This time, the Palms has the advantage of a Las Vegas market that might need more capacity soon. However, as challengers for the young market came onto the Vegas scene, such as the Cosmopolitan at the center of The Strip, the Palms had a difficult time keeping up with the ever-changing Las Vegas landscape and the fickle nature of a demographic that’s always looking for the next trendy thing. And the 55th-floor Ghostbar, with a glass floor, was one of the hottest and hardest-to-get-into nightspots in Vegas. The Palms got a huge lift-off in its early days when it was featured as the locale for one of the first reality TV shows, The Real World on MTV, that made it a must-see attraction for younger visitors. But it is just off the Interstate 15 exit on Flamingo Road, which means that locals can take the highway and visit a casino with a Strip vibe without having to deal with the crowded tourist activity of The Strip itself. For starters, it’s not really within walking distance of The Strip so casino-hopping tourists can’t stroll in on foot. Its location on Flamingo Road, about 1.5 miles from the Strip, is an interesting mix of advantage and disadvantage. When the Palms opened more than 20 years ago, it tried to straddle two markets – the locals market during the week, Monday to Thursday, and a hip, younger market, Friday to Sunday. Several blocks to the east, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (the former Hard Rock casino), the Mohegan Sun Tribe of Connecticut has substantial operational responsibilities but ownership includes British billionaire Richard Branson.

The tribe’s ownership marks a first for Las Vegas in that the casino-resort is fully owner-operated by Native American interests.

In the midst of the shutdown, the San Manuel Tribe of Mission Indians agreed to purchase the Palms for a reported $650 million from Red Rock Resorts. After it took over the Palms, Red Rock began a renovation of more than $600 million but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Las Vegas was shut down. More than two decades ago, the casino-resort was opened by members of the Maloof family when they also owned the NBA’s Sacramento Kings at a moment when it was considered ground-breaking to have such a close connection between pro sports and a casino.Įventually, the casino-resort was sold to Red Rock, a subsidiary of Station Casinos, in 2016. The Palms’ current ownership by the San Manuel Tribe of Mission Indians is history in itself.

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