Green Valley Ranch Resort And Spa
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Green Valley Ranch is a
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
and
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
located within the eponymous community in
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * H ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
. It is owned and operated by
Station Casinos Station Casinos, LLC is an American hotel and casino company based in Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin South, Nevada, and founded by Frank Fertitta Jr. Station Casinos, along with Affinity Gaming, Boyd Gaming and Golden Entertainment, dominate the ...
, and includes a casino. The resort was initially proposed by
American Nevada Corporation The Greenspun Corporation (TGC) was a privately owned corporation that manages the Greenspun family assets. The company was founded by Hank Greenspun and was based in Henderson, Nevada. Subsidiaries * American Nevada Corporation- Land development ...
, which received city approval to build it in 1996. In addition to a hotel-casino, the company also planned to build a
mixed-use Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
project to accompany it. Construction began in 2000, after American Nevada partnered with Station Casinos, which would co-own and operate the property. Green Valley Ranch opened on December 18, 2001, with 201 rooms and a casino. While a
locals casino A locals casino is a casino designed primarily to attract residents of the area in which it was built rather than tourists or vacationers. The term is most commonly associated with casinos in Nevada, United States, to distinguish them from casino ...
, the resort was designed with an upscale element. Built at a cost of $300 million, it was Station's most expensive resort up to that point, and the most expensive locals casino in Las Vegas history. The resort includes various restaurants, a
Regal Cinemas Regal Cinemas (also Regal Entertainment Group) is an American movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. A division of Cineworld, Regal operates the second-largest theater circuit in the United States, with over 7,200 screens i ...
movie theater, and a spa. American Nevada's mixed-use project opened on adjacent property in 2004, as
The District at Green Valley Ranch The District at Green Valley Ranch is a mixed-use development in Green Valley Ranch, a neighborhood in the city of Henderson, Nevada. It is located east of the Green Valley Ranch hotel-casino, and includes retail, restaurant, office, and residenti ...
. A hotel expansion opened in 2005, increasing the room count to 497. Station took over full ownership of the resort in June 2011.


History


Background and construction

The resort was built in the neighborhood of
Green Valley Ranch Green Valley Ranch is a hotel and casino located within the eponymous community in Henderson, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Station Casinos, and includes a casino. The resort was initially proposed by American Nevada Corporation, which rec ...
, located within the city of
Henderson, Nevada Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Vall ...
. The Green Valley Ranch area was developed by
American Nevada Corporation The Greenspun Corporation (TGC) was a privately owned corporation that manages the Greenspun family assets. The company was founded by Hank Greenspun and was based in Henderson, Nevada. Subsidiaries * American Nevada Corporation- Land development ...
, a company owned by the
Greenspun family Greenspun (Anglicized from yi, גרינשפּון) is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Hank Greenspun (1909–1989), American newspaper publisher, and founder of the Greenspun Corporation * Philip Greenspun (born 1963), Ameri ...
. American Nevada received city approval to build a resort in 1996. In addition to a hotel and casino, the project plans also included restaurant, retail, medical, and office space. American Nevada planned to develop the project with a joint partner. The project would take 10 to 15 years to fully build out, and construction was not scheduled to begin for at least two years, pending the completion of the adjacent
Las Vegas Beltway The Las Vegas Beltway (officially named the Bruce Woodbury Beltway) is a beltway route circling three-quarters of the Las Vegas Valley in southern Nevada. The Las Vegas Beltway carries two numerical designations. Approximately of the highway, f ...
. The beltway made the property a desirable location for a resort. Some nearby homeowners opposed the project, concerned about the impact it could have on the area, although the company alleviated most concerns after holding more than 30 meetings with residents. American Nevada assured homeowners that the project would be an upscale resort and a benefit to the community. The company had planned for a 250-foot-high hotel tower, allowing for more property which would be used as scenic landscaping. However, the tower was scaled down to 80 feet after residents complained about the height. The project took years to materialize as it went through the design process, while American Nevada simultaneously awaited the completion of the nearby beltway. In September 1999, American Nevada and
Station Casinos Station Casinos, LLC is an American hotel and casino company based in Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin South, Nevada, and founded by Frank Fertitta Jr. Station Casinos, along with Affinity Gaming, Boyd Gaming and Golden Entertainment, dominate the ...
were in negotiations to partner on the future resort project. The two companies had previously partnered on a small casino and
microbrewery Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...
in Henderson. The Greenspun family would provide the property for the resort, while Station would develop and operate it. Station would co-own the project with GCR Gaming LLC, a subsidiary of American Nevada. The two announced their partnership in March 2000, and the resort would include 200 hotel rooms, the minimum number required for a non-restricted
gaming license A gaming control board (GCB), also called by various names including gambling control board, casino control board, gambling board, and gaming commission, is a government agency charged with regulating casino and other types of gaming in a defined ...
. It would be the smallest of Station's local resort properties. Construction began around August 2000, with
Perini Building Company The Perini Building Company is a division of Tutor Perini Corporation. Projects * CityCenter * Trump Las Vegas * Boston Worcester Turnpike *Thomas and Mack Center *Hard Rock Hotel and Casino *Harrah's Las Vegas *Pala Casino Resort and Spa * The ...
as the
general contractor A general contractor, main contractor or prime contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout the course of ...
. By April 2001, the resort's estimated cost had increased to $300 million, up approximately $30 million from a year earlier. The increase was attributed to design changes involving additional convention space and higher-end hotel rooms. The construction of an underground parking facility also cost more than initially expected. Both companies contributed $50 million, and a bank group provided $165 million to the project. Various equipment was leased for $35 million.


