The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas opened on schedule on Feb. 11, 2003 (Ravella reopened there eight years later to the day).
The adjacent 40,000-square-foot Casino MonteLago was still under construction; it debuted a couple months later. MonteLago was separately owned by CIRI, an Alaska Native Corporation, but the casino and the Ritz were joined by an elevated walkway and the two shared a six-story parking garage (and still are).
In July 2007, the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission met in an emergency session to approve the takeover of Casino MonteLago from CIRI by PDS Gaming. Reportedly, MonteLago had lost $50 million since it opened four years earlier. In October of that year, PDS assumed control; it was reported that the Las Vegas-based company showed an 80% improvement in the casino’s bottom line since it took over the joint three months earlier.
But even PDS couldn’t make a long-term go of the remote property. PDS was this close to selling it off in March 2010 when the Ritz announced that it was closing, which sealed the fate of the casino; MonteLago’s pit had already closed during the week due to the lack of business. The casino closed with little warning on March 15.
No announcement, official or unofficial, has been made as to when the casino might reopen. However, we’ve heard strong rumors that a casino operator has already been signed on and it will reopen, possibly as early as April or as late as June. We’ve also heard that it has something to do with a backlog of applications for liquor licenses (MonteLago’s license expired when the casino closed last year).
According to 8newsnow.com, the managers of Ravella said recently that an announcement of the reopening of the casino could be made "in the next month or two." If an announcement is made in March or April, chances are the casino would reopen in June at the earliest.
