Circa Resort Casino opened on October 28, 2020
Circa Resort Casino, downtown Las Vegas’ first resort-casino built from the ground up in four decades, is now open. The 1.25 million square-feet, adults-only property pays homage to Vegas’ Golden Era through vintage design, old-school hospitality and nods to the city’s history while introducing high-tech advancements and cutting-edge amenities.
The property was previously occupied by the Las Vegas Club hotel-casino, the Mermaids Casino, and the Glitter Gulch club. Circa is owned by brothers Derek and Greg Stevens, who also own other downtown casinos. They purchased the Las Vegas Club in 2015, followed by the acquisition of Mermaids and Glitter Gulch. The three businesses were demolished in 2017, and construction on Circa Resort & Casino began in February 2019. The hotel will open on December 28, 2020, marking the completion of the project.
Conceived by developer and CEO Derek Stevens, Circa’s opening marks a series of firsts and achievements for Las Vegas:
• One of the most ambitious projects in downtown Las Vegas’ 115-year history and the area’s first resort-casino built from the ground up in four decades.
• World’s largest sportsbook with a 78-million-pixel screen viewable to up to 1,000 people
• Vegas’ first adults-only resort
• Country’s largest destination pool experience for sports fans, open 365 days a year with a 14-million-pixel screen
• New-to-Vegas food & beverage concepts by renowned chefs and restaurateurs from across the country
• Nevada’s longest indoor bar spanning 165 feet
• First Las Vegas resort with a fully integrated rideshare hub
Hours before the official opening, Stevens hosted an intimate black-tie gala at the property. Las Vegas founding families and current casino operators gathered for the first roll of the dice on Circa’s casino floor, including Ryan Growney, General Manager of South Point Hotel & Casino; Jonathan Jossel, CEO of The Plaza Las Vegas; Scott Sibella, President of Resorts World Las Vegas; Andy Abboud, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Community Development for the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation; Chris Latil, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino; Terry Caudill, owner of TLC Casino Enterprises, Inc.; Mike Nolan, General Manager and COO of El Cortez Hotel and Casino; and Brendan Gaughan, grandson of Jackie Gaughan.
“For the past five years, the Circa team and our partners have been devoted to introducing a resort and casino experience that brings something totally new to Vegas, and in some cases, the country,” said Stevens. “I will be the first to admit that 2020 has not been easy, but this talented group persevered and has delivered on this vision, 8 weeks early. I’m incredibly proud to be putting 1,500 people to work and that our doors are finally open for all to visit Circa.”
Spanning two stories and 8,002 square feet of gaming space, Circa Casino’s high-energy casino houses 1,350 top-of-the line slots, with downtown Las Vegas’ famous Dancing Dealers presiding over 49 table games. Guests can travel back in time in its intimate, high-limit gaming lounges featuring Art Deco design paired with gold and deep red accents.
A glimpse into Circa Resort Casino:
• World’s Largest Sportsbook – Circa Sports is the resort’s centerpiece, boasting a 78-million-pixel high-definition screen capable of playing up to 19 games at once. The three-story, stadium-style venue is helmed by the country’s top betting experts delivering Vegas’ most diverse wagering menu. With a viewing capacity of up to 1,000, fans can reserve plush accommodations such as reclining seats or booths for large groups; all are equipped with power outlets, Wi-Fi and tables. VSiN, The Sports Betting Network (VSiN), has an on-site studio within the sportsbook, giving bettors in-depth expert analysis daily from broadcasters, athletes and industry professionals. A Circa Sports satellite location is positioned next to the entrance of Garage Mahal, offering one of the most accessible betting locations in Las Vegas. When it’s time for a bite, guests can have food from a selection of Circa’s restaurants delivered directly to their seat.
• Stadium Swim – The country’s largest pool destination for sports lovers brings the party 365 days a year. Featuring six temperature-controlled pools, two swim-up bars and a 143 x 40 foot, 14-million-megapixel LED screen, the pool amphitheater plays the day’s hottest games and televised events. Guests can enjoy live music from DJs and other special guests in one of 30 cabanas, or a super cabana hosting up to 50. During colder weather, Stadium Swim’s pools will be heated to up to 104 degrees for an après-ski style experience.
