Maybe there was something about allowing The Cromwell to serve as the setting for the CBS television series Love Island that inspired Caesars Entertainment.
The boutique-sized Strip resort, one of Caesars’ last remaining casinos on the Strip still shuttered since March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen next week, but with a twist: All guests must be age 21 and older.
The policy change marks the Cromwell as the first Strip resort to institute such a plan. The all-new Circa Casino Resort in downtown Las Vegas, which opens on Wednesday, has a similar age 21 and older rule. The Cromwell will reopen on Thursday morning.
The only location inside The Cromwell that will allow patrons under age 21 will be GIADA, the restaurant operated by Giada De Laurentiis.
Global Market Advisors Director of Government Affairs Brendan Bussmann viewed Cromwell’s move as more of a test case in the market rather than an operating plan similar to the one that Circa has implemented.
“It’s probably one of the few properties on the Strip that you can do this with because of the scope of product offering,” Bussmann said. “While Circa has said they are focused on the same 21-plus crowd, we will have to see if this is a long term play or something that is focused on the current climate. I’d view it was a test more than a trend.”
Last month, MGM Resorts International reopened Park MGM on the Strip as a full non-smoking resort.
The Cromwell, which has just 188 rooms – including 19 suites – and a rooftop pool deck that is also home to a nightclub, was the setting this summer for the reality television series in which single men and women looking for romance are left adrift on an island setting.
Planet Hollywood reopened earlier this month, leaving the Rio, which is located just west of the Strip on the other side of Interstate 15, as the only property in the Caesars portfolio that has not reopened in Las Vegas.
Caesars sold the Rio last year to a New York investment group. The company manages the hotel-casino under a lease agreement.
Cromwell General Manager Ken Janssen said the standalone boutique hotel offers a much different experience than neighboring resorts that have as many as 4,000 rooms. He said Cromwell guests expect a focus on “hospitality, amenities, and personalized service.”
Janssen added that the hotel-casino will operate under Nevada’s current health and safety guidelines.
In addition to GIADA, The Cromwell will reopen the casino, including its William Hill-branded sportsbook, eatwell for casual dining, and several bars and lounges, including Drai’s Lounge, located at Drai’s After Hours.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
