland rooms, etc.
I don't find this renovation/closing/whatever it is surprising in the least.
Renovate it. Show us the pictures when it is complete. Meanwhile in Lake Las Vegas.....
gpigs...
when will YOU "get out while you can"?
Please.
Your tired, pathetically Neo-Nut ranting is annoying the crap out of us sane people, and we're a dwindling breed.
Who's payin' your freight? Surely you don't annoy us daily for kicks and giggles, do ya?
How about a nice big cup of shut the hell up???
It's on the house!
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
@Sunnysideup;
"The damage had already been done by January 2007, after six years of 100% GOP control. It took less than a year for the dam to finally buckle. But of course, you don't see it this way, because you're in denial of the utter failure and disgrace your little party left the country in."
That paragraph should be stuck to the forehead of all the NutJobs who keep up their retarded ranting about Obama/Reid/Pelosi.
Revising history has become an ART FORM for these jokers.
If Sharon Angle wants to save Las Vegas, she should run for Mayor, not the US Senate.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
FWIW, I just heard that "The Rat Pack is Back" signed a 3-year extension on their contract at The Plaza today.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
The place has been a dump for decades.
What's the surprise about this news?
.......and the "summer of recovery" continues!
I'm surprised that the usual Las Vegas bashers are still here. If this place is so bad like you claimed, then you would have been gone by now. We blamed Plaza for being a dump but we blame them too for trying to improve. They can't win but the good part is maybe they will hire workers who will give a lot better customer service than what they are giving now.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
I'm glad they're gonna change the name back to the Union Plaza!
Harry Reids's next statement: "Today is a good day in Nevada, we only lost 400 more jobs. But I saved City Center!!"
Plaza is a great place with wonderful people. At least they have Firefly to help with the money flowing in. They should also have a good beach club/dance theme for the pool rooftop instead of basketball courts and tennis courts to nowhere.
I don't quite understand how this is Reid's fault. It's an aging structure competing during a time of shiny new towers.
Where would you want to stay? The formerly great Plaza, or one of the newer establishments?
I don't see how failing to compete in a brutal economic time is the fault of a lone politician.
You who are whining about Reid need to take a closer look at Angle. Sharrontology is crazier than a barrel of bedbugs! Good luck if she somehow wins the election!
Should be condemned.
I'm not shedding any tears for the Plaza Hotel, the place is a dump and was one ugly building/complex from the day it was designed. Drop the place and put a new train depot/hotel with some class.We can always revisit it's sorry existence in movies like Diamonds Are Forever, or Back To The Future 11 as "Biff's" or any of the many episodes of Vega$ with Robert Urich (R.I.P.)
Oh yeah, also tear down that ugly canopy over Fremont. and return the street to it's original traffic pattern!!!
BookOfDenial - Bush's entire term was based on the over extending of debt. The only reason the economy didn't fail during his term is because it takes awhile for the chain-letter to reach it's end. He didn't create wealth (except for "his" people") - It looked as if his economic policies where actually working, that in spite of him we were having a period of affluence. Take away the fact that THE VAST MAJORTY of that wealth was smoke & mirrors, and you see what a baffoon he really was. $200,000 house sells for $500,000 and any old idiot has $300,000 extra to spend... Times Millions of people. Period. Blaming the Union Plaza & Lady Luck casinos on democrats is rediculous and shows what a baffoon YOU are, they were junk holes when I dealt craps there in 1980.
"You can't remodel a 60 year old joint that's almost falling in pieces. You could only rebuild it. But this would probably cost too much."
Wrong.
The plaza opened in 1971.
No reason to think the structure is failing. You tear off the surface finishes, make adjustments to the new layout and install new finishes. This country has plenty of big cities that are full of large buildings that are 80, 100, or more years old and going strong. Las Vegas attitude is different in that when something is about 30+ years old people want to tear it down.
As far as labor a few dozen people could refinish a floor in a week or two. IMO it would not be work for even 100 construction workers for a constant year.
Do not feed the troll.
