Palms Casino Resort 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 near 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 ...
in
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the city of Las Vegas. It was formed on December 8, 1950. Its population was 191,238 at the 2020 census, making it the fif ...
, United States. It is owned and operated by the
. It includes 703 rooms and a casino. It was originally owned by the
Maloof family
The Maloof family is a prominent American family based in Las Vegas, Nevada, who are owners of numerous business properties in the Western United States. The original spelling of the family name is Maalouf. The family is of Lebanese descent via th ...
, and was primarily overseen by
George Maloof. He purchased the site in 1997, and construction began three years later. The Palms opened on November 15, 2001, with
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 t ...
and
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 ...
as minority owners. It included a casino, restaurants, nightclubs, and a 42-story hotel. The resort catered to local residents and tourists, and also became popular among celebrities and young adults. It has made several television appearances, and was the main setting for the 2002 reality television show ''
The Real World: Las Vegas'', which contributed to its fame.
A second hotel structure, the 40-story Fantasy Tower, was opened in 2005. A recording studio was also added, making the Palms the first casino resort to include such a facility. The resort also includes a movie theater, which has hosted several film premieres. A
Playboy Club
The Playboy Club was initially a chain of nightclubs and resorts owned and operated by Playboy Enterprises. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960. Each club generally featured a Living Room, a Playmate Bar, a Dining Room, and a Club R ...
opened in the Fantasy Tower in 2006, becoming the first such club to open in several decades. A music venue, the Pearl Concert Theater, was added in 2007.
Palms Place
Palms Place is a 47-story condo hotel in Paradise, Nevada, near the Las Vegas Strip. It is connected to the Palms Casino Resort. The project was announced in March 2005, to capitalize on List of condominiums in Las Vegas, a condominium boom occurr ...
, a high-rise
condo hotel
A condo hotel, also known as a condotel, hotel condo or a contel, is a building which is legally a condominium but which is operated as a hotel, offering short term rentals, and which maintains a front desk.
Condo hotels are typically high-rise ...
, was opened on the property a year later.
The Palms experienced financial difficulty during 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 ...
, and was sold in 2011, to
Texas Pacific Group
TPG Inc., previously known as Texas Pacific Group and TPG Capital, is an American investment company based in Fort Worth, Texas. The private equity firm is focused on leveraged buyouts and growth capital. TPG manages investment funds in growth ...
and
Leonard Green & Partners
Leonard Green & Partners ("LGP") is an American private equity investment firm founded in 1989 and based in Los Angeles. The firm specializes in private equity investments. LGP has invested in over 95 companies since its inception, including Petc ...
. The Maloof family retained a two-percent interest in the Palms. A $50 million renovation took place in 2012, to help reinvigorate the resort's popularity. Red Rock Resorts, the parent company of Station Casinos, purchased the Palms for $312.5 million in 2016. The company launched a $620 million renovation which included new restaurants and nightclubs, but the changes failed to restore the resort's past prominence.
The Palms and other Nevada casinos were closed in March 2020, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. In 2021, Red Rock sold the resort for $650 million to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, which reopened it on April 27, 2022. Under its new ownership, the Palms is the first Las Vegas resort to have a Native American owner.
History
In 1997,
[ George Maloof purchased a property on Flamingo Road, west of 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 ...
. He paid less than $1 million per acre. At the time, he had no immediate plans for the site. Maloof was the owner of the Fiesta hotel-casino in North Las Vegas. His initial plan was to grow the Fiesta name with a new location on the Flamingo Road site,[ but he later decided that the property would be better suited for a hybrid locals/tourist resort.] The property was initially divided across two parcels, with Wynn Road running between them.[ In June 1999, work was underway to realign Wynn Road, allowing for construction to eventually begin on a new hotel-casino that Maloof was planning.]
In July 2000, Maloof agreed to sell the Fiesta to 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 t ...
. Later that month, Station and 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 ...
both agreed to purchase a separate six-percent stake in Maloof's upcoming resort.[ The ]Maloof family
The Maloof family is a prominent American family based in Las Vegas, Nevada, who are owners of numerous business properties in the Western United States. The original spelling of the family name is Maalouf. The family is of Lebanese descent via th ...
owned the remaining 88 percent. Preliminary work on the property began on July 24, 2000.[ Two and a half months later, Maloof announced that the resort would be named the Palms.][ It was scheduled to open on December 12, 2001,][ initially with 470 rooms, although Maloof planned to eventually expand to 2,000 within 10 years.] The project was designed by Jerde Partnership International, based in Los Angeles. KGA Architecture served as the executive architect.[ When having the Palms designed, Maloof relied on customer feedback that he had received at the Fiesta. High ceilings were added at the Palms to reduce cigarette smoke, and a large number of restrooms were added as well.] The casino would also feature an abundance of video poker and loose slot machines, like the Fiesta.[
]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
* T ...
was chosen as the general contractor, after working on an expansion of the Fiesta in 1999. An official groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are o ...
ceremony was held for the Palms on October 24, 2000. A fire occurred on the lower floors of the hotel tower in April 2001, during construction. The fire, apparently caused by welding, caused $75,000 in minimal damage and would not delay construction. The 42-story hotel tower was topped off
In building construction, topping out (sometimes referred to as topping off) is a builders' rite traditionally held when the last beam (or its equivalent) is placed atop a structure during its construction. Nowadays, the ceremony is often parlaye ...
on June 7, 2001. It was originally planned as a 40-story building, but the floor count was increased to beat out the nearby Rio
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
hotel, which stood at 41 stories.[ The project's budget was $265 million, although improvements to a pool and spa courtyard added another $3 million in expenses.][ The Palms was partially financed with a $55 million credit line,] from First Security Bank and Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...
