Plaza Hotel & Casino

This article is about the downtown Las Vegas casino. For the planned Las Vegas Strip casino, see Las Vegas Plaza.
Plaza Hotel and Casino
Location Downtown Las Vegas
Address 1 Main Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Opening date July 2, 1971
Theme Classic
Number of rooms 1,037
Total gaming space 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2)
Permanent shows Lovers or Losers
Signature attractions Players Club
Notable restaurants Oscar's Steakhouse
Hash House A Go Go
Casino type Land-based
Owner Tamares Group
Operating license holder Navegante Group
Previous names Union Plaza
Renovated in 2004, 2011
Website www.plazahotelcasino.com

The Plaza Hotel & Casino is a casinohotel located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada owned by the Tamares Group, and PlayLV is the leaseholder and operator of the property. It currently has 1,037 rooms and suites, as well as an 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m2) casino and there is more than 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) of event space. The Plaza also features a classic showroom, seasonal roof top swimming pool, and fitness center, as well as a race and sports book.

The Plaza began an extensive $35 million renovation project at the end of 2010 that included brand new guestrooms and suites, an entirely remodeled casino floor and lobby, and all new restaurants, bars and entertainment options.[1] The renovations utilize contemporary furnishings and materials purchased from the Fontainebleau Resort after it suspended construction on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel and the full casino reopened on September 1, 2011.

History

Las Vegas Union Pacific Station

Union Pacific Station, Las Vegas, ca. 1930–1945

Prior to the construction of the casino, part of the site was used for a Streamline Moderne train station.[2] Constructed in 1940, the station was upgraded with neon lights in 1946.[3] This station existed until the 1970s when it was demolished and replaced by the Union Plaza Hotel which included a new station.

Union Plaza Hotel and Casino

Opened on July 2, 1971 with the owners including local businessmen: Sam Boyd, Frank Scott, Howard Cannon and Jackie Gaughan. Its original name was Union Plaza, in reference to the Union Pacific railroad station that originally stood at the site.

From 1990 to 1992, the red neon object was installed at the top of the neon sign.

Before the discontinuation of the Desert Wind train route on May 10, 1997, Amtrak made its Las Vegas, Nevada station near the Plaza. The station and ticket windows were directly connected to the hotel. It was the only train station in the United States located in a casino.

Plaza

Barrick Gaming Corporation acquired the Plaza from Jackie Gaughan and in late 2005 later ceded operation to majority owner Tamares Group. On July 1, 2005 after Tamares took control of the Plaza mayor Oscar Goodman made his opinions clear in an article in the Las Vegas Press. He said If I had my druthers, I would like to have somebody in place to discuss imploding the Plaza.[4] He was referring to his desire to see the Plaza replaced with new construction that would create a scenic entrance to Union Park.

During its ownership by Barrick Gaming Corporation, D.W. Barrick's good friend, Larry Manetti (who played Orville "Rick" Wright on the television show Magnum, P.I.) hosted a celebrity brunch every Sunday, featuring such guests as Pat Morita and Steve Rossi. He also owned Manetti's in the Plaza. When Barrick sold its interest in the hotel to the Tamares Group, Manetti closed his restaurant and severed his relationship with the hotel. The Plaza's famed glass dome is now the home of Oscar's Steakhouse, mutually influenced by Las Vegas former mayor Oscar Goodman and the Plaza itself.

The hotel closed for renovations on November 11, 2010, and acquired furniture, carpets and fixtures from the bankrupt Fontainebleau Resort Las Vegas project on the Strip.[5] From November, 2010 to August, 2011, the Plaza still operated its sports & racebook, showroom, one bar, and a portion of the casino. By March 2011, the south tower had been renovated, and the casino finished renovations and re-opened on August 24, 2011.[6] The hotel again opened for business on September 1, 2011.[7]

In 2014, the Plaza announced that a new 3,500-seat facility would be constructed at the hotel to become the new home arena for the Las Vegas Wranglers minor league hockey team of the ECHL.[8] However, the hockey team suspended operations for the 2014-15 season and would eventually fold mid-season.

The Plaza at night

Film

Television

The syndicated Ultimate Poker Challenge has been taped at the Plaza as well as the currently-running National Wrestling Alliance program NWA Wrestling Showcase, airing on Colours TV.

CBS finished production early in 2010 of a show called The Odds that will take place at the Plaza Hotel as well as along the Fremont Street Experience starring Donald Faison.[9]

In a 1991 episode of Murder She Wrote - A Killing in Vegas, the Plaza Hotel can been seen in two scenes. The first is where Jessica is seen coming out of the Hotel she is staying at and the Lobby Entrance Canopy lights can clearly been seen. The second is just before the victim gets murdered and the scene shows a quick glimpse of Fremont Street from the Pioneer looking up the street towards the Plaza at the top of the road (the name Plaza can clearly be seen.)

Music videos

References

  1. Finnegan, Amanda (23 June 2011). "Renovation is transforming downtown’s Plaza Hotel". Vegas Inc (Las Vegas). Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  2. "Art Deco Train Stations". Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  3. "UP Railroad Station 1946 – Las Vegas". Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  4. "New land baron moves on downtown".
  5. "Plaza gets Strip stuff at Downtown prices". Las Vegas Sun. 2010-010-07. Retrieved 2010-010-7. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
  6. O'Reiley, Tim (25 August 2011). "Fresh look for downtown's Plaza". Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas). Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  7. "Infographic", Plaza Hotel & Casino. Retrieved on 26 June 2013.
  8. Katsilometes, John (2014-02-14). "Wranglers' search for a new home in Las Vegas ends at the Plaza". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  9. "The Odds (2010) (TV)". IMDb. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  10. Kim, Emmeline (October 2, 2013). "Iggy Azalea Calls 'The New Classic' A Sonic & Visual Hip Hop Experiment". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
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Coordinates: 36°10′18″N 115°08′47″W / 36.17175°N 115.14651°W / 36.17175; -115.14651

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