The Suncoast Hotel & Casino opened in 2000 in the affluent Summerlin area of west Las Vegas, where there’s strong gaming competition. Twenty years later, the property is undergoing a major renovation that includes a new stadium-style sportsbook, doubling of meeting space, and the creation of a food hall that’s been the latest trend in the casino industry.
Boyd Gaming announced its plans Tuesday at an event at the property and is building on work that began in 2023. By the time everything is finished, “an all-new modern experience” will be created, according to company executives.
“We’re dedicated to keeping our properties updated and refreshed,” David Strow, Boyd’s long-time vice president of corporate communications, told CDC Gaming Reports in an interview. “This will be a completely different property when we’re done — brighter and more modern. Suncoast has been very successful for us and a very popular property, but it opened 24 years ago and is in need of a modernization to help the property continue growing and evolving in the area of Las Vegas it serves.”
The northern end of Summerlin is undergoing massive home building as more and more Californians relocate to Las Vegas. The property is adjacent to the Rampart Casino and three miles northwest of the Red Rock Casino Resort that opened in 2006. It’s 11 miles north of the newly opened Durango Casino & Resort in southwest Las Vegas along the 215 Beltway.
Boyd Gaming and Red Rock Resorts both cater to local residents in their neighborhoods and have cited migration from California for boosting bottom lines with coveted higher-end players.
“There’s been a lot of growth in Summerlin over the years and a lot of those customers may not have come to Suncoast,” Strow said. “It’s our job to give them a reason to check us out. It’s also about our existing customers and we want to make sure we’re delivering a product that’s competitive and modern.”
In 2023, Suncoast debuted a new high-limit room, providing a more intimate and upscale gaming experience. It also opened William B’s Steakhouse.
Work will accelerate in the coming days on a state-of-the-art sportsbook near the east entrance to the casino where the showroom is currently located. Live entertainment will take place in meeting spaces in the future.
The stadium-style sports-viewing experience will include one of the largest high-resolution, wrap-around, LED screens in the Las Vegas valley when it opens by football season, Strow said. “A modern-style stadium experience is what guests are looking for these days.”
The existing sportsbook will be turned into the bingo room, which is being relocated from the second floor and will open in 2025. The current 600-seat bingo room will be turned into additional meeting space in the future.
In addition, the 95,000-square-foot casino floor will be transformed with an updated and modern feel that includes a 70-seat raised center bar, which will modernize the look and feel of the property as guests enter through the porte-cochère doors, Strow said.
“The new center bar will be the most striking new feature. Today, it’s the table-game pit, but what we’re going to create there will have a specially designed chandelier and will be elevated above the casino floor. It will hit customers when they walk in that this is not the old Suncoast. It’s a brand new entertainment experience.”
In the future, Suncoast will add a food hall in the space previously occupied by the buffet, closed since the pandemic. No date or details on the food outlets have been determined as yet.
“We’ve had great success with a food hall at the Fremont (in downtown Las Vegas) that opened in January 2023,” Strow said. “It’s very popular and doing well and an amenity that we’re seeing a lot of demand for. I know others in our industry have had great success with food halls in both the locals’ market and on the Strip. This is an amenity that resonates with customers.”
Among other work, the hotel front desk and check-in area will also be renovated.