.[
Construction proceeded slightly ahead of schedule. A few days prior to the ]September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
, resort officials announced that the Palms would open one month earlier than scheduled, to take advantage of the busy Thanksgiving weekend. After the attacks, Maloof planned to proceed with the opening, despite the potential impact on tourism. The Palms had already hired most of its 2,500 employees. To help promote the opening, Maloof invited 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 and Hollywood agents to a party at Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles which provoked charges of obsc ...
's Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion, also known as the Playboy Mansion West, is the former home of ''Playboy'' magazine founder Hugh Hefner who lived there from 1974 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy the home located in Holmby Hill ...
, featuring faux gaming tables and images of the resort. The party was aimed at attracting celebrities to the resort. In addition, Maloof mailed offers to Las Vegas residents, hoping to sign up 50,000 members for the new Palms slot club. He also made promotional appearances on local news stations and ''The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
''. The hotel portion would be marketed in Arizona, California, and Maloof's home state of New Mexico. Maloof also planned to promote the resort through his basketball team, the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
.[ The resort's opening was eagerly anticipated.]
Opening and early years
The Palms opened to thousands of invited guests and VIPs on November 15, 2001, at 7:00 p.m. Notable attendees included Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997).
Anders ...
, Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination.
Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...
, Nevada governor Kenny Guinn
Kenneth Carroll Guinn (August 24, 1936 – July 22, 2010), was an American academic administrator, businessman and politician who served as the 27th Governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007 and interim president of the University of Nevada, Las Vega ...
, Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
, Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a variety of genres and for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in the films ''Ra ...
, Tara Reid
Tara Donna Reid (born November 8, 1975) is an American actress. She played Vicky in the films '' American Pie'' (1999), '' American Pie 2'' (2001), and '' American Reunion'' (2012), and Bunny Lebowski in '' The Big Lebowski'' (1998). In 2013, s ...
, Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding ...
, Martin Sheen
Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...
and Charlize Theron. The resort opened to the public at 11:00 p.m.
Maloof served as the public face for the resort. He planned for the Palms to appeal to the same young demographic as the nearby Hard Rock Hotel
Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and ro ...
. He also hoped that its location, near Interstate 15
Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexico–United States border, Mexican border i ...
, would make it appealing to local residents. He considered the Palms close enough to the Strip to attract tourists, but far enough to bring in locals, who generally avoid the Strip.[ The Palms would also benefit from the nearby Rio and ]Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
resorts, which were popular among locals.[
Maloof said he wanted to create "the ultimate party hotel in the world". The resort included various restaurants, a nightclub, and a 14-screen movie theater.][ The property's east side was targeted at tourists, containing the hotel tower, nightclubs, and several restaurants. The west side included locals-oriented amenities, such as a food court and the movie theater.][ The latter was part of the Brenden Theatres chain. The theater opened shortly after the rest of the resort, on November 21, 2001. It was the first Brenden Theatres location to open in Las Vegas.][ Michael Morton, the brother of Hard Rock Hotel owner ]Peter Morton
Peter Morton (born August 7, 1947) is an American businessman. He is the co-founder of the Hard Rock Café (along with Isaac Tigrett), a chain of casual dining restaurants.
Early life and education
Morton is the son of Arnie Morton, founder o ...
, operated several venues at the Palms, including a nightclub, a steakhouse, and the pool area. They were operated through Morton's company, N9NE Group.[ The Palms also had of convention space.] In subsequent years, the resort would add other features, such as a medical center for employees and the public, and a tattoo parlor by Carey Hart
Carey Jason Phillip Hart (born July 17, 1975) is an American off-road truck racer, former professional freestyle motocross competitor, and former motorcycle racer. He is known for being the first motorcyclist to perform a back flip on ...
and John Huntington.
Maloof was satisfied with the Palms' early financial results, although local residents were generally not impressed at first, complaining of issues such as cramped casino aisles and loud music. Maloof managed to attract locals by launching a promotional campaign, introducing more full-pay video poker machines, and removing some machines for more space. During the day, the property was frequented by older local residents, while younger tourists would arrive later in the evening.[ The resort was popular with nightclub-goers and celebrities.][
By mid-2003, Maloof was planning to eventually add a second hotel tower, due to the strong success of the resort. Later in 2003, the Palms hosted a 50th anniversary celebration for the magazine '']Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
'' and renamed a nearby street as Hugh Hefner Drive. A year later, the Palms partnered with ''Playboy'' to eventually use the magazine's name at the resort.
In 2004, a pair of identical 26-year-old twins won a resort contest to become Palm Girls. They went on to represent the Palms through television appearances and in printed media, and their faces were later featured on casino chips for the resort.
Construction of the new hotel tower was underway in 2004, with Whiting-Turner as general contractor. It would eventually open as the Fantasy Tower. It was also designed by Jerde Partnership, and was built south of the original tower. The Fantasy Tower began opening in October 2005, with various suites.[ The tower officially celebrated its opening in May 2006. The Playboy Club opened in the tower five months later.] The Fantasy Tower also added a recording studio for musicians.[
A music venue, the Pearl Concert Theater, was opened in early 2007.] By that point, revenue from local residents had dropped from 80 to 65 percent, with tourists becoming more prevalent at the resort. Later in 2007, Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British billionaire, entrepreneur, and business magnate. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields.