After viewing most of the comments, this has nothing to do with Harry Reid.
On the July 23rd, 2010 Notice of Trustee Sale List, The Plaza was scheduled for auction September 1, 2010. I contacted the lender August 18th, 2010 and he said it was "unclear" whether they were going to foreclosure. Well, I got the impression that the lender wanted to foreclose and take the property ownership over - such as: The Greek Isle on Convention Center Drive.
Since this announcement, I strongly feel that maybe they did. I will check in a few days as to "Who" the owner is. If it is T-UPR, LLC then they successfully re-negotiate the loan; if it's another company, then this is smoke and mirrors for Tamares has lost the property to default.
BookOfDenial- The name is appropiate. Bush lost millions of jobs, lost a trillion dollar surplus, crashed the banks and allowed Wall Street to run wild. We won't talk about the billions of dollars and thousands of lives we lost in Iraq. To blame Harry Reid for a property that has been loosing money since the 80's is just plain silly. I wonder if Angle would do anything to save these jobs or the "lazy people" that lost them. The answer is that Angle would not lift a finger to help the Plaza or the people that worked there. You are in denial.
If Harry the Red wants to take credit for the jobs he "saved," then he has to take credit for those that are lost. As for the demise of downtown, that began with Neonopolis and the Fremont Street Experience. Politicians & casino operators destroyed one of the principle motivations for folks heading from the Strip to downtown: to "see the lights." When Fremont Street was closed to vehicular traffic it signaled its doom. The morons at City Hall did their best to destroy the mystique that was downtown with inane ideas such as Neonopolis & the FSE while, at the same time, socking LV taxpayers with the bills from the lawsuits that ensued. Remember who really started the downfall - Jan Jones - and, today, she has a cushy job with Harrah's Entertainment. Who says crime doesn't pay?
lVfacts101 :
Couldn't have said it better myself!!
gbigs-If you think Yucca Mountain was good for this state then you and Sharon Angle should move. Wall Street selling derivitives and banks investing in them is what brought down the banks silly. To be clear the stimulus was started under Bush because the economy was about to crash. The banks that were bailed out have paid back the money and the auto industry is about to do the same. Most of the stimulus money has not been spent. You talk about Bush sending $750 billion on Iraq, but that was a waste because the guys that were involved in 9/11 were in Afghanistan. Bush was in charge for 8 years yet you blame him for nothing and Obama has been in charge for 20 months and you blame him for everything. The GOP has blocked everything that would help improve the economy just because they want to win in November. I'll bet your 401k is better now than it was 20 months ago. Stop revising history and place the blame where it really belongs.
lobo69: I agree - the trolls are killing these Comment boards.
Moderators: Those of us who are actually interested in engaging in a sane disussion about articles in the Sun respectfully request that Comments that get posted relative to an article here are at least somewhat on-topic. There's an awful lot of hateful bile being spewed on these boards that have nothing to do with the articles they are posted to, not to mention the fact that many of them reek of cut 'n' paste paid propaganda. This kind of poster already has the R-J's Comments boards for that purpose.
@bookofdoubt You make me sick! As a member of the Armed Forces, I distrust you ten times more than I Harry Reid any Democrat. Stick to the subject or shut up.
@bookofdoubt If you have a problem with me as a member of the military disagreeing with your ignorant views, that's fine. I took an oath to defend this country so idiots like can say the things you say.
@bookofdoubt If you have a problem with me as a member of the military disagreeing with your ignorant views, that's fine. I took an oath to defend this country so idiots like you can say the things you say.
This is really sad, but I think long overdue for the Plaza. I sincerely hope they do this renovation and re-open, unlike what happened with the Lady Luck.
This is like trying to catch a falling knife. A very dangerous proposition to say the least.
I can't see how with the current administration anything will change. Where are the incentives for business? That's right, there aren't any. Print more money, bail out those who took on too much debt while penalizing the guy who does pay their bills on time, all the time. Where's the incentive or tax break or *any* kind of break for that guy???? Anyone know the answer to that????