Opening and early years

Green Valley Ranch opened at 9:30 p.m. on December 18, 2001, following a fireworks show. It opened on schedule despite poor economic conditions brought on by the September 11 attacks. The resort employed 2,000 people, including roughly 400 who had been laid off from other resorts. Brian Greenspun, head of
The Greenspun Corporation The Greenspun Corporation (TGC) was a privately owned corporation that manages the Greenspun family assets. The company was founded by Hank Greenspun and was based in Henderson, Nevada, Henderson, Nevada. Subsidiaries * American Nevada Corporation ...
, said the opening date was not ideal but "on the other hand, we're putting all of these (laid off) people back to work, and you've got to open sometime". Green Valley Ranch features a Mediterranean theme. It was Station's most expensive and upscale resort ever, and the most expensive
locals casino A locals casino is a casino designed primarily to attract residents of the area in which it was built rather than tourists or vacationers. The term is most commonly associated with casinos in Nevada, United States, to distinguish them from casino ...
in Las Vegas history. It included features such as a presidential suite and a high-limit gaming area. The company's prior resorts were known for cheap amenities, although Green Valley Ranch would also continue such offerings, including $5 blackjack and penny slot machines. The resort was described by its general manager as a "value-priced luxury hotel". Station president
Lorenzo Fertitta Lorenzo Joseph Fertitta (born January 3, 1969) is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is chairman of Fertitta Capital, director of Red Rock Resorts Inc, and former CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Early life and education L ...
described the upscale design as "the next step in the evolution of our company". The resort was targeted at local residents, particularly those over the age of 55. The design was made to appeal to higher-end residents living in nearby communities such as
Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
and Seven Hills. Another target demographic was tourists, and the hotel offered a 24-hour limousine shuttle service to take them to the
Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of ...
. The casino had more than 2,500 slot machines, 53 table games, and a
sportsbook In the United States, a sportsbook or a race and sports book (sometimes abbreviated as book) is a place where a gambler can wager on various sports competitions, including golf, football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, horse racing, ...
. The hotel included 201 rooms, and due to popular demand, design plans were underway for a second tower offering another 200. The property had enough acreage to support 600 rooms in total. The resort had seven main restaurants, including
The Original Pancake House The Original Pancake House (TOPH) is a chain of pancake houses across the United States. They have franchises in Canada that started in 1958 and are still operating. They have recently expanded into both Japan and South Korea. They follow tradi ...
, a sports-themed restaurant, and a 500-seat buffet. It also had a food court with six fast-food eateries. Other features included a 10-screen
Regal Cinemas Regal Cinemas (also Regal Entertainment Group) is an American movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. A division of Cineworld, Regal operates the second-largest theater circuit in the United States, with over 7,200 screens i ...
theater, and of convention space. The resort also included the Whiskey Sky nightclub, which occupied interior space and an outdoor pool area. It was operated by Midnight Oil Company, marking its fifth location nationwide. The outdoor portion was known as Whiskey Beach, and it included a spa, a restaurant, tennis and
bocce ball (, or , ), sometimes anglicized as bocce ball, bocci or boccie, is a ball sport belonging to the boules family. Developed into its present form in Italy, it is closely related to British bowls and French , with a common ancestry from ancien ...
courts, and a three-acre
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
. Wine is not produced from the vineyard, which was added only for atmosphere. The casino's Drop Bar was designed by
Michael Czysz Michael Czysz (1964 – 7 May 2016) was an American motorcycle road racing rider, engineer, motorcycle designer/developer, and entrepreneur. Czysz attended Portland State University, and transferred to the Parsons School of Design at The Ne ...
, and was operated by
Rande Gerber Rande Gerber (born April 27, 1962) is an American businessman and former model. He founded tequila brand Casamigos alongside actor George Clooney and real estate businessman Mike Meldman, as well as nightlife companies Midnight Oil, Caliche Ru ...
, who also owned Whiskey Sky. In January 2003, Green Valley Ranch became the first locals casino in the Las Vegas Valley to receive an AAA Four Diamond Award. An expansion began at the end of the year. It included 296 hotel rooms, built on the property's north side, in between a parking garage and the pool area. The project brought the room count to 497, and also added more meeting space. The spa was also enlarged, and three high-end suites were added in an effort to attract
high roller A high roller, also referred to as a whale or cheetah, is a gambler who consistently wagers large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish " comps" from casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers ...
s from the Las Vegas Strip. The expansion cost $115 million, and began opening in January 2005. A poker room was added later that year. The expansion also included several new restaurants, such as Hank's Fine Steaks & Martinis, a steakhouse named after
Hank Greenspun Herman Milton "Hank" Greenspun (August 27, 1909 – July 23, 1989) was the publisher of the ''Las Vegas Sun'' newspaper. He purchased the ''Sun'' in 1949, and served as its editor and publisher until his death. Greenspun was also a promine ...
. The resort's pool area is popular among local residents and has hosted pool parties going back to 2005.