Branson expressed ...
, wearing a body harness, jumped from the Fantasy Tower in a stunt to promote his Virgin America
Virgin America Inc. was a low-cost U.S. airline that operated from 2007 until 2018, when it was acquired by Alaska Airlines. The airline primarily focused on operating low-fare service between cities on the West Coast and other major metropol ...
airline.
A high-rise condo hotel
A condo hotel, also known as a condotel, hotel condo or a contel, is a building which is legally a condominium but which is operated as a hotel, offering short term rentals, and which maintains a front desk.
Condo hotels are typically high-rise ...
, known as Palms Place
Palms Place is a 47-story condo hotel in Paradise, Nevada, near the Las Vegas Strip. It is connected to the Palms Casino Resort. The project was announced in March 2005, to capitalize on List of condominiums in Las Vegas, a condominium boom occurr ...
, was opened in 2008. It was the third and final tower to be built on the Palms property. That year, the Palms began to suffer financially due to the economic 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 ...
.
By 2010, the Palms had accumulated 661 building code violations, which Maloof attributed to significant expansion of the resort over the years. In mid-2010, Maloof reluctantly agreed to have a scent distributed through the casino, in an effort to compete with rivals that were doing the same. However, the scent was discontinued after less than a month, due to negative customer reception.
In September 2010, N9NE Group sued the Palms after the resort tried to fire Andy Belmonti, a N9NE executive who was responsible for overseeing the company's venues at the property. Belmonti had recently began work on a new restaurant for Morton at the Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas, often simply referred to as Wynn, is a luxury resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned and operated by Wynn Resorts, and was built on the former site of the Desert Inn resor ...
resort, and the Palms alleged that profits had declined since then, arguing that Belmonti had neglected his duties at the Palms. It was also alleged that N9NE used Palms money to pay off several employee lawsuits, without informing the resort. The Palms countersued and further alleged that Morton had misused resort money and staff for his own purposes, including house parties. The suit also accused Belmonti of carrying out a financial cover-up, and alleged that another executive had escorted underage women into 21-and-up venues at the resort. The Palms and a group of N9NE investors sought to remove Morton and Belmonti, who denied the accusations. Both sides settled in January 2011, with N9NE departing the Palms. The resort would take over operations of the company's former venues there.
Ownership changes
In 2010, Texas Pacific Group
TPG Inc., previously known as Texas Pacific Group and TPG Capital, is an American investment company based in Fort Worth, Texas. The private equity firm is focused on leveraged buyouts and growth capital. TPG manages investment funds in growth ...
(TPG) purchased a portion of the Palms' $380 million bank debt. The Palms began missing loan payments that year, due to poor economic conditions. In January 2011, Maloof was negotiating with TPG and Leonard Green & Partners
Leonard Green & Partners ("LGP") is an American private equity investment firm founded in 1989 and based in Los Angeles. The firm specializes in private equity investments. LGP has invested in over 95 companies since its inception, including Petc ...
for the companies to gain a controlling interest in the Palms, after they had acquired most of a Palms loan in 2010. In June 2011, the companies announced a partnership called TPG Opportunity Partners, which would convert the Palms' debt into equity. TPG and Leonard Green would each own a 49-percent share of the resort, while the Maloof family's ownership would be reduced to 2 percent, with the option to eventually purchase up to 20 percent. George Maloof would continue to oversee operations as chairman, and he said that little would change at the property. Station Casinos and Greenspun were no longer involved as minority owners.[
]
The Nevada Gaming Commission The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
In 1959, the Nevada Gaming Commission ("Commission") was created by the pass ...
approved the sale in November 2011, and a renovation was planned for the resort. A subdued celebration was held for the Palms' 10th anniversary, honoring its employees and local residents rather than celebrities.[ In an effort to regain the resort's popularity, a $50 million renovation began in mid-2012, incorporating a modern design by Klai Juba Architects.] The resort's average customer now ranged from 30 to 50 years old, and the renovations were designed to reflect this older demographic. The Palms' roadside neon sign had advertised the property as "a Maloof casino resort" since its opening. As part of the renovations, the Maloofs' name was eventually removed from the sign.
In September 2012, the resort took over ownership of the venues previously overseen by N9NE, including nightclubs. The Palms was subsequently fined $1 million by the Nevada Gaming Commission, after an investigation found that nightclub employees – under N9NE's management – had offered drugs and prostitutes to undercover officers.
In March 2016, TPG and Leonard Green were considering a sale of the resort. Red Rock Resorts, the parent company of 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 t ...
, announced two months later that it would purchase the Palms for $312.5 million. The purchase was finalized in October 2016, and the company began making changes to the resort. In late 2017, plans were announced for a $485 million renovation that would include a hotel remodel, and new restaurants and clubs. Station's CEO Frank Fertitta III
Frank Joseph Fertitta III (February 24, 1962) is an American businessman. He is the CEO of Station Casinos. He is also a founder of Zuffa LLC, the parent entity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Education
Born to Frank Fertitta Jr. a ...
said, "We were partners in this property for nearly 10 years. We have a history of understanding what the Palms property is capable of doing. It lacked a lot of tender loving care." The cost of the renovation project eventually increased to $620 million. It would cover numerous areas of the resort. A five-story parking garage was increased by two floors as part of the renovations. The original roadside sign was disassembled in February 2018, and eventually replaced by a fully digital one.
