The casino closures in downtown Las Vegas due to the coronavirus pandemic allowed the construction teams working on Circa Casino Resort to actually speed up the process. Before COVID-19, work on the hotel-casino project – downtown’s first all-new resort in 40 years – would halt in mid-afternoon, so as not to disturb business at nearby properties.
But with the Fremont Street Experience and downtown halls silenced since mid-March, construction continued around the clock. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak deemed construction an essential business at the outset of the pandemic, citing the jobs it provided.
“Our partners from McCarthy Building said they could work more hours and could work through the night,” developer Derek Stevens said Friday after celebrating the topping off of the 458-foot hotel tower with the ceremonial final beam.
That fact led to his surprise announcement last week.
Stevens will open Circa’s two-story casino, three-level sportsbook, four of the property’s five planned restaurants, and the fifth-floor rooftop pool amphitheater on October 28 – three months ahead of schedule.
The 777-room Circa hotel is still scheduled to open in December. According to a statement, room reservations will go live Wednesday.
“We never thought about it. It was never planned,” Stevens said of the early opening for several aspects of the property. “It’s great that we’ll able to bring a boost to downtown in October.”
Stevens said he contacted Nevada gaming regulators in April for approval once he realized the casino and other areas could open early.
“I talked with the chairwoman and she was supportive,” Stevens said. He expects to have about 1,000 employees when Circa opens.
In an email Sunday, Control Board Chairwoman Sandra Douglass Morgan said she did not have a concern about the “two-step opening presented by Circa.” However, “both the Board and (Nevada Gaming) Commission will ultimately have to vote on Circa’s application.”
Circa is the next step in Stevens’ vision for downtown, where he operates the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate, and the outdoor Downtown Events Center. The new resort will have the largest tower north of the Strip other than the Stratosphere.
Circa’s topping out beam heads to the roof adorned with the traditional flag and evergreen tree/Courtesy Photo
Stevens reopened the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate shortly after midnight on June 4 to large, enthusiastic crowds. He said visitation on weekdays has been slow, but picks up on the weekend. An airline promotion, in which Stevens gave away 2,000 one-way airline tickets to Las Vegas from more than three dozen destinations around the U.S. on five different carriers, helped boost the reopening.
Circa occupies an entire city block at the corner of the Fremont Street Experience and Main Street. The site previously housed two casinos and a strip club.
“After almost five years of hard work and planning, I’m proud to mark this significant milestone in Circa’s history,” Stevens said.
The property’s showcase pieces are its fifth-floor pool deck, which will operate year-round with six temperature-controlled pools and two spas and includes a 14-million-pixel screen to show live sports and special events.
Garage Mahal, located across Main Street, will also open in October. The high-tech transportation hub includes a dedicated ride-share area and an air-conditioned bridge connector to the resort. Stevens said it’s unclear if there will be a charge for parking at the facility.
Circa’s two-story casino will feature 1,350 slot machines and 49 table games, while the three-story, stadium-style sportsbook will have a 78-million-pixel high-definition screen – viewable throughout the casino – with the capacity to host up to 1,000 guests.
Operated by Stevens’ sports betting venture Circa Sports, the third floor will have a dedicated broadcast studio for Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN).
https://twitter.com/CDCNewswire/status/1275083768257146880?cxt=HHwWgMCrnc_7gLIjAAAA
“They will do their first broadcast on Oct. 29,” Stevens said.
Circa will also open Saginaw’s Delicatessen, Barry’s Downtown, Project BBQ, and Victory Burger & Wings Co. in October.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter
