The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, newly acquired by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, will retain its iconic name but introduce ultra-contemporary features for its target guests—those who seek novel experiences they can share on social media.
On December 17, the Southern California tribe closed on the $650 million purchase from Red Rock Resorts, a day after the Nevada Gaming Commission approved its license. The San Manuel, the first tribe to own a Las Vegas casino resort, acknowledged the milestone with a message on the Palms’ marquee saying, “Let’s Make History Together.”
“We will be building the new Palms,” said General Manager Cynthia Kiser Murphey. “It’s a different era. The industry has changed a lot. It’s about adapting the new Palms to what the environment is. The last two years have changed the landscape of delivering entertainment, hospitality and gaming.”
Kiser Murphey told CDC Gaming Reports that the Palms—closed since March 2020, the start of the pandemic—will be defined by its energy.
“The Palms is a beautifully appointed stage and it’s our job to make it come to life,” she said. Guests “want a lot of opportunities to take pictures. We’re in the business of creating memories. What you take away in your heart and mind, as well as your iPhone, is important from a hospitality experience.”
From a prime location west of the Las Vegas Strip, the Palms offers suites with views of the famous thoroughfare, as well as Allegiant Stadium.
“These suites are stunning,” Kiser Murphey said. “They’re very carefully appointed and have views that are unmatched looking across the skyline. We’re super excited about these suites.”
The resort expects to cater to conventioneers as well as sports fans heading to the stadium. As for entertainment, the Pearl Theater will be reactivated shortly, the GM said. “It’s a very sought-after venue. … It has great acoustics and wonderful history and good karma. We will be able to bring that back right away.”
The Palms will draw from the San Manuel tribal database for its casino hotel in San Bernardino County, the 432-room hotel at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel in Highland, which opened earlier this month It will also market to the rest of Southern California, Arizona, Utah and the Pacific Northwest. Locals will also be an important part of its customer base.
The resort will hire more than 1,200 new employees prior to its opening sometime in early 2022. “First and foremost, we need to hire a team and we want to welcome back as many former Palms employees as we can,” said Kiser Murphey. “We’re calling all former Palms employees; we want you back.”
The resort plans to reopen in the spring, though no date has been announced.
