The Sad Downward Slide Of Las Vegas Club

You’re walking on one of the side streets from the Fremont Street Experience.  A voice in the shadows whispers “Pssst….I’ve got some furniture from Fontainebleau Hotel…really cheap!”.  Take my advice and keep walking.  If you don’t, your home might slide off the same cliff as Dowtown Grand, Plaza Hotel, and most drastically, Las Vegas Club.

Former main entrance to Las Vegas Club registration counter

If you think I’m kidding, just look at the evidence.  Each property had been neglected for many years, and in the case of Downtown Grand, vacant since its closure as Lady Luck.  All three purchased furnishings and floor coverings at fire-sale prices from the ill-fated Fontainebleau monstrosity on the north Strip.  And each one subsequently tumbled from a peak of lofty promises into a pit of restaurant closures, failed shows, walled-off areas and desperate gimmicks to win back gamblers and guests.

Rows of deactivated slot machines were a common sight before this area was walled off completely

You might scoff at the notion that three properties failed because of their connection to the biggest debacle in Vegas history.  As for this writer, it’s as good an explanation as the ones that usually get tossed around.  We’re talking poor management.  A too-vague demographic target.  A “let’s-see-what-sticks” business philosophy.  And one of my favorites: the lack of a cohesive “theme”.

That final theory applies best at Downtown Grand. a hodgepodge of brick, neon, exposed steel, ceiling-mounted artwork and chandeliers hanging above plastic dining chairs that is so scattershot it can make you queasy.  Count me among the many who think that they should have just stayed with the “Lady Luck” moniker and brought the property up to modern standards.  The same could be said for Sahara,  which should have been re-invented instead of slapping three meaningless letters (SLS) above the doors and expecting California trust-fund D.B.’s to pour in (they didn’t).

Darkened area near the Player’s Club desk, gift shop and snack bar

Of the three Downtown properties, only Las Vegas Club had a true theme–sports memorabilia.  Yes, that really is a mock-up of a stadium exterior on the LVC facade.  Not that you’d pay much attention…or even notice it–by casually walking by.  Now the frontage is obscured by the Main Street Stage, a Slotzilla landing tower and the Fremont Street Experience canopy. Stir in the fact that much of the casino facing Fremont Street has been turned into a generic gift shop, and most visitors might not even realize that a 410-room hotel exists there.

Inside, the sports motif was once rich with memorabilia and collections.  The remaining few are still on the walls leading into the long-defunct Upper Deck restaurant. That favorite of late-night diners was closed long before my first stay at LVC, but that didn’t stop me from venturing up there to sneak a few unfortunately-blurry photos (before getting caught by security).

Remnants of the Upper Deck second-floor coffee shop

The inevitable closure of Las Vegas Club’s hotel was preceded by the shuttering of just about everything else – the showroom, snack bar, Tinocco’s Kitchen restaurant, gift shop, Frisky’s Bar/Lounge, Player’s Club desk and more than half of the casino. What’s sad is that the rooms themselves weren’t bad, especially in the newer North Tower.  They were spacious, relatively clean and easy in-and-out with six functioning elevators.  The older tower had only two elevators, with one usually out of service. But when rates were sometimes under $20 (in 2010 I stayed in a renovated king room for $14) and NO RESORT FEES, there was very little to complain about.

The former Tinocco’s Kitchen take-out counter and corridor to the restaurant

And yet, Tamares Group, the London firm that acquired Las Vegas Club in 2004 (along with Plaza, Western and Gold Spike) seemed to have very little interest in regarding their aging property as anything more than an also-ran.  LVC frequently diverted its guests to newly-remodeled Plaza, even when charging the much lower LVC rates. Towards the end, the hotel was only accepting guests for weekend stays.

Another blurred shot of the closed-down reservation desk, taken through the doors

With the sale of Gold Spike (2007) and The Western (2013), along with the closure of LVC’s hotel rooms in April of 2013, there was every reason to expect that the Plaza flagship property would soar to new heights.  Instead, as with Las Vegas Club before it, restaurants have shuttered, the Bier Garten was stillborn, the salon has closed, the fitness center has yet to be renovated and the “Z” nightclub and comedy club are walled off from the casino. The Plaza’s classic old showroom, which was home to the long-running Rat Pack Is Back, now hosts a pseudo-gameshow starring Todd Bridges from Different Strokes (really?).

Player’s Club desk was eventually merged with the casino cage

Jonathan Jossel is CEO of PlayLV, the company that has operated the Plaza and its sister property across the street. With the announcement LVC’s sale to Derek and Greg Stevens (owners of Golden Gate and The D), Jossel seems intent to focus strictly on Plaza.  In a statement issued last week, he said “We are excited by the opportunities this sale creates for Tamares and PlayLV, and that the new owner shares our commitment to the Fremont Street area and the continued growth of downtown Las Vegas.”

A pretty enthusiastic announcement, but one that rings hollow when considering the degree of deterioration that has plagued his own hotels. With a rumor of Downtown Grand going on the selling block in the coming weeks, let’s hope that Tamares and PlayLV stay out of the picture.

As for that Fountainbleu furniture? It quickly became tattered, stained, and worn out, too.

Photos: Greg C., Sammasseur

sammasseur

A fitness buff and Vegas fan. Sam enjoys shows, bargains, and cheap healthy eats.