Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall to reopen as Gansevoort Las Vegas

By Andrea Domanick

Monday, March 18, 2013 | 1:16 p.m.

Caesars Entertainment announced today that Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon will reopen as Gansevoort Las Vegas, a standalone boutique resort scheduled to debut early next year.

The new property marks a partnership among Bill’s owner Caesars Entertainment Corp., the New York-based luxury hotel brand Gansevoort Hotel Group and nightlife mogul Victor Drai, whose eponymous after-hours nightclub has been a mainstay at the location for the past 15 years.

Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon closed Feb. 4 to undergo a $185 million renovation. Gansevoort Las Vegas will tout 188 guest rooms with 19 suites and features a Parisian apartment-style theme designed by local firm Tandem Las Vegas, which also designed boutique hotel Rumor. The renovation includes a 40,000-square-foot casino, a redesigned lobby bar, an ultra-lounge and retail outlets.

“Gansevoort Las Vegas will be a completely unique upscale lifestyle experience in Las Vegas,” said Tariq Shaukat, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Caesars Entertainment, in a statement. “It will set a new standard of fun and modern luxury, which only Gansevoort Hotel Group, Victor Drai and Caesars Entertainment can create. We are confident that Gansevoort Las Vegas will be one of the most exciting destinations in Las Vegas when it opens in 2014.”

Drai’s will return to its original location, while the new Drai’s Beach Club and Nightclub will open in a 65,000-square-foot space alongside the property’s rooftop pool.

“Drai’s After Hours has been a staple of Las Vegas nightlife for the past 15 years,” Drai said. “Drai’s set a new standard for the late-night entertainment experience in Las Vegas, and I’ve successfully raised the bar for that experience with each new venue I’ve launched. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to once again reinvent and reinvigorate the nightlife scene right where it all began 15 years ago.

“Drai’s Beach Club and Nightclub, set atop the renovated Gansevoort Las Vegas, will be unlike any other club venue in the world. I’m looking forward to entertaining guests in this beautiful rooftop venue as well as reintroducing After Hours by Drai to the resort.”

Today’s official Caesars Entertainment confirmation was reported by Robin Leach’s VegasDeLuxe.com on Nov. 1 and again Feb. 4. The official announcement also confirmed previous stories July 6, 2010, and Aug. 27, 2010, that Drai would run a 75,000-square-foot beach and nightclub with a rooftop pool.

The renovated resort is expected to employ more than 1,000 people; Bill’s staff included about 600 employees. The property was opened in 1979 as the Boyd Gaming-owned Barbary Coast. It was acquired by Harrah’s Entertainment in 2007 and subsequently rebranded as Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon in tribute to company founder Bill Harrah.

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