Portions of the renovated resort were unveiled starting in May 2018. Station planned to target locals and tourists while offering value-oriented amenities.[ The company aimed to restore the Palms' popularity. Fertitta and his brother were avid art collectors, and artwork was spread throughout the renovated resort.] Red Rock had partnered with Tao Group, which was to open a new nightclub and restaurants at the Palms. However, the partnership was terminated later in 2018. Under Red Rock's ownership, the Palms failed to regain its popularity. Kaos, a new nightclub, was opened in 2019. It was meant as a major attraction, but instead was closed seven months later.
Nevada casinos were ordered to close on March 18, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
and its effects on the state. Casinos there began reopening a few months later, although the Palms remained closed as of March 2021, while Red Rock waited for a rebound of the economy. On May 4, 2021, Red Rock announced that it would sell the Palms to the for $650 million, pending regulatory approvals expected later in the year. Analysts believed that the resort still had potential.[ The band expected to focus more on gaming than on nightlife, a departure from previous owners. Local residents would be the primary target demographic.
The sale was finalized on December 17, 2021, and the Palms became the first Las Vegas resort to have a Native American owner. The band began a hiring campaign to prepare for reopening, ultimately employing more than 900 people, including some former workers.] The resort's employee facilities were upgraded, but the band otherwise made few changes to the property in light of Red Rock's renovation a few years earlier.
The Palms reopened on the night of April 27, 2022, with live music and a fireworks show. The Brenden Theatres facility was renovated and is scheduled to reopen two days later.
Features
Casino
The Palms casino is . Upon opening, it had 2,200 slot machines, keno, bingo, and 55 table games,[ including blackjack and poker. It also featured 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, ...
with seating for more than 200 people. Unlike certain other properties, the Palms sportsbook was built in the center of the casino, intended as a convenient location for locals to find. The book initially did not accept bets on NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
games, due to the Maloof family's ownership of the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
.[ The betting ban on NBA games was lifted seven years after the Palms' opening.
The resort's 2005-06 expansion included a two-floor high-end gaming pit named The Mint and Top of the Mint, referencing a former downtown property by the same name.][ In 2011, the casino floor unveiled its Playboy Party Pit, featuring six blackjack tables that were overseen by ]Playboy Bunny
A Playboy Bunny is a waitress who works at a Playboy Club and selected through standardized training. Their costumes were made up of lingerie, inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Playboy rabbit mascot. This costume consisted of a strapless corset te ...
dealers. The pit was part of a $5 million casino renovation, which included 200 new slot machines. The casino also opened its Slot Emporium, featuring 50 of its most popular slot machines.[
A new sportsbook, operated by ]Cantor Gaming
Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. is an American financial services firm that was founded in 1945. It specializes in institutional equity, fixed income sales and trading, and serving the middle market with investment banking services, prime brokerage, an ...
, was opened in May 2012. It measured , and included a poker room, which eventually closed in 2014. The casino floor was renovated in 2018 to include 40 new table games, which offered phone-charging outlets for players.[ The casino floor was updated again for its 2022 reopening, with a new, open layout and new slot machines.] A 100-seat William Hill sportsbook was also added.
Hotel
The Palms has 703 hotel rooms, spread across two towers. It originally opened with a 42-story[ tower containing 455 rooms,][ a small number compared to resorts on the nearby Strip.][ In an effort to attract basketball players, the hotel included 24 NBA rooms, featuring beds and showers that were longer and higher than normal.][ The hotel was also featured in the reality television series '' The Real World: Las Vegas'', and the suite created for the show was later opened to the public.][ In 2003, the Palms unveiled ]bachelor
A bachelor is a man who is not and has never been married.Bachelors are, in Pitt & al.'s phrasing, "men who live independently, outside of their parents' home and other institutional settings, who are neither married nor cohabitating". ().
Etymo ...
and bachelorette party
A bachelorette party ( United States and Canada) or hen night ( UK, Ireland and Australia) is a party held for a woman (the bride or bride-to-be) who will soon be married. While Beth Montemurro concludes that the bachelorette party is modelled ...
suites, both featuring stripper pole
Pole dance combines dance and acrobatics centered on a vertical pole. This performance art form takes place not only in gentleman's clubs as erotic dance, but also as a mainstream form of fitness, practiced in gyms and dedicated dance studios ...
s and other amenities. The rooms had previously been used by the production crew for ''The Real World''.
In October 2005, the Palms opened its Hardwood Suite in the new Fantasy Tower. The suite rented for $50,000 a night, and included half a basketball court, a locker room, pool and poker tables, and optional cheerleaders. The two-story suite was one of 11 to open in the Fantasy Tower, which was still under construction at the time. The suites ranged from 1,400 to 10,000 square feet, and were located across the 25th and 26th floors.[ Six Sky Villas opened in April 2006, starting on the 27th floor of the Fantasy Tower. They ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 square feet, and included fireplaces and Jacuzzi spas.]
