Location Henderson, Nevada No. of rooms 224 | Theme Southwestern party Total gaming space 73,450 sq ft (6,824 m) | |
Address 777 West Lake Mead Parkway Opening date February 10, 1998; 19 years ago (February 10, 1998) | ||
Fiesta Henderson is a hotel and casino located on 35 acres (14 ha) of land at 777 West Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson, Nevada.
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After a construction delay, Ameristar Casinos opened the hotel-casino as The Reserve in 1998, with an African safari/jungle theme, although the resort failed to generate a substantial profit. In 2001, The Reserve was purchased by Station Casinos, which renovated and reopened the hotel-casino as the southwestern party-themed Fiesta Henderson. The resort is a sister property to another Station Casinos property, Fiesta Rancho, in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Reserve
Construction on The Reserve was underway as of April 1996, with Steve Rebeil and Dominic Magliarditi of Gem Gaming Company as the developers. At that time, Ameristar Casinos agreed to merge with Gem Gaming. Ameristar acquired The Reserve as part of the deal. The Reserve was initially planned to open in October 1996, with 225 hotel rooms, 1,000 slot machines, and 35 gaming tables.
The Reserve was built in Henderson, Nevada, near Black Mountain, on Lake Mead Drive near U.S. Route 95. The resort was designed as the first phase of a potential expansion, as Ameristar owned a vacant area of 28 acres surrounding the resort, with the option to purchase an additional 20 acres. After its planned 1996 opening, Ameristar intended to expand the casino to 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m2) and increase the hotel with 500 additional rooms. Ameristar ultimately planned for a 1,500-room hotel.
In January 1997, Steven Rebeil and Dominic Magliarditi were denied gaming licenses because of evidence that Rebeil's home development company was involved in a credit scam; as a result, they were not allowed to work for Ameristar. The resort was expected to open later that year. In March 1997, construction was delayed for more than three months, when Ameristar accused Rebeil and Magliarditi of attempting to prevent Ameristar from issuing 7.5 million public stocks, which was to pay for the acquisition of Gem Gaming Inc. In May 1997, Ameristar settled the dispute for $32.7 million.
The hotel-casino was designed by Henry Conversano, who also designed The Mirage resort in Paradise, Nevada, and The Lost City at Sun City Resort Hotel and Casino in Sun City, South Africa. The construction delay allowed Conversano time to improve and redesign the resort, by adding a sound system which replicated the sound of rainstorms, birds, and lions throughout the high-ceilinged gaming and dining areas. Conversano also had time to integrate Congo rain forests into the resort's design. The resort's parking lot was also designed to resemble a Serengeti grassland.
The resort opened with a fireworks show on the night of February 10, 1998, with a 10-story, 224-room hotel; a 37,000 sq ft (3,400 m2) casino, with 26 table games and 1,435 slot machines; three lounges; and four restaurants. The Reserve was valued at $125 million at the time. Upon opening, The Reserve's targeted clientele was local residents in Henderson, which was the fastest-growing city in the United States at that time.
The hotel-casino's theme revolved around the concept of a fictional adventurer named Congo Jack, who had crash-landed his airplane in an African-themed environment, and was nursed back to health by Monsoon Mary. Actors were hired to portray the characters, also created by Conversano. A restaurant and a lounge were also named for them: Congo Jack Cafe and Monsoon Mary Lounge. The Reserve also included statues and murals of exotic animals in a jungle setting.
By March 1999, The Reserve had lost a substantial amount of money. To improve the resort's earnings, Ameristar initiated a plan that included promotions, direct mail marketing, cash-back programs, improved operating efficiencies, and reductions in labor costs. The following month, Ameristar reported that the resort had generated profit for the first time during February and March 1999.
Anthony Curtis of the Las Vegas Advisor opined that while The Reserve had good bargain deals, it suffered from a bad location and a "strange theme," saying, "The jungle theme was always dark and brooding, and I think that turned people off a bit." The Reserve also faced competition from the nearby Sunset Station hotel and casino.
In October 2000, Ameristar agreed to purchase two Missouri casinos owned by Station Casinos, which would then purchase The Reserve in exchange. Station Casinos also planned to purchase the Fiesta hotel and casino in North Las Vegas, Nevada, and considered redesigning The Reserve and renaming it as another Fiesta location.
Fiesta Henderson
In January 2001, Ameristar sold The Reserve to Station Casinos for $71.8 million. Station Casinos also purchased the Fiesta hotel and casino in North Las Vegas that month. At the time, The Reserve had a 41,500 sq ft (3,860 m2) casino.
On April 23, 2001, Station Casinos announced that The Reserve would be renamed as Fiesta Henderson, as the company had hoped to turn Fiesta into a successful brand name. Station Casinos' chief financial officer said that some day, there would "almost certainly" be more than two Fiesta casinos in the Las Vegas Valley.
During 2001, Station Casinos spent $12 million on a five-month renovation of the resort, which included replacing its jungle theme with a southwestern party theme. The resort's jungle-themed decor was donated and auctioned. The Fiesta Henderson celebrated its official grand opening with a fireworks show on December 29, 2001.
In April 2005, Station Casinos announced a $70 million expansion of the resort, which would include expansion of the race and sports book, and the addition of a 12-screen movie theater, a 1,500-space parking garage, and 350 slot machines. The expansion was expected to begin in July 2005, and be completed by June 2006. The parking garage was opened in August 2006. Other renovations were underway as of October 2006, and were completed in 2007.