The casino will be located at the junction of Fremont Street, Main Street, and Ogden Avenue.
Downtown Las Vegas developer and co-owner of The D Las Vegas, Derek Stevens is planning to open a 777-room hotel and casino where the Las Vegas Club Hotel & Casino once stood. The new casino will be located along the Fremont Street Experience.
In touting his upcoming development, Stevens described the neighborhood between the corner of Main and Fremont streets as, “The most important city block in the history of Las Vegas.” Derek Stevens’ proposed casino will the first bottom-up resort construction project that has taken place in years for the downtown area. Most projects in the area for the past generation have been renovations and expansions.
Stevens plans for the new hotel-casino to sit at the junction of Fremont Street, Main Street, and Ogden Avenue. The plans also include a pedestrian bridge that will sit over Main Street to connect it to an above-ground parking garage.
The project plan is set across 1,224,485-square-foot of casino and hotel along with several other amenities. Steven’s grand plans include a nightclub, a massage establishment, valet parking and a rental car facility.
20 Million Visitors per Year
Last year, the Las Vegas Club and Mermaids casinos, as well as the Glitter Gulch strip club, were leveled to make way for the new Stevens development. According to plans set in place for the hotel-casino, the building will tower 459 feet over Fremont Street.
In a recent Las Vegas-area interview, Derek Stevens said, “The significance of that location is hard to overstate, with 20 million people visiting downtown every year. We have a responsibility not just for downtown, but for all of the community to do something special there.”
“Blow the Lid off of Everything”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman believes the new design could completely transform the west end of Fremont Street. The Las Vegas city council plans a vote on approving the development in the next month, but it sounds like Stevens has major support for the idea.
Mayor Goodman said, “It’s going to blow the lid off of everything.”
What Is the Name of Derek Stevens’ New Casino?
Derek Stevens has yet to announce any specifics regarding timeline or details on design or how many rooms will be available to guests at the resort. He did mention that the name of the casino-hotel would in some way be a throwback Las Vegas reference.
Stevens did not tip his hand on the name at the moment, but said, “It will not be Las Vegas Club. We did not buy that name. We want something that would be unique to Las Vegas, and I always like to incorporate from the past because of downtown’s history.”
Fremont Street’s History
Fremont Street is where the gaming hot spot of Las Vegas began. Las Vegas’ first hotel, the Hotel Nevada, now known as the Golden Gate, was opened on Fremont Street in 1906. The historic street is known for many firsts, from the city’s first telephone in 1907 to its first high-rise in 1956.
Of course, the Northern Club received the first Nevada gaming license. Though Nevada banned gambling in the 1910s and 1920s, Fremont Street became a gaming destination in the 1930s, after the state legalized gambling, to help the state treasury during the Great Depression.
Fremont Street Experience
What is referred to as the Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is located in Downtown Las Vegas and offers many attractions that are typically enjoyed by local more often than tourists. Though for many tourists it is a must-see experience. The FSE occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street and some portions of the adjacent streets.
A giant “barrel vault canopy” is the centerpiece attraction. The canopy sits 90 ft high at the peak and stretches over four blocks, roughly 1,500 ft in length. Tourists can walk under the canopy’s lightshow, which offers a captivating LED display for pedestrians walking through. The Fremont Street Experience has recently put in for a $33 million makeover of its canopy, along with adding new content and some interactive elements.
The Fremont Street Experience offers several attractions and shows. Performers occupy sections of Fremont Street for certain hours of the day, so the attractions remain fresh throughout the day. Concerts are usually free to anyone who wants to enjoy and are held on three stages along the street.
Las Vegas may be known for their 24/7 bright lights they black out each building before each show along the FSE. The old downtown is also the location of the SlotZilla zip line attraction as well as the city’s annual televised New Year’s Eve party.
About Derek and Greg Stevens
As recently as a year ago, Derek Stevens was compared to the Steve Wynn. That might not sound like a compliment after recent events, but it was meant in a good way. Both men came to Las Vegas with no connections, but used money from a previous family business and a good bit of hard work and vision to become successful casino executives.
Derek Stevens was born in Detroit and graduated in 1990 from the University of Michigan. In 1994 he went on to obtain his MBA from Wayne State University. Derek Stevens started his climb to success in 1994, when he took over as CEO of the family business. The Cold Heading Company manufactures nuts and bolts for the automobile industry.
He began his partnership with his brother, Greg Stevens, in 2008, when the two purchased Las Vegas’ minor-league baseball team, the 51’s. The brothers later sold the team for $20 million in order to pursue more gaming opportunities. The Stevens brothers own several establishments throughout Las Vegas. Their first large purchase in 2008 was a 50% stake in the Golden Gates Hotel and Casino, which they later increased to 60%.
One of their biggest developments is the D Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. Derek and Greg purchased the Club back in 2015. The two casinos are located at opposite ends of the old downtown Las Vegas hot spot, Fremont Street. The brothers are well known in the downtown Las Vegas area, though Derek Stevens does a lot of the public relations work. The two have invested millions into renovating several casino & hotels along Fremont Street. The Stevens brothers also owns several other buildings in downtown Las Vegas which includes a 19% stake in the Riviera Hotel & Casino.
