Red Rock Resorts is on tap to open its first Las Vegas neighborhood tavern by the end of September, with six more on the horizon, as it seeks to take market share from Golden Entertainment and other pub operators.
Operating under the brand Seventy Six by Station Casinos, the first tavern will open in North Las Vegas; a second will follow in North Las Vegas in January. Five others are in the works to be completed by early 2026.
Red Rock Resorts got the formal go-ahead to launch the tavern business Thursday when the Nevada Gaming Commission approved the licensing for the first two taverns. Each will have 15 bartop multi-game slot machines.
Red Rock executives said the new name comes from the July 1976 opening of its first property, Palace Station, just west of the Strip. The naming is part of an Americana branding of the property, including the decor and hand-crafted food offerings.
“The company believes this new tavern brand is a natural progression of the business model serving the local population,” said Marc Rubinstein, Red Rock’s attorney.
Rubinstein said the company will be back to the Gaming Control Board and Commission in December for the licensing of two other properties. It will eventually return for the licensing of three other properties it has under lease.
Commissioner Brian Krolicki said he appreciates the new brand coming to the marketplace and asked about the staffing for the first two locations.
Red Rock will have 25 employees per tavern. Each will have a general manager, assistant general manager, and kitchen manager. A director of operations will oversee the tavern division.
“I’m very supportive of this whole new initiative by the company,” said Commissioner George Markantonis.
Casino-industry consultant Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of B Global, said he sees the move as Red Rock’s trying to continue to dominate the locals market, whether on a larger scale with its casinos or capturing a share of the tavern business.
Bussmann wonders how the move into the tavern business will impact the company’s casinos. Will it draw from or add to them? He’s waiting to see how the rewards program works in tying in the two operations.
“Until we see their rewards program and how that transitions from a customer saying they can go down the street five minutes versus driving to Green Valley in 20, that’s to be determined,” Bussmann said. “The goal is to make that a seamless experience across all of their different platforms.”
Red Rock said guests will also have the opportunity to join Seventy Six’s player’s club, which will be specific to the new taverns, where members will benefit from free play, lotto bucks every hour, scratch cards, bonusing, and parties.
“Once we see how this comes to fruition and how it works, it can complement their business in some way,” Bussman said. “It depends on how that customer acts and decides to work between the two products.”
Red Rock will be competing directly against Golden Entertainment; Golden’s CEO Blake Sartini is the brother-in-law of Red Rock’s top executives, CEO Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta. Golden operates the Strat on the Strip and other casino properties that serve locals, including two Arizona Charlie’s.
“The tavern market has always been competitive here, whether it be some of the larger chains to one-offs,” Bussmann said. “It’s all about the product. It could be an interesting competition. Golden has its set of customers and various products along the way. It will be up to the consumer to decide what they want in a product. I want to see (Red Rock’s taverns) first.”
The taverns will feature 24 high-definition TVs suspended from the ceiling and pillars. The venue will offer leather seating and an app-enabled state-of-the-art jukebox.
