Green Valley Ranch

History

Background and construction

The resort was built in the neighborhood of Green Valley Ranch, located within the city of Henderson, Nevada. The Green Valley Ranch area was developed by American Nevada Corporation, a company owned by the Greenspun family. 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 were in negotiations to partner on the future resort project. The two companies had previously partnered on a small casino and microbrewery 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. It would be the smallest of Station's local resort properties.

Construction began around August 2000, with Perini Building Company as the general contractor. 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.

Green Valley Ranch features a Mediterranean theme. Another target demographic was tourists, and the hotel offered a 24-hour limousine shuttle service to take them to the Las Vegas Strip.

The 50000 sqft casino had more than 2,500 slot machines, 53 table games, and a sportsbook. 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. including The Original Pancake House, a sports-themed restaurant, and a 500-seat buffet. Other features included a 10-screen Regal Cinemas theater,

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 courts, and a three-acre vineyard. The casino's Drop Bar was designed by Michael Czysz, and was operated by Rande Gerber, 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 rollers 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. Phase three of the expansion project opened in October 2006, adding additional restaurants and a new parking garage. The resort's pool area is popular among local residents and has hosted pool parties going back to 2005.Retrieved December 16, 2021:{{ubl | | | |

Dispute and ownership change

Station Casinos filed for bankruptcy in 2009, due to the effects of the Great Recession. 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.

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 creditors 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. 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. 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, 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 been rented out for nearly 10 years. The resort's wedding chapel was also converted into a suite. In mid-2023, the casino added a new bar as part of a revamping of its amenities, scheduled to conclude in early 2024. The project will also include new restaurants in the former buffet space and add new high-limit gaming areas.

The District at Green Valley Ranch

Main article: The District at Green Valley Ranch

American Nevada's mixed-use project, The District at Green Valley Ranch, 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 filmed at Green Valley Ranch in 2003.
• During its first season in 2003, the series Las Vegas sometimes filmed at Green Valley Ranch, which stood in as the fictional Montecito resort.
• The 2004 reality television series American Casino, based on the daily tasks of various casino employees, was filmed entirely at Green Valley Ranch.
• The 2004 series Dr. Vegas shot some scenes at the resort.
• The soap opera Passions shot at Green Valley Ranch in 2005.
• Rahman "Rock" Harper, the winner of the 2007 third season of Hell's Kitchen, 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. The Sin City Sinners 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, for its hosting of country musicians, including Blake Shelton, Lady Antebellum, Montgomery Gentry and Toby Keith. Other notable entertainers have included The Fixx, Julio Iglesias, Asia, and Michael Grimm. Ovation closed in November 2012, and was replaced by the bingo hall.

References

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