Dispute and ownership change

Station Casinos filed for bankruptcy in 2009, due to the effects of the
Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
. A dispute emerged between GCR Gaming and Station Casinos at the end of the year. GCR believed that Station had been involved in a "long-running scheme" to divert customers from the Green Valley Ranch to other properties that were fully owned by Station. GCR sought to have Station removed as manager, but did not intend to buy out its interest in the resort. Station said that GCR's allegations originated from a disgruntled general manager who was fired in November 2009. Station said that he threatened to go public with false allegations in an attempt to extort money from the company. GV Ranch Station Inc. – a Station subsidiary which managed the resort – filed for bankruptcy in February 2010. The resort itself did not file and continued operations. GCR filed a complaint and alleged that the bankruptcy filing was done in an effort to block attempts to remove Station as manager. In response, Station said, "We are extremely disappointed that the Greenspuns have joined the fray of out-of-the-money constituents seeking to bring merit-less lawsuits in connection with our bankruptcy proceedings". Meanwhile,
bondholder In finance, a bond is a type of security under which the issuer (debtor) owes the holder (creditor) a debt, and is obliged – depending on the terms – to repay the principal (i.e. amount borrowed) of the bond at the maturity date as well as i ...
s for Station were opposed to loans that the company had been making to the managing subsidiary. The money was used to keep the resort operational, although bondholders considered the loans risky. A settlement between GCR and Station was announced in May 2010, and the two companies hoped to restructure the resort's debt, which amounted to more than $770 million. Station Casinos LLC was formed to buy back most bankrupt assets from the original Station Casinos Inc. In March 2011, the newly formed company announced an agreement to buy the Green Valley Ranch for $500 million, with an option for the Greenspuns to maintain an ownership stake. Unsecured
creditor A creditor or lender is a party (e.g., person, organization, company, or government) that has a claim on the services of a second party. It is a person or institution to whom money is owed. The first party, in general, has provided some property ...
s challenged the sale, believing that the purchase price was too low. Nevertheless, the sale was approved in June 2011, with Station taking over full ownership.


