Question of the Day - 23 September 2017

Squat, gray, and rudimentary, the Western was always a tough little joint, in a part of town so dicey that even case-hardened LVA publisher Anthony Curtis avoided it. As the Associated Press wrote, "On a stretch of despair that tourists in Las Vegas seldom see, the Western Hotel-Casino stands out as a beacon for the broke and nearly broken.” 

Tamares Group bought it, along with a few other Gaughan/Mel Exber properties, in 2004 and spent the better part of a decade not figuring out what to do with it.

Then along came Tony Hsieh to relieve them of it in 2013 for $14 million. Hsieh seems to have no long-range plan other than to accrue additional acreage. “It’s definitely in furtherance of Tony Hsieh and his vision,” said Tamares lawyer Harry Braunstein, putting the best possible spin on an inscrutable real estate play. Now, with his Downtown Project losing momentum, the Western’s fate has become an afterthought.

At first, it looked like the Western’s casino days were over. Hsieh disapproves of gambling and kicked it out of the Gold Spike when he bought that (ex-)casino from Spiegel Group. However, in late 2013 the Downtown Project was looking to extend the Western’s gaming license and floating the prospect of a “new non-restricted gaming establishment.” Hsieh has spoken vaguely of turning it into a venue for e-sports. But that would require a significant capital commitment. Meanwhile, the Downtown Grand has beaten Hsieh to the punch in terms of courting the e-sports crowd and is becoming synonymous with the pastime. 

At least Hsieh has demolished the motel portion of the Western and City of Las Vegas spokeswoman Lora Kalkman reports that the former casino building is now being rented out as an events center. “It's also used during the Life Is Beautiful festival for its speakers series,” she continues. “There are no plans that we know of to reopen as a casino.”

Will it be missed? You tell us.