Go red in 2012!
My family and I are very sentimental about the Plaza Hotel. Before we retired and moved to Las Vegas, we stayed there many times with our kids (aged 6 to 14) and always had a room with a Strip view. The rooms were large and were not dumpy. My kids loved Fremont Street at night, with the light show and the bands. We had a great time at a price we could afford.
Just last month, we had a teenaged nephew visit from out of town. We took him to see a band and the light show on Fremont Street, and he liked it far more than the Strip casinos where there was little for him to do. We ate in a Plaza restaurant and it was affordable and satisfactory.
As a result, I wish the owners and operators of the Plaza the best of luck. From a real estate investment perspective, now IS the time to close and renovate, if they have the money to do it. An internal renovation of the Plaza will strengthen Fremont Street and its casinos as revenue generators for the City of Las Vegas.
As to the employees losing their jobs, of course I am sad for them.
However, the reality is that because of the drop in room rates in the Strip casinos, whatever overnight tourist flow exists is going to go to the more glamorous hotels. As a result, the more run down hotels will suffer a severe loss of revenue. That is a sad fact of life.
The real issue for hotel/casino employment in Las Vegas is the very important question about immigration status. With 15% of Clark County's citizen-residents unemployed, I am very, very sick of going to casino restaurants and being served by people who can barely speak English. As a result, when the Plaza reopens, I hope they will make it a priority to hire American citizens as employees. If nothing else, it would be a positive advertising hook.
Comment removed by moderator. Off topic.
Cynical..: Having employee's speak and understand proper English is a major problem in all casino/restaurants. Fremont and the strip. It shows you they get hired strictly from an application and 'maybe' a 1 minute HR interview - no real interview process, its a shame because it reflects badly on the establishment.
The reason that company's hire these types of people is because they are loyal and never complain. They'll take the cheap pay for life.
I refuse to tip anything to anyone who either (a) can't understand my order after the 3rd time, (b) screws up my order because of communication, or (c) is simply rude and unhappy.
Do you guys ever tire of blaming Republicans OR Democrats? Must have your blinders on as both parties have dossiers thousands of pages long on how they're somehow responsible for the current mess. The blame game only works if one party has clean hands.
I think the location of the Plaza is an issue. It's at the west end of Fremont Street -- all alone there. Behind the hotel is the railroad line. Just south of the hotel is the Greyhound station. The place just seems to attract low lifes and a seedy element.
Even if the place was gutted and fixed up like the Golden Nugget, could it make money? Even then could it attract customers? -- it certainly does not get as much foot traffic as the rest of the Fremont St. Even if fixed up they would have to have an army of security personnel to chase out the rif-raff.
To make that place right -- where tourists would be willing to stay there, what's the cost going to be to renovate those 1000+ rooms, plus the casino, pool, restaurants, etc.?
Perhaps implosion might be the only way to go in the case of the Plaza. Perhaps something else could be built there instead of a hotel?
First was the Lady Luck, then Binion's, now the Plaza. The Golden Nugget and few others may be all that's left when this is said and done!
Check out my LV blog:
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
For the $25 they charged it probably wasn't bad.
The baggy polyester pants and suspender crowd that used to hang out there when kdumb radio was there probably brought a few people in. With the big signal kdumb had and 24/7 info/talk ...people from the western states would drop in or stay.
Now Beasley Broadcasting bought the station and wasted money on a new studio, but really doesn't have much better ratings than they had, certainly not ratings equal to the money they blew. Remember they were going to be the Vegas News Station? With the largest News Team? blah blah...
And the Plaza hot shot buyers were going to kick the anti-immigration kdumb crowd out and cater to the "Hispanic market?"
Even if they fix the place up, no one will show up. Mayor's right, should be imploded...
I wonder how safe the parking garage is, plus that rail track...remember the run away toxic tank car???
Moderators! Why have you allowed this thread to turn into a Reid versus Angle, Republican versus Democratic thread? Please reign it in.
