Downtown - Old Vegas

Downtown Las Vegas will continue to evolve next year. This part of town was considered “Old Vegas” when I first started visiting Sin City. The old casinos in the area were in a bit of disrepair. Playing blackjack on tables with cigarette burns was charming but it wasn’t the kind of experience most people are looking for on vacation.
 

Circa opened its casino in downtown Las Vegas on October 28 and it’s everything we were promised – and then some. Casinos often make lofty announcements and share super slick renderings to get people excited. This tactic works to build buzz before the property is open. Unfortunately, the real-life experience doesn’t always meet the hype.
 

When we think of Las Vegas our attention is usually focused on the casinos and activities available inside the properties. Sometimes there’s a need to go outside and get some fresh air. These relaxing moments with a drink, bite, a cup of coffee, or whatever can set up the day and night in Las Vegas.
 

Sigma Derby has a small but incredibly passionate fanbase. The coin-operated horse racing game that was introduced in 1985, only exists in only one casino in the US. The D Las Vegas is the only casino that still has a Sigma Derby game in the country.
 

The Gallery Tower at Downtown Grand is now accepting room reservations for guests visiting beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22. It’s entirely possible you forgot about the expansion at Downtown Grand. The announcement came around the same time as Circa Resort & Casino announced it would start construction in January of 2019.
 

The vast majority of my friends visiting Las Vegas stay on the Vegas Strip. Much like me, they love the more upscale experience that the huge casinos offer. That said, they often want to spend some time in downtown Las Vegas. This part of Sin City offers a different experience than the Vegas Strip and it’s a fun way to change up a trip.
 

The transformation from the Stratosphere to The Strat is finally complete. The multi-year overhaul of the casino and resort started in 2018. Much of the work to the property was visible throughout the year. The culmination of the renovation was marked by a star-studded celebration in mid-January 2020.
 

The D Las Vegas opened on Fremont Street in 2012. It took less than a decade for the casino-hotel to become a favorite for revelers in downtown Las Vegas. The good gaming rules, clean and modern hotel rooms at affordable prices, and party atmosphere draw all kinds of visitors to the property.
 

In conjunction with the Downtown Grand’s five-year anniversary, the company recently announced an expansion. The hotel-casino will be adding a new hotel tower. The expansion will increase the footprint of its hospitality space by over 250,000 square feet. Construction on the new tower should be open by mid-2020.
 

It’s been more than three years since Derek and Greg Stevens purchased the Las Vegas Club casino in downtown Las Vegas. In that time, the owners of The D and Golden Gate casino have made some more deals. They have taken their time to reveal plans for the new casino that will be built on the land once occupied by multiple casinos, a strip club and more.
 

It’s nearly impossible to keep track of every single party, show and special event happening on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. If you look at the event listings on pollstar, you’ll see that the big events actually start shortly after Christmas and continue into the new year.
 

Downtown Las Vegas continues to evolve. The reimagination of downtown Las Vegas isn’t new. The Arts District and Fremont East areas have already changed how many people look at downtown Las Vegas. The massive music, entertainment, and arts festival Life Is Beautiful is bringing people to the area that might have never even considered visiting “old Vegas.”
 

Downtown Las Vegas can sometimes seem like an exotic destination away from the Vegas Strip. Truth be told, it’s only about a 15-minute car ride north into historic old Vegas. There is a mall of casinos, museums, coffee shops, art galleries and even an outdoor mall for the family. Downtown Las Vegas isn’t the Vegas Strip but it’s definitely Las Vegas.
 

According to the most recent Las Vegas Visitors Profile, 57% of visitors to Las Vegas make a trip to downtown Las Vegas. The Vegas experience is completely different when you add a day or night adventure downtown to the mix.
 

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved the ownership transfer of SLS Las Vegas to The Meruelo Group. The casino-hotel built on the bones of the Saraha was previously owned by Stockbridge Capital Group. The Meruelo Group adds the 1,616-room, three-tower resort-casino, including the W Las Vegas to its casino holdings which include the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV.
 

This summer the free concert series at the Fremont Street Experience returns once again. The mall of casinos has free entertainment all year ‘round but the summer series takes the entertainment to another level. The summer concert series brings nationally touring bands that you’d typically pay to see. Instead, you can see the bands for free during a beautiful Vegas night.
 

Last year, Golden Entertainment purchased the Stratosphere and three other casinos for $850 million. If Golden Entertainment doesn’t ring a bell, then maybe PT’s Pub does. They’re the parent company of taverns all over the state of Nevada.
 

Getting around Las Vegas is fairly simple. It isn’t too difficult to navigate the Vegas Strip or downtown Las Vegas. It’s easy to figure out the non-touristy areas of Las Vegas once you learn the highway system and local streets.
 

Las Vegas has become the place to be in America for New Year’s Eve. Times Square might have tradition of dropping the ball at midnight but that’s so 1900′s. Las Vegas has more extravagant entertainment and parties than you’ll find in New York City. The fireworks at midnight on the Vegas Strip have become iconic over the years. The days surrounding the change of years are probably the busiest in Las Vegas.
 

Football season is here! Temperatures for the opening weekend of college football in Las Vegas have dipped below 110. Seriously, though, high temperatures in Las Vegas should be below 100 soon. The sportsbook might be the best place to enjoy football in Las Vegas, but it isn’t the only place.
 
There’s a new football party where you can enjoy the games outside but shielded from the sun. Beginning Sunday, September 10, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center will be showing NFL games. The space will be known as the “Downtown Watch Zone” and will be the largest Downtown Las Vegas football viewing party.