Emerald Island Casino in downtown Henderson southeast of Las Vegas has unveiled plans for a property expansion at some unknown date. In addition, General Manager Tim Brooks, who also oversees the Rainbow Club next door under the same ownership, was recommended for approval by the Gaming Control Board last week and will appear before the Nevada Gaming Commission Oct. 23 for full licensing.
Emerald Island is seeking approval from Henderson officials to allow for improvements to their casino in the Water Street District. It had received approval previously, but those entitlements have since expired.
The proposal includes a 14,500-square-foot expansion, bringing the overall building size to 37,740 square feet. Additionally, the overall site is being expanded from approximately 1.4 acres to approximately three acres.
Emerald Island is proposing covered outdoor patios, integrated planters with landscaping and seating areas, canopies and awnings at entries, and brick veneer on
the façade.
The applicant has also requested permission to vacate Navy Street and the alley just north of it, which are no longer needed for vehicular circulation due to the planned expansion. This will allow the site to extend farther north to incorporate additional on-street parking spaces. Adjacent businesses that previously relied on these rights-of-way have closed and their associated buildings have been demolished.
As proposed, Navy Street will serve as the new primary entrance to Emerald Island, featuring a porte-cochère. Vehicle access to the site will be available from Pacific Avenue and Panama, Market, and Army streets.
“According to the applicant, this project represents a significant reinvestment in the Water Street District,” the city of Henderson said in a report. It will add internal amenities to the casino, while enhancing the appearance of the main entrance along Market Street. The project also encourages infill development and makes efficient use of existing infrastructure and services, supporting continued investment and activity in the downtown area.”
Brooks, former co-owner of Emerald Island and Rainbow Club, sold it in January 2024 to ECL Water Street headed by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone. They selected Brooks as the general manager, given his history with the properties and their 350 employees.
“Mr. Brooks is one of the leading authorities on gaming in downtown Henderson and you could not have a better person leading that team there,” Board Chair Mike Dreitzer said.
Dreitzer asked Brooks about the prospects of the downtown Henderson market moving forward from struggles in the past.
“I’m optimistic about our future,” Brooks said. “The perception of downtown Henderson changed when the Golden Knights partnered with the city, tore down the old Henderson Convention Center on Water Street, and built an arena for the Silver Knights. At that time in 2018 and 2019, the Golden Knights were the talk of the town and everybody wanted to be a part of it. When other businesses saw the Golden Knights take a leap of faith in downtown Henderson, it put Water Street on the map.”
With the growth of Henderson, Brooks said east Henderson gets overlooked, but Cadence there is one of the top five fastest growing master plans with more than 12,000 homes when built out. Other development are on the way toward Lake Las Vegas and some 1,000 people a month move into Henderson, whose population could approach 400,000 by the end of the decade, Brooks said.
“I think downtown Henderson has turned the corner in the locals market,” Brooks said. “It’s very competitive with the Boulder Strip’s many non-restricted locations and hundreds of restricted locations, so there’s competition for that entertainment and gambling dollar.”
The two casinos have 150,000 people in their database, Brooks said. The properties don’t have table games.
“The slots are where the money is for us,” Brooks said. “To make money in a pit, you need volume, which is hard to get and you’re giving up valuable real estate. Two or three table games would be 25 to 40 slots. I have nothing against table games, but our guests want machines.”
Brooks said the expansion is needed, especially the casino floor and food and beverage area. “Hopefully it will be soon, but we don’t have a firm date on that as of yet.”