• Vegas Vickie Returns – Tall, blonde and kickin’ – the famous neon sign Vegas Vickie has found her new home at Circa as a must-see art installation in Circa’s hotel lobby. Originally appearing in 1980, she became a landmark on the Fremont Street Experience. With the goal of uniting old and new Vegas in never-before-seen ways, Stevens acquired the sign in 2016 with the intent to give Vickie a new home at Circa.
• Barry’s Downtown Prime – from Vegas’ own Chef Barry S. Dakake and his team at Make It Happen Hospitality. With a menu comprising the finest steaks and seafood, an extensive list of tableside preparations and creative cocktails, Barry’s transports patrons back to the classic cool of the 50s and 60s. The restaurant features dazzling art by more than 40 local artists, eight distinct dining rooms and 3,200 square feet of private and semi-private areas.
• Saginaw’s Delicatessen – Legendary Michigan restaurateur Paul Saginaw has opened his first concept outside of Detroit with Saginaw’s Delicatessen. Saginaw’s menu consists of his legendary sandwiches – so big two hands are needed to eat them – matzo ball soup, onion rings, salads, latkes, chopped liver and breakfast specialties.
• 8 East – A Pan-Asian restaurant from Chef Dan Coughlin of downtown Las Vegas’ Le Thai, 8 East brings a hip atmosphere and communal dining to Circa’s casino floor. Spanning cuisines inspired by Coughlin’s youth and travels throughout Asia, 8 East offers small plates and shareable dishes with Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean influences.
• Victory Burger & Wings Co. – Created by the founding family of Detroit’s 103-year-old American Coney Island, Victory Burger & Wings Co. is Circa’s all-star sports bar. Overseen by siblings Grace Keros and Chris Sotiropoulos, the restaurant features massive burgers made with a proprietary blend of Angus beef, short ribs and brisket; hearty wings; crispy fries; house made sauces; onion rings; and nostalgic milkshakes made with Captain Crunch Berries, Chocolate Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
• Project BBQ – Offering a Southern festival of gourmet smoked meats, Project BBQ at Circa is Fremont Street Experience’s only permanent food truck and its first Carolina BBQ joint. Chef Rex Bernales serves mouth-watering pulled brisket, pork and chicken – including tacos.
• MEGA BAR – is Nevada’s longest indoor bar.
• Circa Bar – Located directly on Fremont Street Experience beneath the world-famous Viva Vision light show, Circa Bar is the place who serve up 24 frozen cocktail flavors. Guests also can purchase souvenir glasses designed to look like Circa’s tower and Vegas Vickie.
• Overhang Bar – Positioned above Circa’s multi-level sportsbook and open 24/7, Overhang Bar gives guests a bird’s eye view of the book’s giant screen. Drawing inspiration from the former Detroit Tigers stadium’s private overhang section, the space includes a ledge lined with poker machines.
• Jack Pots – Created by renowned restaurateur Paul Saginaw and acclaimed coffee roaster Steve Mangigian, Jack Pots is Circa’s 24-hour coffee shop.
• Retail – Designed by Marshall Retail Group, guests can purchase Circa essentials at retail venues, Circa Collections and Fuel, offering guests a selection of apparel, souvenirs, indulgent treats and more.
• Garage Mahal – With eight stories and 982 parking spaces, Garage Mahal is Circa’s transportation hub and Vegas’ first fully integrated structure built with ridesharing in mind.
Circa Resort & Casino delivers an all-new integrated resort concept to the heart of downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas’ first adults-only casino, Circa is designed for guests to make the most of life’s fleeting moments and create new memories through an exhilarating, multi-sensory experience. The first ground-up casino-resort in downtown Las Vegas in 40 years, its larger-than-life amenities include the world’s largest sportsbook; Stadium Swim, a year-round pool amphitheater; two-story casino; eclectic restaurant and bar concepts; Garage Mahal, a high-tech transportation hub; an expansive local art collection and more.
Circa’s 777-room hotel tower will open on December 28, 2020.