Durango Casino and Resort opens in southwest Las Vegas valley
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It’s the day residents of the southwest Las Vegas valley have been waiting for since 2021. The Durango Casino and Resort opens its doors Tuesday.
The 15-story $780 million property built by Station Casinos will celebrate its grand opening more than two years after the company gained approval to build the resort on a 71-acre plot acquired by Station Casinos in 2000.
The 200-room resort includes 15 restaurants and a pool. Being the only casino resort in a 5-mile radius, Durango is set to accommodate Las Vegas locals.
When Station Casinos received approval to build Durango in 2021, a second phase was discussed that would see the construction of a second hotel tower and space for a theater and more entertainment. Additional gaming space would also be accounted for in the new construction.
Countdown to Durango: A Timeline
On May 3, 2021, Red Rock Resorts Inc., the publicly traded parent company of Station Casinos, announced the sale of Palms Casino Resort and drew focus to plans for a significant project at Durango and the 215 Beltway.
On July 29, 2021, Station Casinos announced its intent to move forward with the long-awaited casino property near South Durango Drive and the 215 Beltway.
On Aug 31, 2021, the Spring Valley Town Advisory Board approved plans for the resort.
On Oct 6, 2021, the Clark County Commission approved plans for the resort’s construction, as Station Casinos revealed the first renderings of what would become Durango Casino and Resort.
On Mar. 11, 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony was held as construction of the 200-room Station Casinos offering began.
In Aug. 2022, a model of what would become Durango Casino and Resort was on display at Red Rock Resort in Summerlin, giving locals a first look at what the property would eventually look like
On Oct. 3, 2022, the final beam was added to the Durango Casino and Resort as the tower was topped off and work neared completion.
On June 30, the resort’s Durango logo was activated for the first time ahead of the resort’s public opening.
On Aug. 3, Station Casinos announced the opening date of Nov. 20 for Durango. That date would be slightly delayed in the month before its grand opening. Additionally, the marquee for the resort and casino lit for the first time.
On Sept. 22, it was announced that Station Casinos had hired more than half of its expected 1,450 employees for the opening of Durango.
On Oct. 9, Durango started accepting reservations for its rooms and suites, with options ranging from top-floor suites to Resort king and queen rooms.
On Nov. 7, Sation Casinos announced that locals would be forced to wait just a little bit longer to step foot inside Durango for the first time as the opening was delayed from its original Nov. 20 date to Dec. 5.
On Dec. 5, a ribbon cutting marked the opening of Durango Casino and Resort in southwest Las Vegas.
Durango is Las Vegas’s first new casino resort in two and a half years — when Resorts World opened on the north side of the Strip. That 66-story property opened in June 2021.
Now open: Sights and sounds
This is a developing story. Stay with 8newsnow.com for more information as it becomes available.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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