Regardless who is in office - then or now, the american public is not spending..I didn't hear one of you complain during the 2000 - 2007 years..NOT ONE OF YOU..and now you're bichin'..granted the current programs aren't working, but to keep blaming Bush after 2 years doesn't cut it...This problem started WAY before Bush..like history shows, go back to when Carter was in office - most of you weren't even around then...
Face it..when you have a city that has one - READ THAT AGAIN -- "ONE" industry and its tourism, there is nothing that can be done until people have money to pee away on self indulgence, be it whore's, booz and gambling..that's the bottom line..Vegas is built on descretionary spending - nothing more. It doesn't offer anything else as much as we would all love to think so...We all came to live here because it is cheap to live, which results in cheap pay - nothing more.
Granted Pelosi and her group are typical politicians and even California hates Pelosi in her home town, nothing here will improve until the kill the "Sex, drugs, women and Gambling" reputation so we can bring in various industries, etc and make REAL lives for people in the city. Everyone here lives on the "I'll get rich tomorrow" mentality. AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN !!!!!!!
I hope 20 million will be enough for that remodel.
There's much myopia from folks who post here and (admittedly) haven't been Downtown in years. Contrary to the picture painted too often in these comments, Downtown is a vibrant business community that is packed all day with educated professionals, and is building a reputation for unique nightlife on East Fremont.
Did it spend some years getting somewhat seedy? Sure, but even when I was shopping for school clothes at the JC Penney at Fremont and 6th, it was an urban environment. Things are improving, slowly but steadily, but an urban, public environment will always have its characters. Characters are what built Las Vegas, lest we forget.
I could list all the businesses that have opened recently, or will be opening in the coming weeks, months and years. I could mention new (freestanding) art galleries, the ACE transit system dropping loads of shoppers at the mall, and new (upscale, suburbanite friendly) restaurants that have opened or are opening soon. I could mention the Smith Center for the Performing Arts that today announced a hit Broadway booking for its inaugural season. I could even report that many business owners in the area have this month reported daily sales totals that have been the best in almost a year. But what would be the point?
I wish the best of luck to Tamares Group and the Union Plaza in fulfilling the promise of this endeavor. And if it falls flat, well, at least you tried a reinvention in the city that perfected it, and trying to do something is the spirit that built Las Vegas and will keep it moving forward to a better future.
I like downtown! Though painfully slow to revitalize, the "grime and grit" is part of the attraction for me. I like the characters both inside and out of the various establishments. The canopy has been a wonderful addition. The area is now well lit and for the most part secure and safe. The Plaza has it's place and I hope will be back... the Firefly is a great addition and the refurbishing sorely needed.
For a night of casino/bar hoppin', you can't beat downtown. Far more reasonably priced and one can walk around. Out on the strip, you walk 4 miles to get to the next joint (not really, but you get my point).
Breaking news: Downtown Bed Bugs are looking to form a Union or join the city's?
@lobo69;
"Do not feed the troll."
BEST advice of the day.
He's always chumming, and we oughta try to leave the stinking bait lie.
Breaking News: Sharon Angle Concession Speech moved across the street to the Golden Gate.
Downtown Casino Center was a really cool place to be until Jan Jones built that ugly looking bird cage thing over the top of it. Place has never been the same since
Why can't we discuss the hotel and downtown instead of 80 comments on politics.
As someone living downtown I am very excited to learn about these renovations as I really feel downtown needs more properties to improve and offer locals and tourists who are are sick of the high end, cookie cut strip properties that lack any feeling or service. The plaza used to have all of that and hopefully this new management can bring it back. Does anyone know what other details these renovations include some specific details of the new rooms, restaurants and bars would be nice? Bottom Line good luck to Tamares and thanks for trying to improve our downtown.
By the way this is the only part of this city with significant construction taking place whether its smiths performing arts, city hall, the new RTC transport terminal, all the new venues in east fremont and now the Plaza. Downtown is alive
Didn't the Union Plaza used to be the train station? A long, long, time ago, I took the train from here to LA and I think that's where the Amtrak stop was. Does anyone remember?
