Durango Casino & Resort Las Vegas Set for November Opening

Article ByDavid Weir

August 7, 2023

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Posted in: Nevada Gambling News, US Casino News

Las Vegas is set to welcome another new casino to its repertoire later this year with the opening of the Durango Casino & Resort on November 20.

The $780 million project, managed by Red Rock Resorts and its subsidiary, Station Casinos, is pending its expected regulatory approval for the winter launch. That’s according to a new press release from Red Rock Resorts owners Station Casinos.

The resort is located on South Durango Drive near the 215 Beltway, a rapidly growing but casino-light part of the Las Vegas Valley, located just off of the south end of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

As well as announcing the opening, Red Rock also debuted its 60-foot-high illuminated LED sign. Over the weekend, it has been showing announcements on the casino’s debut to drivers heading by on the Las Vegas Beltway ring road.

Related: Our comprehensive guide to the best online casinos in Nevada

Ready to Go

When opened, the Durango Casino & Resort will feature more than 200 hotel rooms, 15 restaurants, a resort pool with cabanas, and a dynamic casino environment.

The resort aims to cater to the locals market, offering an exceptional gaming experience, personalized hospitality, premier restaurants, and convenient access along the I-215.

Lorenzo Fertitta, chairman of Station Casinos, assured that the opening would be a “full-fledged” one.

“When we open properties, every aspect of the property is open, ready to go. We’ll open the doors and let her rip for the customers,” Fertitta said, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The resort has already begun looking at job applicants through an internal recruitment campaign, and plans to kick off external hiring on August 14, with approximately 1,500 positions needed to staff the resort.

After the Durango resort opens, Red Rock is also looking at further expansion throughout the Las Vegas area.

It has plans for another casino in the southeast valley’s Inspirada development, and a second phase in the Durango property that would bring more casino capacity and more entertainment options.

Red Rock, a favored casino destination for high-profile Republicans because of its billionaire owners’ political affiliations, operates a dozen casinos already across Nevada.

Its larger operations include flagship Red Rock Casino venue, just off the central Las Vegas Strip and the soon-to-be revamped Green Valley Ranch in Henderson.

Q2 Earnings and the Nevada Market

The opening date announcement for the Durango came during the second quarter (Q2) earnings call for Red Rock Resorts on Thursday.

Red Rock’s Q2 net revenue hit $416.1 million, which is historically a good result – but it represents a decline from the past two years. Revenues were down $6.1 million (1.5%) from 2022. Profits, at $175.3 million, were also down from 2022, declining $13.6 million (7.2%) compared to the same period last year.

However, officials emphasized that while yearly comparisons might show declines, it was actually the third best Q2 in Red Rock Resorts’ history.

This reflects a wider trend for Las Vegas casinos. In recent months, many have posted strong numbers, but still declined year-on-year against the record-breaking 2022.

On the other hand, Durango Casino & Resort is just one of several new casino projects set to launch in the near future, which shows operators aren’t hugely worried by the year-on-year dip.

The $4.9 billion Fontainebleau Las Vegas, in development for some 15 years, is penciled in for a December launch (although a recent fire could see some delays to that). The LGBTQ-friendly Queen Las Vegas boutique hotel and casino gaming lounge also is looking to launch in Fall 2023.