Later years

The Original Pancake House closed at the end of 2011, after its lease expired. A 400-seat bingo hall was added in 2013. A $20 million renovation began in 2014, and was expected to conclude the next year. It included several new restaurants such as Pizza Rock, as well as a keno lounge, and a new LED sign along the Las Vegas Beltway. The former Whiskey Sky space, which had only been used for corporate events in recent years, was replaced with meeting space and a business center in 2017. In November 2017, employees voted for unionization through the
Culinary Workers Union The Culinary Workers Union, UNITE HERE Local 226 is a local union affiliated with UNITE HERE which operates in the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Nevada. Members include a variety of occupations organized along craft lines working in restaurants, ...
. Out of 730 workers, 78 percent voted in favor of the union. Station was disappointed with the result and "the manner in which the union conducted the Green Valley Ranch election campaign". The company filed a complaint with the
National Labor Relations Board The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States with responsibilities for enforcing U.S. labor law in relation to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices. Under the Natio ...
, alleging that the union forced employees to vote in favor of unionization. The Culinary union ultimately prevailed. By 2020, the resort had renovated its Presidential Suite, which had not be rented out for nearly 10 years. The resort's wedding chapel was also converted into a suite.


The District at Green Valley Ranch

American Nevada's mixed-use project,
The District at Green Valley Ranch The District at Green Valley Ranch is a mixed-use development in Green Valley Ranch, a neighborhood in the city of Henderson, Nevada. It is located east of the Green Valley Ranch hotel-casino, and includes retail, restaurant, office, and residenti ...
, opened its first phase in 2004, directly east of the resort. It includes retail, restaurants, office space, and condominiums. A second phase, just east of the original, was opened in 2005.


Television appearances

* The series ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...
'' filmed at Green Valley Ranch in 2003. * During its first season in 2003, the series ''
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
'' sometimes filmed at Green Valley Ranch, which stood in as the fictional Montecito resort. * The 2004 reality television series ''
American Casino ''American Casino'' is an American Reality television, reality television series which tracks the daily events of the managers and employees of the Green Valley Ranch resort and spa, Green Valley Ranch Casino resort in Henderson, Nevada, a suburb ...
'', based on the daily tasks of various casino employees, was filmed entirely at Green Valley Ranch. * The 2004 series ''
Dr. Vegas ''Dr. Vegas'' is an American drama television series created by John Herzfeld and Jack Orman, starring Rob Lowe and Joe Pantoliano that ran on CBS from September 24, 2004 to September 6, 2006. It aired in Ireland on TG4, and on Challenge in th ...
'' shot some scenes at the resort. * The soap opera ''
Passions ''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
'' shot at Green Valley Ranch in 2005. * Rahman "Rock" Harper, the winner of the 2007 third season of ''
Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the eas ...
'', was rewarded with a one-year contract as head chef at the resort's Terra Verde restaurant.


Entertainers

A music venue, the Grand Events Center, opened in December 2004. Another venue, the Ovation Lounge, opened in May 2007, with seating for 500 people. It often featured free shows. The
Sin City Sinners Sin City Sinners is a group of musicians who perform self-penned originals and rock and roll covers at key venues throughout Las Vegas, Nevada. The band is composed of a tight-knit group of core members: Brent Muscat (ex-Faster Pussycat), guita ...
began performing regularly at Ovation starting in 2009. A year later, the resort was named "casino of the year" by the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
, for its hosting of country musicians, including
Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single " Austin". The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" spent five weeks at ...
,
Lady Antebellum Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...
,
Montgomery Gentry Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Mo ...
and
Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's ''Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996' ...
. Other notable entertainers have included
The Fixx The Fixx are a rock band from London, England, founded in 1979. The band's hits include "One Thing Leads to Another", "Saved by Zero", "Are We Ourselves?", and "Secret Separation", each of which charted in the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, ...
,
Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...
,
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, and Michael Grimm. Ovation closed in November 2012, and was replaced by the bingo hall.


References


External links

* {{Station Casinos 2001 establishments in Nevada Buildings and structures in Henderson, Nevada Casinos completed in 2001 Casinos in the Las Vegas Valley Hotel buildings completed in 2001 Hotels established in 2001 Hotels in the Las Vegas Valley Resorts in the Las Vegas Valley Station Casinos