July 1 marked the 40th birthday of Station Casino’s foundingin a small casino housing 100 slots at what now is the Palace Station casino.
Frank Fertitta Sr. opened the 5,000-square-foot The Casino on West Sahara in 1976 with 90 employees. A year later, Fertitta added a bingo room and changed the name to Bingo Palace.
More improvements and expansions followed, and Fertitta eventually changed the name to Palace Station, which he turned over to his sons, Lorenzo and Frank III, upon his retirement in 1993.
The Fertitta brothers duplicated their father’s success with the opening of the Boulder Station casino in 1994, and 17 others bought or built since, with The Palms to be added soon.
Station Casinos now has more than 12,000 employees and consistently ranks among the best places for Las Vegas locals to work, while its properties rank among the best places for locals to play.
A July 1 fireworks display at several Station Casinos locations heralded the company’s 40th year in operation.
Throughout July, Station Casinos also is running dining specials at all of its Grand Cafes and Fiesta Cafes and the steakhouses at the Red Rock Resort in Summerlin and the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson.
Gaming specials, free gifts, and many other special events offering cash and prizes for locals and tourists alike are slated all month.
Also celebrating a milestone birthday this year is Caesars Palace, which began doing business 50 years ago on the Las Vegas Strip and has remained a top attraction since.
Caesars has upgraded most of its rooms, including adding impressive artwork to enhance the décor at its high-end villas, suites, and rooms.
KNA Design focused on locating unique works of art to incorporate into the resort’s private guest areas and maintain the casino’s status as one of the most visited and best properties on the Las Vegas Strip.
At the nearby Cosmopolitan, the resort continues its recent pace of new restaurants and attractions with the renovation of the Chandelier Bar, which is slated for an August reopening.
The Cosmopolitan recently improved its gaming area and sportsbook operations by relocating the sportsbook from the second floor to the first floor, and turned over its operations to CG Technology.
It’s also looking for a new occupant for its vacant Rose.Rabbit.Lie. showroom, which has been empty since Vegas Nocturne closed two years ago in July.
Adding several restaurants also is drawing in more visitors off the Las Vegas Strip, as well as locals looking for unique dining experiences.