I hope all the Plaza employees land on their feet. I would seriously freak if I lost my job.
@ Voicemail, are you in a little house somewhere downtown? I'm fascinated by those old homes, and also beginning to appreciate the old Vegas architecture that you can see in the UMC area.
I live in the burbs, but the kid has now been raised and I don't have to worry about school zones anymore. I'd love a house with a little character.
A sign of the times, perhaps. But count me in as a both a resident, and thus a fan, of Downtown Vegas. The "DT" in "DTJ" stands for "downtown," I kid you not. For about a year I've been lobbying on these threads for Southern Nevada to diversify its economy. But I've also always said that gaming can remain one of the legs that support the local economy. Downtown retains the mid-twentieth century, gambling hall aura. There's more character there, than on the strip.
Furthermore, as a poster or two has mentioned above, the modest attempts at a renaissance -- including the fledgling arts district to the south and the even more nascent entertainment district to the east (this is still mostly an idea, not a reality), sure would be nice if they came into their own.
My modest proposal of the day: a streetcar running the length of Fremont Street -- from the Plaza to the Boulder Highway. Read a good article in USA Today about how adding a streetcar to skid row in Portland, OR did wonders for revitalizing that area. Sounds like just what the doctor ordered, for our downtown. Or at least a faux street car like they run on the Strip, but something which people can still hop on and off, to bar hop or go from venue to venue, as East Fremont tries to become an entertainment / dining / club district.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010...
The_Next_Opinion,
Our posts must have crossed paths in cyberspace; I just now saw your question to Voicemail, who might well be a neighbor of mine. I live in the historic John S. Park neighborhood. It has both it's good points and it's bad. But overall, I'm happy to be here. Wouldn't want to be in one of the cookie-cutter boxes way up north or far away in the southwest, without a backyard, 30 minutes away from everything. To each his own, though. Not knocking anyone else's turf. But DTJ is satisfied in DT.
why does everyone blame politics on this. this place is a aging casino that needs a facelift to survive. Last time i visited the Plaza in June it was a dump.
i hate hearing people lose there jobs but you gotta do what you gotta do to survive
Go back to the post by ROGUERUNNER ( about 28 posts down from the top ) ... I think this is probably a pretty close assessment to the truth of the eventual outcome of this. In short , the refurbishing of this property aint' gonna happen.
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On another note -
Vegas' success was always dependent upon those looking to "drink" / "gamble" / "have sex".
There was a time of dollar beer or having all your drinks comped while gambling ( and you'd gladly tip your waitress generously ) , slots that would take your money slowly while paying out enough to keep you going for hours on end ( you lost but had fun doing so ) , and you could pay a lady for her time.
Now the beer is $12 bucks , nothings free and the slots will clean you out in an hour tops. The hooker's don't have sex anymore - they only want to rob you of your cash and possessions after getting access to your room. Who you gonna call ?
Vegas either returns to her roots and core value - and soon - or it's lights out here.
DTJ,
If you don't mind my asking, could you share some of the good and the bad? If you don't have time, no problem.
Next Opinion,
Happy to oblige. Hopefully the moderators and readers will indulge us for just this one post that stretches a little from the topic of the Plaza.
Cons first:
** Nice feel to the neighborhood, good families, professional people, and lots of nice retirees, BUT... just north is Charleston Blvd, which is scuzzville. Lots of homeless and plenty of idiot drivers racing down the boulevard -- it's not safe for walking. Grocery stores aren't terribly far away, but they are scuzzy too.
**Older homes have old-home issues. Mine was built in 1946, so the plumbing, electrical and the windows are ooollld. Plus, since this neighborhood is a declared historical neighborhood, nothing can be done to alter the exterior, without getting permission from both the city, as well as the historical commission. Have to jump through a lot of hoops, just to change out a window, etc. Our windows may look quaint (but not really), however they stink. They let in cold in the winter, and heat in the summer. (I do have special curtains which cut down on much of this heat transfer, though. Highly recommended.) Which leads to next bad point...