Before the 40-story Fantasy Tower was completed, the Palms had 430 rooms. The new tower added 347.[ The tower was completed in October 2006, when it unveiled the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, a two-story suite on the 34th and 35th floors. Hefner was the first guest to stay in the suite, which was inspired by his ]Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion, also known as the Playboy Mansion West, is the former home of ''Playboy'' magazine founder Hugh Hefner who lived there from 1974 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy the home located in Holmby Hill ...
s in Los Angeles and Chicago.
In 2009, the Palms opened its Barbie Suite, which rented for $4,000 a night. The suite featured an abundance of pink coloring and was inspired by the Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.
...
doll. As of 2012, the Hugh Hefner suite was one of the most expensive suites in the world, renting for $35,000 to $40,000 a night. The original hotel tower was renovated in 2012 and named as the Ivory Tower.[
As part of the 2018 renovations, the Fantasy Tower rooms were updated for the first time since their opening.] The six Sky Villa suites were also updated.[ The former Hugh Hefner suite was redesigned by artist ]Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst (; né
Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...
and renamed as the Empathy Suite. The two-story suite included various artwork and a curved bar for 13 people. It rented for a two-night minimum price of $200,000, making it the most expensive suite in the world.
Nightclubs
On the ground floor, the Palms included Rain in the Desert, a three-story club spanning . Guests would enter through a gold-mirrored tunnel, accompanied by fog and lights. The interior of the club featured a center stage surrounded by a moat, and a nearby three-story waterfall was used as a projection screen.[ Rain was developed by Michael Morton and Scott DeGraff,][ and was opened on November 16, 2001. It included a showroom, and opened with a concert by ]Macy Gray
Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known by her stage name Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday.
Gray ha ...
, although performances by musicians were not intended to take place on a regular basis.[ DJ ]Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold (born 30 August 1963), formerly known mononymously as Oakenfold, is an English record producer, remixer and trance DJ. He has provided over 100 remixes for over 100 artists including U2, Moby, Madonna, Britney Spears, Mass ...
began a residency at Rain in 2008, and DJ AM
Adam Michael Goldstein (March 30, 1973 – August 28, 2009), known professionally as DJ AM, was an American disc jockey (DJ). Born in Philadelphia, Goldstein became interested in deejaying as a child after watching Herbie Hancock perform his 1 ...
performed there until his death in 2009.
Moon, a nightclub located at the top of the Fantasy Tower, opened on October 6, 2006. It measured and had a retractable roof,[ an idea previously planned for Rain.] The roof cost approximately $1 million.[ As with Rain, DJs also performed at Moon.
Rain was closed in 2012, as part of the resort's ongoing renovations at the time. Moon was closed in 2014.] Apex Social Club opened in 2018, taking the place of Ghostbar. It offered various musical entertainers, including DJs, as well as weekly parties.
In April 2019, the Palms opened Kaos, a dayclub and a nightclub, replacing the space formerly occupied by Rain. The dayclub included several pools,[ and featured a 60-foot headless bronze statue by artist ]Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst (; né
Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...
called "Demon With Bowl". Kaos offered frequent performances, and a 270-foot-tall LED screen – the largest in Las Vegas – was added onto the Palm's Ivory Tower, broadcasting performances to clubgoers and passersby on the street.
Later in 2019, Kaos was briefly closed to allow for the addition of a 70-foot dome of transparent panels. It was placed over one of the pools, allowing for year-round swimming. The addition was named Kaos Dome, and the club reopened on October 31, 2019. However, Kaos was abruptly closed five days later, due to the high cost of securing entertainers. Red Rock Resorts stated that the space would remain open as the guest pool area and that it would be used for special events, while the company evaluated future use for the venue. The club had lost nearly $50 million.[ During its run, the club featured residencies from various musical artists. Notable performers at Kaos had included ]Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
and Marshmello
Christopher Comstock (born May 19, 1992), known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. His songs "Silence", "Wolves", "Friends", " Happier", and " Alone" have been certified multi-platinum in several ...
, the latter of whom had signed a $60 million two-year residency deal. DJ Kaskade
Ryan Gary Raddon (born February 25, 1971), better known by his stage name Kaskade, is an American DJ, record producer and remixer. ''DJ Times'' voted Kaskade "America's Best DJ" in 2011 and 2013. ''DJ Mag'' named Kaskade fifty-first on its 200 ...
had also been signed to the club, and filed a federal lawsuit against the resort after its closing left him without a venue.
Restaurants
The Palms opened with various restaurants, including N9NE, a steakhouse by N9NE Group. It had seating for 175 people, including a 16-seat caviar bar.[ An Asian restaurant, Little Buddha, was partially inspired by the ]Buddha Bar
The Buddha-Bar is a bar, restaurant, and hotel franchise created by French-Romanian restaurateur Raymond Vișan and DJ and interior designer Claude Challe, with its original location having opened in Paris, France in 1996.Anthony D'Andrea, ' ...
in Paris.[ Another restaurant, Garduño's, was carried over from the Fiesta hotel-casino. The Palms location was spread across two floors. A food court with a handful of eateries was built near the resort's movie theater. A French restaurant, Alize, was built on the top floor of the hotel tower and was mostly glass-enclosed for views of the Las Vegas Valley. The restaurant featured nearly 1,000 types of wine, and was named after the French word for ]trade winds
The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisph ...
. Other restaurants included the 500-seat Festival Market Buffet, and the 24/7 Sunrise Cafe.
