Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 | 10:58 a.m.
Hooters wings took on a whole new meaning in Las Vegas with the inaugural flight of Hooters Air to McCarran International Airport Thursday.
The charter airline, an offshoot of the popular restaurant chain famous for its chicken wings served by waitresses in skimpy tank tops and shorts, had its first flight from suburban Chicago last night. Company officials were not immediately available to say how many people arrived on Thursday's flight.
Hooters is increasing its exposure in Las Vegas, planning to convert the 711-room Hotel San Remo into a branded property by early next year. Officials at the San Remo said plans are progressing.
The airline, meanwhile, launched flights from Greater Rockford Airport in Rockford, Ill., earlier this week and announced that Hooters Air would have two flights a week to and from McCarran, operating Thursdays and Sundays.
The airline operates as a public charter and Las Vegas flights arrive at McCarran's Terminal 2. Flights leave Rockford at 6:45 p.m., arriving in Las Vegas at 8:15, and return at 9:15, arriving in Rockford at 2:45 a.m.
Last year, when company executives announced their San Remo plans, they did not speculate on how long it would take for Hooters Air to begin flights to Las Vegas.
The airline has a fleet of five planes, ranging from a twin-engine Boeing 737 jet with 132 seats to a long-range Boeing 757 jet. Planes have the distinctive orange Hooters markings, including "Hootie," an owl that adorns the plane's tail.
Hooters Air planes have dark blue leather seats and each flight crew includes two pilots, three flight attendants and Hooters Girls from restaurants. The Hooters Girls on the inaugural Las Vegas flight came from the Rockford Hooters restaurant.
The San Remo property is on track to begin its transition to the Hooters brand beginning next month.
"We are currently finalizing all of our architectural plans and drawings with the Clark County Building Department," said Mike Hessling, a partner and the chief operating officer of the Hooters hotel-casino and currently general manager of the San Remo.
Hessling said construction would begin March 29 -- the date the company's financing arrangements would be complete -- and a tentative start-up date for the new brand is Feb. 2, 2006. In the meantime, Hessling said he will work with Hooters Air and the restaurant chain to market the Las Vegas property.
"Those are totally separate companies and we're different, other than having the same name," Hessling said.
He said the arrival of Hooters Air to Las Vegas should be a benefit to the property.
"It's a very positive thing for Las Vegas in terms of additional air lift here, which never hurts," he said. "We'll have additional conversations to see if there are other things we can do that make sense. Anything that this brand does benefits all of us."
Hessling said 60 million people go to Hooters restaurants in the United States and he expects most of those restaurants would be receptive to advertising the airline and the hotel.
When the San Remo adopts the Hooters brand, it will have new restaurants, including a Dan Marino's Fine Food and Spirits, a Florida-based chain owned by the former Miami Dolphins quarterback. The company also plans to expand the hotel's pool area with a Hooters Beach Club and a tropical theme.
The property also expects to adopt a "Florida casual" look, reflective of the Clearwater, Fla.-based Hooters chain. The property's exterior will feature the owl logo as well as the trademark orange tint.
The property will be operated by a joint venture of about nine people, including the hotel's current Japanese investors, Clearwater-based Hooters Management Corp., and the owners of the two Hooters franchises in Southern Nevada.
The local restaurants are on West Sahara Avenue and inside Sunset Station.
Hooters of America Inc., is the franchiser and operator of more than 290 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 11 foreign countries. The first restaurant opened in Clearwater in 1983.
Over the years, the chain has weathered a mixed bag of criticism, mostly over the appearance of its food servers.
The San Remo intends to keep its 600 employees and will hire an additional 400 workers, including a cadre of Hooters Girls.
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