**...a lot of dust get into these homes through the old windows and not-so-well-sealed doors. AND, tons of pollen get into these homes. Particularly mulberry and olive tree pollen. Downtown is notoriously bad in the springtime, if you have any kind of allergies at all. People who live elsewhere in the valley think I'm kidding. But those who have been here, KNOW.
Now then, the GOOD:
** Those same mulberry and olive trees. Once the pollen is finished, they are positively delightful. Driving down my tree-canopied street, you'd think you weren't in Vegas, but New England or somewhere similar. They look beautiful and they provide superb shade from the summer heat. I'm miserable in the spring, yet I'd still never trade mine or my neighbors' for anything. Also, I have a decent-sized front lawn of real fescue grass, and any even nicer sized back yard for the kids and dog to run all over. It's great.
**Property taxes -- were down to paying only $550 for next year.
** Most convenient location in all of the valley. Nothing is far away. Can step onto my front lawn to watch the New Year's fireworks. Don't spend much on gasoline.
**By virtue of owning and living in this neighborhood, I can say that my house is on the National Historic Register. Not bad, huh?
Implode the damned thing!
Did you ever try to buy a sub at Subway in Plaza?
$12.50 for what most Subways charge $7.50. And they "speak no English." Duh, wonder why business is bad?
Since July 4th weekend most downtown casinos and businesses were booming compared to months prior, but did you notice the greed?
Some tourist had shifted from the Strip to downtown casinos because they wanted $5 tables, not $10-$25 tables. But during the 4th of July weekend many downtown casinos jacked their table games up to $10-$25. Duh, wonder why business is bad?
The idiot that runs the Fitz crap table has been running longtime customers off by not allowing long time standard game practices. He mistreats customers, insults them and loses business like many casinos with stupid executives. Other casinos have been tampering with traditional games to cheat customers.
Vegas needs a clean sweep in order to survive, all existing politicians need to go and many casino managers need to be replaced.
Will the last one out of Vegas please turn the lights out?
Vegas politicians and casino executives have taken the fun out of living and visiting what used to be a fun town.
@mrjb:
Good one, mrjb...;-)
'If the Plaza reopens I'll eat my hat!'
If The Plaza reopens, I'll revisit it each and every day on my next "Vegas Vacation", promise.
Come on, folks, tell US, what you would do, if The Plaza reopened..
If the Plaza reopened, I probably wouldn't do quite as much as I'd do for a Klondike Bar.
being realistic, all of us are to blame, we've never stood up to the greed at the top, the removal of jobs from this country. both parties share in this. you've seen it in your towns like i've seen it in mine-no jobs, there all in china, india, mexico, etc. what does a young kid coming out of high school have to look forward to, a temp job.
The State of Nevada has 250,000 illegal aliens in the state. Most of these are employed in the casino and hotel industry in the state. If the people are serious about not having illegal aliens in the State of Nevada the residents of Nevada should start boycotting the casino in Las Vegas, Reno, and Mesquite,Nevada. If you go into the Eureka Casino, Virgin Rive Casino, Casa Blanca Casino in Mesquite, Nevada you will find that the majority of the employees their are latinos and asians and god only knows how many of them are in the country legally. With the casinos in the State of Nevada turning a blind eye when it comes to employing illegal aliens it is time for the people to take charge and boycott the casino. Maybe then these casino in Nevada will start employing honest, hard working American Citizens. Most of the job loses are illigals alien so maybe, just maybe they will find a way to have Social Services pay their way back to the country they came from. Maybe alot more the casino in the State of Nevada should start closing their doors. Maybe then and only then these casinos will start employing American Citizens.
Bye bye plaza.
I know the cure for downtown: Bring back Benny Binion and the way he ran a joint. Folks flocked to Binion's Horseshoe regardless of the smoky atmosphere because Benny gave them a fair shake on the slots and tables and good deals on food & rooms. Today, the "suits" sit in offices far removed from the "stinky" peasants who patronize their casinos. They never interact with the folks who are spending hard earned dough in their resort and, therefore, have no idea what really goes on in the properties they are responsible for. All they see is the "bottom line" and all they do is reduce the payouts on table games & slots and then they wonder why they are failing? They just can't look at the long term, can they?
