Nevada Casino: Palms set for ‘historic’ Las Vegas reopening

Nevada Casino: Palms set for ‘historic’ Las Vegas reopening

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has praised the impending grand reopening of The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas as a “historic occasion.”

Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, The Palms Casino Resort – then owned by Red Rock Resorts – has remained closed and was purchased by the tribe and the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority for an estimated $650 million last May.

New and Improved Palms Hotel and Casino

The Palms became the first and only Native American-owned real-money casino in Las Vegas following the acquisition and has undergone an “extensive refurbishment and refresh” in preparation for its reopening. While an official opening date has not been set, Cynthia Kiser Murphey, Palms’ general manager, stated that it is expected to occur this spring. The Palms is a 31.5-acre complex with twin hotel towers located about a mile west of the Strip on Flamingo Road, directly across from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. It opened in November 2001 and was formerly owned by the Maloof family, the Sacramento Kings’ former owners. Before Station Casinos acquired the resort in 2016 and invested $620 million in the facility, a $50 million makeover was completed in 2012. 

Palms will have an 85,000-square-foot casino, roughly 700 hotel rooms and suites, meeting and conference space, a 2,500-seat theater, a pool area, and spa, as well as the Palms Place condominiums. There will be no poker room, but the property is in the process of rejuvenating the former sportsbook space and modernizing all of the technology in collaboration with a large sportsbook operator who will be disclosed soon.

“It’s historical and incredibly thrilling,” she explained. The tribe has been waiting for the appropriate time to enter the Las Vegas market for an extended time. When the Palms became available, they took their time, performed their due investigation, and determined it would be an ideal fit.”

According to Kiser Murphey, who joined the Palms in December after a 28-year career with MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, the tribe will provide “best-in-class hospitality and service” to the Palms while also embracing its “esteemed culture and history.”

Quotes from the Press Release

“Las Vegas is a unique market, and our mission will be to deliver something new, fresh, and exciting while remaining true to the San Manuel history,” Kiser Murphey stated. “The tribe’s culture is centered on the individual. It is centered on tradition, honesty, and courtesy.

“We want to educate people about San Manuel’s history, and part of that will entail getting our hands dirty and integrating ourselves deeply into the local community.” She stated that one step toward accomplishing the goal above is the continuous endeavor to recruit as many of the resorts’ 1,200 former employees as possible. The tribe has actively contacted and invited former employees to return for the last month or so.

“There is no way to overstate how critical it is for the Palms for these employees to return home,” the team’s general manager added. While it would be ideal to recovering them all, this is unlikely. However, we are attempting to rescue as many as possible.”

“(Yaamava’ Resort & Casino) is immaculate; it is certainly a model of excellence for any gaming operator, and we are extremely proud to have that as our company’s cornerstone,” Kiser Murphey remarked.

“The Palms is a desirable piece of real estate. The meticulousness is astounding. However, our immediate goal is to bring in a team to administer the resort so that when guests arrive, they will immediately feel an unbelievable feeling of welcome, hospitality, and a level of friendliness, unlike anything they have ever encountered. This facility will be as much about service as all fantastic features. We’re excited to open the doors and show the world what we’ve got in store.”

About Lou De Aguila

Lou Aguila is a news and feature writer for Golden Casino News. For over a decade, Lou has published news and featured articles for some of the most reputable sports betting and online casino sites in the world, including BetNow.UK, VegasOdds, and BWin. Apart from being a hardcore live casino punter, he also covers sports stories in North American leagues from time to time.