The added ingredient of the casino acumen of porn and gaming mogul Larry Flynt is sparking increased business at the old Normandie Casino, which he rebranded as the Lucky Lady Casino.
Flynt, who won a confrontation with the Gardena, California city council over taxes and now has kept his word to reopen the state’s oldest card club, has vowed to spend as much as $60 million to upgrade the casino.
Flynt purchased the casino after its former owners pleaded guilty to money laundering, and could no longer legally possess a gaming license in the Golden State. Flynt saw a potential in the card room, which he claims has suffered from neglect for many years and said he could turn things around.
Flynt told the Daily Breeze, “I don’t want to sound disparaging toward the previous owners on the fact that the place has been neglected for decades, but it has. That’s the reason business was terrible. We’re going to have new signage, a $400,000 media program across greater Los Angeles and more. I think the place will do fine.”
As part of the upgrade Flynt plans to install new, racy signage and spend $400,000 on marketing.
Business is already on the uptick, whether because of Flynt’s reputation, or because former habitués wanted to see what their former haunt is like now. Flynt claims 20 percent more business.
The card room, which hasn’t been renovated since the 1990s, will remain open during the phased changes, which will begin with the high rollers room. New floor coverings and the addition of a gift shop and sandwich shop are planned. The card room will get a look that will differentiate it from Flynt’s other property, the Hustler. Says Flynt; “Even the menus will be different because we don’t want to do a cookie-cutter deal. We want to attract new customers.”
Staffers report that the morale of employees has already gotten a boost. Floor Supervisor Robert “Bobby O” Oestreich, a 34-veteran who Flynt retained, told the Breeze, “The morale has changed.” “Employees are so glad to have job security and are looking forward to the future.”
Most of the 400 employees still have their jobs, and more are being hired.
Flynt commented about his tussle with the city council, which insisted that Flynt should guarantee $800,000 in taxes a month, and only backed off after he closed the Normandie for five days.
He told the Breeze, “I’m a large part of the city budget and we should have a little bit of a voice of what’s going on — not that we want to be in control of the City Council,” adding, “But, in Vegas, casinos have a voice. Think where Gardena would be if they weren’t getting all that money from me? As a result of the investment I’m making, I deserve a tax break. That was the big rub. But we did get our tax break.”
Flynt hopes to eventually build a hotel and add retail stores next to the casino.