Thanks DTJ.
lvfacts101 :
once again I say Right On to you sir!!
Now where will I go for a fun night out in 1978?
They ruined downtown the moment they put a dome over it and called it an "Experience".
What happened to the Fremont Street I loved growing up?
You remember, the one in the U2 video "Still Haven't Found". Remember that place?
Definitely no "Benny Binion" types running casinos these days doesn't help either.
That's ok, keep hiring 24 yr old MBA nitwits who count beans and don't interact with the patrons, as a previous poster stated. Sad but true...
Some people can't get their nostalgic heads out of the Mojave desert sand. Las Vegas was built on change. Without it, there would be no Las Vegas. Move forward, people. Those of you who have such clear predictions of the future demise of the Plaza, despite evidence suggesting otherwise, why aren't you making loads of money using your prognostication skills instead of wasting time typing in the same tired comments on every story?
They are looking long term.The execs.know the lead weight around their necks,known as debt,will sink the whole ship if they can't extract the revenue from customers to pay their bloated loan balances.The more they have to pay back,the more they have to extract.There is no way these casinos are able to go back to the good ol days of resonable prices and fair gameing practices.Do u think the Plaza can do this with 20 million more debt weighing them down?If they reopen,expect the extraction machine to be turned on full blast!
I hope the project is successful
I was going to visit the plaza, wait that doesn't read right. I was planning a trip to las vegas this year later this month on account of not visiting the last three years and had planned on staying at the Plaza because we had stayed there before because my wife being disabled it was easier for her to go from one place to another in a short distance. How ever we elected to pay down our consumer debt until next year when we would be spending disposable income I think I am not the only one doing this so I believe this is part of the problem with the economy.
Now the closing will increase some revenue for the other hotels that are still there. How about the four queens are they still open the last I heard they were having landlord tenant issues just wondering.
I think that I know that most business's file taxes they always put 5 to 8% into a so called future capitalization fund which does not get taxed Where did the fund go if it didn't go toward capitalization then some one owes some back taxes right.
I do hope the Plaza can remodel and reopen with the least amount of debt, Less debt means they can offer more to get more with out being over encumbered.
RPJ: How do you know we haven't? BTW, it has little to do with "nostalgia" and lots to do with "customer service," an oxymoron in most casinos today. As a former successful restauranteur, I knew what it took to bring folks back to my restaurant and it wasn't by simply massaging the bottom line. It was by seeing to it they received cleanliness, service, value and consistently good food. The way most casino restaurants are run in LV makes me sick. Ever notice how many dirty, unbussed tables there are in many restaurants or how it seems you can't get a 2nd cup of coffee while the help stands around yakking with each other? My wife & I would have been out of business in a NY minute had we treated our patrons as shabbily as they do here and I am not blaming the food servers. The tone of any business - cleanliness, attention, service & value - begins at the top - not the bottom!
gbigs , STFU already ... you're boy W had nothing to do with it ???
Face it -- some parlors aren't drawing high-rollers -- some never will -- some don't seem to fish while others can't seem to keep those whales on the line long enough to fuel their lanterns.
This joint hasn't even paid their Fremont Experience assessment in over a year!
Didn't happen to read where this Tamares Real Estate Investment LLC group was soliciting "investors" to pay their over-due assessments - did you?
Investment or sucker-play - yet, it's always "fishing" season - what bait fancies you?
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may...
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I hope Margarita stays as a cocktail waitress she is a asset to the Plaza.
My brain is agnostic on the Plaza, itself: it will swim or sink on the merits of how it, and its immediate neighbors, run their business. The prolonged bad economy is not sentimental.
