At 84, Kenny Epstein has exceeded the normal retirement age by almost 20 years. In his office at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas, where he serves as Chairman and CEO, he is surrounded by paperwork and documents that require his attention.
There’s also golf on the office TV. He could be at home, watching and relaxing. But instead, he’s talking to a reporter from CDC Gaming, concentrating on the task at hand.
“If I didn’t come here every day, who would talk to me?,” Epstein says.” Every day, I want to come here and see what’s going on.”
The El Cortez was built in 1941 and retains the patina of days gone by. When you enter, a doorman will likely greet you and ask if you’re having a good day. A spiral staircase leads to the offices, where Epstein and Mike Nolan, El Cortez Chief Operating Officer, preside. There’s a piano in the lobby and memorabilia scattered through the casino that reminds a visitor of the El Cortez’s origins.
Epstein credits most of his management style to his mentor, the late Jackie Gaughan, who bought the El Cortez in 1963 and made a point of being on the gaming floor almost every day. Epstein and Nolan follow suit, walking the casino floor often, greeting employees and customers.
“Jackie was the best, and what an example he set for us,” Epstein says. “We’re just following his lead. Even though he passed away a long time ago, we’re just following his lead. And we’re sprucing up the old place. I’m sure he’d be very proud of it.”
In 2025, the El Cortez began a $22 million renovation to make the casino more appealing to younger players. Epstein says the improvements include 200 new slot machines; a high-limit area; two new bars, the Showbar and Roulette Bar; and a new Asian-themed restaurant, Hot Noods.
Reactions have been positive.
“People love coming down here because it’s old Las Vegas,” Epstein says. “But instead of being an old, worn-out place, we’ve fixed it up.”
Epstein says the improvements are meant to appeal to a new generation of gamblers. The average age of customers used to be 54; now it’s 34. Epstein says appealing to a younger crowd is a part of any business that want to evolve.
Part of the El Cortez’s appeal is that it has the feeling of an older property but brings in newer and younger customers who want to feel like they are in old Las Vegas but want modern amenities.
Epstein started his career in the gambling industry in 1966 at Caesars Palace. He says it might have been “the greatest place ever,” with something going on all the time, from the entertainers to the best-known gamblers from across the United States.
Part of his mission is to capture the spirit of those times at the El Cortez.
“We want to show the world Las Vegas, and we want to show you that you can see the owners every day,” Epstein says.
“When a customer sees you talking nicely to an employee, he thinks ‘that’s a good guy,’” he adds. “I got to perform, too. And if you do that, it’s not pretending.”
Epstein raves about the changes that have happened over the past decade in Las Vegas, and to downtown. He’s a fan of the NHL’s Las Vegas Golden Knights and NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, and anticipates more excitement when MLB’s Athletics take up residence in the city in 2028.
He also appreciates efforts to revitalize downtown, notably by the late Tony Hsieh, Co-Founder of Zappos, who invested in properties and was responsible for cleaning up problem areas; and Derek Stevens, Owner of the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, The D Las Vegas (formerly Fitzgeralds) and the Circa Resort & Casino, which opened in 2020 and was the first new property downtown in years.
“It’s the best thing to happen to us because anybody who spends a billion dollars in your neighborhood makes your place worth more,” Epstein says.
“We’re doing the best we can with this place,” he adds, “and it’s turned out great, and people love it. That makes me happy.”