The Bistro Buffet opened in 2007. Four years later, the Palms added a dim sum restaurant known as Cathay House, which had previously operated across the street. Maloof arranged for the restaurant's relocation after realizing that many Palms customers were leaving the resort to eat there.
In 2013, Garduño's was replaced by a sports bar and restaurant known as Heraea, with females as a specific target demographic. It was operated by the One Group,[ and was added as part of the resort's $50 million renovation.][ Heraea was unsuccessful and closed later in 2013, with the Palms taking over management of the space. Little Buddha was to be replaced by a new restaurant and lounge called Xishi, also by the One Group.][ However, these plans were canceled. The former Heraea space reopened in 2015, as the world's largest ]Hooters
Hooters is the registered trademark used by two American restaurant chains: Hooters, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, and Hooters of America, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia, and owned by the private investment firm Nord Bay Capital (with ...
restaurant. The restaurant spanned across two stories.
When Red Rock purchased the Palms, the company aimed to upgrade the resort's restaurants, hoping to attract an upper-class clientele. This included the removal of Hooters and the addition of a new restaurant by celebrity chefs such as Bobby Flay
Robert William Flay (born December 10, 1964), is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. Flay is the owner and executive chef of several restaurants and franchises, including Bobby's Burger Palace, Bobby's ...
, Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon (born September 19, 1969) is an American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is of Greek, Sicilian, and Eastern European descent. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as ''Iron Chef America' ...
, and Chris Santos.[ N9NE had been a popular staple at the resort since it debuted, but it was closed in 2017 amid the restaurant overhaul.][ It was replaced by Scotch 80 Prime, a fine-dining restaurant.][ It included a $3 million collection of whiskies,][ and artwork by ]Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
, Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement.
Basquiat first achieved fame as part of the graffiti duo SAMO, alongside Al ...
, and Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst (; né
Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...
.
The former Bistro Buffet was reopened as the A.Y.C.E. (All You Can Eat) buffet at the end of 2017,[ while Alize marked its closing after 16 years. It was replaced by a new restaurant from chef Marc Vetri. Flay opened his new restaurant, Shark, in 2019. A restaurant, Greene St. Kitchen, was also opened by chef Lanny Chin and offered a variety of global dishes. A ]Tim Ho Wan
Tim Ho Wan () is a Hong Kong dim sum restaurant chain originating from Hong Kong. Known for being "the world's cheapest Michelin-star restaurant", the chain has since expanded and now has franchises in 12 countries.
History
Tim Ho Wan was fo ...
dim sum restaurant opened later in 2019.
The Palms reopened in 2022 with most of the same restaurants, as well as a new café.[
]
Playboy Club
In October 2004, the Palms signed a licensing deal with ''Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
'' to use the brand name.[ The Playboy Club opened in the Fantasy Tower on October 6, 2006.][ It was the first new ]Playboy Club
The Playboy Club was initially a chain of nightclubs and resorts owned and operated by Playboy Enterprises. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960. Each club generally featured a Living Room, a Playmate Bar, a Dining Room, and a Club R ...
to open in more than two decades. A nationwide search was conducted for Playboy Bunnies
A Playboy Bunny is a waitress who works at a Playboy Club and selected through standardized training. Their costumes were made up of lingerie, inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Playboy rabbit mascot. This costume consisted of a strapless corset ted ...
to staff the club, which was a joint venture between Playboy Enterprises
PLBY Group, Inc. is an American global media and lifestyle company founded by Hugh Hefner as Playboy Enterprises, Inc. to oversee the ''Playboy'' magazine and related assets. Its headquarters are in Los Angeles, California.
The company is focus ...
, the Palms, and N9NE.[ The opening was featured in Hefner's reality television series '']The Girls Next Door
''The Girls Next Door'' (also known as ''The Girls of the Playboy Mansion'') is a reality television series which focuses on the lives of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends who live with him at the Playboy Mansion. The series was created by executive pr ...
''.[
It was the first nightclub to include gambling, a feature that required the rewriting of Nevada law.] The club had 10 blackjack tables, and was the first casino to charge an admission fee. Maloof worked with Nevada regulators for more than three years to get the law rewritten. The club included a bar with 10,000 diamond-shaped crystals, and VIP rooms with mirrored walls and Playboy pinball machines. Through escalators, the club was linked with the Moon nightclub located above, and the Nove Italiano restaurant below.[ The Fantasy Tower's exterior featured the ''Playboy'' bunny logo to promote the club.][
The Playboy Club closed in June 2012, as Playboy and the Palms wanted to pursue new opportunities. The club was replaced by a lounge called the View.][
]
Bars
Upon opening in 2001, the top of the hotel tower featured Ghostbar, which overlooked the Las Vegas Valley. It included an outdoor balcony with a section of glass floor, allowing visitors to peer below.[ Ghostbar was developed by Morton and DeGraff.][ Initially, it was only going to be open three nights a week. DeGraff said that this led to the bar's name: "We thought of it as an apparition, a ghost that would appear on Thursday and disappear on Sunday." An ]iridescent
Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Examples of iridescence include soap bubbles, feathers, butterfl ...
30-foot ghost was depicted across most of the bar's ceiling. The interior also featured floor-to-ceiling windows for views of the Las Vegas skyline. Ghostbar measured .[ It had capacity for 325 people, and featured DJ music.][ Ghostbar remained popular a decade after its opening, especially among celebrities.] In 2011, it started operating during the day to attract pool-goers.[ Red Rock closed Ghostbar in 2017,] replacing it a year later with a nightclub known as Apex Social Club.[ Ghostbar reopened in 2022, under San Manuel's ownership.