My heart, of course, wants the Plaza and the entire Downtown vibe to survive. And this is why I repeat my pitch from above for the nascent renaissance efforts for Downtown to move ahead. I truly do hope the "East Fremont" scene becomes a reality. Imagine, a Soho/Beale Street-like district with small intimate music clubs, street-side bistros and other eclectic establishments. As long as the original casinos under the canopy kept their policies and prices "Average Joe-friendly," East and West Fremont (the dividing line being LV Blvd.) could be different but complementary models. And DO get that streetcar running. It would more than pay for itself.
Obama, Reid, Pelosi fix for the Las Vegas economy and the ailing Plaza Is bigger government and higher taxes.
Vote these idiots out!!
I said this before and I'll say it again. I once spit on the floor of The Plaza and made a clean spot....nuff said.
The_Next_Opinion, this was most definitely the location of the original Las Vegas train station.
We used to go over there in the middle fifties and pick up our cousins and friends visiting from Los Angeles.
It was just a minimal and spare whistle stop, but that was definitely the place.
Comment removed by moderator. Personal attack.
The reason that Vegas is doing so poorly is because the rest of the country has been brought to its knees by the creators of this economy. With the country scared to death of losing their jobs, coming to Vegas just dropped to the bottom of the priority list. It won't get better for Vegas, until it is for the rest of the country. Sadly, we all know the problems are in the leadership of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barrack Obama, but right now, only the people of Nevada can fix one of those three problems.
Whether you love her or hate her, your other choice is more of what we have in this story and countless others just like it from around the country.
At least you can see something new downtown the City Hall.
Plaza....good for you! We really need the upgrade downtown!Temporarily less hotel jobs but now we'll have temporary new construction jobs! In the long run it is a very positive thing! Cant wait to see the results! Love the Center Stage!
Adopt Arizona's wanted immigration law and the out of work percentage in Nevada drops to zero.
Las Vegas may be hurting but she will survive and return better than ever.
This is the time for refurbishing, dealing with debt issues and getting the house in order.
Seems some here just want to hate on Vegas. I always enjoy it and will be back next week.
For the past couple of years, the current owners didn't put a dime to invest into updating the casino or any other part of the Plaza unless it had to. The rooms look dingy, they didn't invest in their local players, they kept cutting instead of investing. Now you see what that brought the plaza to it's current problems. As for Mayor Goodman for a connector to Symphony Park to Downtown. Ask the Plaza or get Eminent Domain to expand Bridger Ave (which stops at the Parking lot owned by the Plaza Hotel.
I will go to the Plaza in October, hopefully finding some opportunity to take pictures from the inside, the pool deck, etc. I don't think, honestly, that the Plaza will re-open again. Just like the Lady Luck closed for "remodeling reason". It just sounds better than saying..."we close because we feel like shutting down our property simply costs less than keeping it open and in fact losing more money that way." making zero money at all is sometimes cheaper than making money and losing even more by doing so. It's only logical.
Technically,they can't close parts of the gaming floor , especially slot machines, with progressives, without paying that money back to the players, correct? And since this property is together with the Vegas Club, I take it that the Vegas Club will have to take over these jackpots until they will be paid off. Or, the Plaza must leave these machines in operation till somebody hits it and then shut it down and take it off. Is that correct?
Greetings from Switzerland
WTF is speaking english have anything to do with this article??? $20 millions is a lot of money to fix up that place. but as you're already know , TLC put in so much money tried to renovate binion's hotel rooms , gambling areas , etc. as it turned out binions closed its hotel operation after all. i hate to see classic casino like plaza goes just as lady luck did. but that place died many many years ago....
Yeah, I also think that this strange bus stop crowd flocking into the Plaza has some "negative impact" to the casino, in a certain degree. Many people arriving by bus are on a super low budget, not intending to play anything but breathing the airconditioned air inside of the Plaza. The snack bar in that corner of the hotel functions as such a "meeting point" for travellers but has very little to do with a casino, actually. Could be compared with the waiting zone at the DTC. But wait a second, isn't that zone shut down already? Nobody dares to wait in there unless he carries a gun and knows how to defend himself,....unless he's on a suicide mission.
Greetings from Switzerland