In its early years, the casino also featured the Lounge, which served as an entertainment venue for acts such as Hollywood Comedy Tour, the Playboy Comedy Club, and singer ]Matt Goss
Matthew Weston Goss (born 29 September 1968) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer of 1980s pop group Bros, which also featured his twin brother Luke as the drummer. Goss as a solo artist has released five stu ...
. The View lounge opened atop the Fantasy Tower in 2013. In addition to views of the Las Vegas Valley, the lounge also offered a variety of board games.
In 2018, a new ground-floor bar was added in the middle of the casino. It included a triptych
A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...
art piece consisting of a 13-foot tiger shark
The tiger shark (''Galeocerdo cuvier'') is a species of requiem shark and the last extant member of the family Galeocerdonidae. It is a large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over . Populations are found in many tropical and tempera ...
, divided across three tanks. Both the bar and art piece were designed by artist Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst (; né
Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...
.[ Another bar, Mr. Coco, was also added on the third floor of the Fantasy Tower. It featured a collection of artwork.][
]
Studio at the Palms
In April 2004, Maloof announced plans to add a recording studio to the resort, after a year and a half of planning. Two studios – Studio X and Studio Y – were ultimately opened in December 2005, built at a cost of $6 million.[ Known as the Studio at the Palms, it is the only recording facility to be located within a casino resort.][ Certain hotel suites, as well as nightclubs and the Pearl theater, also had recording capabilities. The studio was overseen by Zoe and ]Pat Thrall
Patrick Thrall is an American rock guitarist. Thrall began his recording career in 1972. He played guitar, vocals, and percussion with the group Cookin' Mama, which had his brother, Preston Thrall, on percussion. They released the album ''New Day ...
.
The facility has served various musicians,[ including ]Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
,[ Usher, ]Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,[ ]Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
, 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, and The Killers
The Killers are an American rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingd ...
. Shortly before his death, Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and his children lived at the Palms hotel for months while he recorded a new album at the resort, including the song " Hold My Hand".
Pearl Concert Theater
In March 2005, Maloof announced that the Palms would add a concert theater to better compete with the Hard Rock Hotel
Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and ro ...
. The Pearl Concert Theater was built out in a crescent shape, with the furthest seat being only 120 feet from the stage. The venue spanned three floors and had seating for 2,400 people. Three screens from the resort's movie theater had to be relocated to make way for the Pearl. The venue was wired into the Palm's recording studio, allowing performers to record live albums.
The Pearl opened on March 17, 2007, with a concert by Evanescence
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer and musician Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent EPs as a duo in the late 90's, and a demo CD, Evanescence released their debut s ...
.[ The official grand opening took place on April 21, 2007, with a concert by ]Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
.[ The Pearl hosted various other entertainers, including ]Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
, 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) ...
, and Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
. In 2009, the Pearl hosted a four-night concert residency by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
known as Live at the Pearl
Live at the Pearl, also known as ''Mariah Carey: Live in Las Vegas'' was a four-evening promotional concert residency by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The concerts were showcased at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas.
Background
...
.
The theater hosted the NHL Awards
The National Hockey League presents numerous annual awards and trophies to recognize its teams and players. The oldest, and most recognizable, is the Stanley Cup. First awarded in 1893, the Stanley Cup is awarded to the NHL's playoff champion. ...
for three consecutive years, starting in 2009. The Pearl also hosted Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
(UFC) cards each year, until UFC president Dana White
Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 milli ...
had his credit line reduced at the Palms casino. White had been a frequent gambler there, and he pulled all future UFC events from the venue in 2012, after his falling-out with the casino.
The venue was closed in 2017, for a months-long renovation. It is operated by Live Nation
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertainme ...
. The Pearl was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, and is scheduled to reopen in mid-2022.[
]
Pool
At night, the Palms pool area was converted into a nightly club and lounge known as Skin, starting in 2002.[ A new $40 million pool area was opened in 2006, on two acres. The renovated pool area was enlarged from before, in order to accommodate guests in the new Fantasy Tower.
In 2007, the resort launched an annual pool party series known as Ditch Fridays. Each party attracted an average of 3,000 people. That year, the pool area also began hosting the Midsummer Night's Dream party by Playboy.
In 2011, the pool area hosted ]MTV Spring Break
''MTV Spring Break'' refers to MTV, the channel's annual spring break coverage, featuring numerous live performances from artists and bands on location. The annual tradition continued into the 2000s, when it became de-emphasized and handed off to ...
, which returned for the following year. In 2012, the pool area received a $600,000 renovation which included a bigger stage for entertainers and a new sound system. The resort also launched weekend pool parties known as Palms Pool Saturdays and Sunday Scene. The pool area was closed in 2017, to make way for Kaos, which featured several new pools. As of 2022, the resort includes a multi-level pool area.[
]
Union controversies
When the Palms opened, none of its employees belonged to a trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
. Many employees at nearby Strip resorts belonged to 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 ...
.[ A few weeks after the Palms opening, the Culinary union led a protest against the resort. The union alleged that Maloof paid his workers lower wages compared to unionized resorts, which he denied. Maloof believed that he would eventually prevail against the union, which alleged that he had threatened workers who supported unionization. In 2003, 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 ...
(NLRB) filed a 20-count complaint against the Palms, alleging that Maloof and resort managers made efforts to dissuade workers from unionizing. Later that year, a federal judge ordered the Palms to reinstate a cook, who was fired for union organizing attempts. The judge also determined that the resort was violating various labor laws by questioning employees about union activities, and warning or discharging those who took part in such activities.
In 2015, the Palms announced that it would outsource
Outsourcing is an agreement in which one company hires another company to be responsible for a planned or existing activity which otherwise is or could be carried out internally, i.e. in-house, and sometimes involves transferring employees and ...
more than 200 food and beverage jobs to a third party operator, a decision that was criticized by the Culinary union. That year, the union made attempts to unionize the Palms, but it later said that such efforts were not being acknowledged by the resort. In 2016, hundreds of employees signed a petition seeking to retain their jobs amid Station and Red Rock's purchase of the property. The Culinary union had previously been involved in frequent feuds with Station.[ A union election was eventually held in 2018, with 614 employees taking part, out of approximately 900. The workers voted 84-percent in favor of unionization. However, Station challenged the results of the election and declined to negotiate with the union. The NLRB determined that Station had been "failing and refusing to bargain collectively and in good faith" with the union. In 2021, the union stated that the resort's impending sale would not affect ongoing worker negotiations.
]
Film history
The Palms increased its prominence after appearing in the reality television show '' The Real World: Las Vegas'' in 2002. The series took place throughout the Palms, including the hotel. Maloof had six rooms reconfigured into a suite for the cast, and other rooms on the same floor were occupied by the production crew. After filming concluded, the suite was rented out for up to $10,000 a night. It became popular among celebrities.[
'']Celebrity Poker Showdown
''Celebrity Poker Showdown'' is an American celebrity game show that aired on the cable network Bravo (US TV channel), Bravo. It was a limited-run series in which celebrities played poker, with eight Poker tournament, tournaments during its five-s ...
'' was also filmed at the Palms from 2003 to 2005. Another reality television series, ''Party at the Palms'', aired for 12 episodes during 2005. It was hosted by Jenny McCarthy
Jennifer McCarthy Wahlberg (' Jennifer Ann McCarthy; born November 1, 1972) is an American actress, model, and television personality. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for ''Playboy'' magazine and was later named their Playmate of ...
, who would tour the resort and interview celebrities in each episode. The second season of ''High Stakes Poker
''High Stakes Poker'' is an American cash game poker television program. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. The first four seasons ran from January 16, 2006 to December 17, 2007 on GSN. The next three seasons ran fr ...
'' was also shot at the resort. In addition, the Palms appeared in an episode of ''The O.C.
''The O.C. '' is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons. "O.C." is an initiali ...
'', and in ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' (abbreviated ''RHOBH'') is an American reality television series which has been broadcast on Bravo since October 14, 2010. Developed as the sixth installment in ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has ...
'', starring Adrienne Maloof
Adrienne Maloof (born September 4, 1961) is an American businesswoman, television personality, shoe designer, and co-owner of the various business holdings of Maloof Companies, which include a stake in the Sacramento Kings ( NBA), the Vegas G ...
.[
The Pearl Concert Theater, as well as other areas of the resort, hosted the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The resort also appeared in several music videos in 2009, including " Cause a Scene" by ]Teairra Marí
Teairra Marí Thomas (born December 2, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress. At the age of 16, Jay-Z signed her to Def Jam and she released her first album, '' Roc-A-Fella Records Presents Teairra Marí''. After disappoi ...
and Flo Rida
Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
, "We Made You
"We Made You" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his sixth studio album ''Relapse'' (2009). It was released as the second single from the album on April 7, 2009. "We Made You" was written by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Dawaun Parker, Mark Batson, T ...
" by Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, and Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
's "Waking Up in Vegas
"Waking Up in Vegas" is a song by American singer Katy Perry, released as the fourth and final single from her second studio album, '' One of the Boys'' (2008). Perry wrote the song with Desmond Child and Andreas Carlsson, and Greg Wells produce ...
".[
In the 2000s, the resort's Brenden Theatres facility hosted several film festivals, including ]CineVegas CineVegas was a film festival held annually at the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada that ran from 1999 to 2009, typically in early June. CineVegas was originally held at Bally's. The first Festival featured “The Best of the Fests”, showc ...
. It also hosted film premieres such as '' Elektra'', '' Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'', ''Rocky Balboa
Robert "Rocky" Balboa (also known by his ring name The Italian Stallion), is a fictional title character and the protagonist of the ''Rocky'' film series. The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in all eigh ...
'', ''Love in the Time of Cholera
''Love in the Time of Cholera'' ( es, El amor en los tiempos del cólera) is a novel written in Spanish by Colombian Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez and published in 1985. Edith Grossman's English translation was published by ...
'', and ''Michael Jackson's This Is It
''Michael Jackson's This Is It'' is a 2009 American documentary–concert film about Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, at the O2 Arena, but cancelled du ...
''.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palms, The
2001 establishments in Nevada
Casino hotels
Casinos completed in 2001
Casinos in the Las Vegas Valley
Hotel buildings completed in 2001
Hotels established in 2001
Mixed martial arts venues in Nevada
Resorts in the Las Vegas Valley
Skyscraper hotels in Paradise, Nevada
Sports venues in Las Vegas
Station Casinos