Western … sold?; Loveman takes a bath; Loving couples at the Flamingo

Update: The head of Tamares Group’s Vegas casino operations, Anthony Santo, has contacted S&G. He categorically denies that any sale of the Western has taken place.

Well, “the Internets” are jumping today with the rumor that the defunct Western Hotel Casino, most recent victim of absentee Tamares Group, has been sold. Zappos.com has been tipped as the likely buyer. We shall see. The Western occupies an entire city block, which would be space enough for a big-box grocery store … one of Mayor Carolyn Goodman‘s high-priority items on her wish list. Since the Western sits adjacent to the empty space once occupied by Tamares’ Ambassador East Motel, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a multi-block transaction were in the works.

Since Downtown living at former condos like the Ogden has become affordable, the El Cortez is now regarded as one of the leading Downtown casinos and Fremont East continues to grow into a must-see spot (bolstered by popular eateries like Le Thai), the circumstances are reaching critical mass for mass-appeal retail on urban Vegas’ eastern flank.

Back when the real estate market was at its go-go zenith, one of my sources told me that Harrah’s Entertainment was paying top dollar for land on Koval Lane, two blocks off the Strip. Indeed, property-record searches show that the Desert Club apartment complex was purchased in 2006 by an innocuously named LLC that just happened to be headquartered at One Harrah’s Court. The $164.4 million buy (a relatively thrifty $8.4 million/acre) gave then-Harrah’s Entertainment land stretching all the way to the western boundary of the Hughes Center … which, ironically, happens to be the site of Boyd Gaming‘s corporate HQ.

This also provided Gary Loveman with much beachfront property along the fragrant shores of the Flamingo Wash. Perhaps he envisioned gondoliers plying its less-than-salubrious waters, warbling odes to “Epicentre.” Who knows? After going dark for a long time, Desert Court has been resurrected as Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Desert Club Resort. (Uff da!) It had been quietly offloaded in August 2011 for a priced-to-move $29.4 million ($1.5 million/acre) — an 82% markdown. With business acumen like that running rampant in the executive suite is it any wonder that Caesars Entertainment is fast turning the pages toward Chapter 11?

Putting the ‘Q’ in “Quad.” Voters in Nevada foolishly voted themselves out of the gay-marriage fiscal jackpot … twice. However,  if you’re willing to settle for a “commitment ceremony,” Caesars will do the honors for you — for $349 — at both Imperial Palace — hey, isn’t that “The Quad“? — chapels, including the Skyline, redone in signature, Ralph Engelstad blue-and-white hues. At the Flamingo Las Vegas, you and your partner have the choice of five venues, even the pool and garden areas.

Later, you can visit the pair of brown pelicans adopted by Flamingo management after the duo got enmeshed in fishing nets and rendered flightless as a result. Rescued by the Pacific Wildlife Project, the couple was quickly dubbed “Busy” and “Virginia” by Flamingo employees for reasons which should be obvious — particularly to those who suffered through the sappy 1991 epic Bugsy. The old penguin habitat has been dusted off and chilled to a more pelican-friendly 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. You can catch the plucky couple at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo may be Caesars’ single best Vegas attraction: colorful, exotic, heartwarming and — not to be gainsaid — free. So two cheers for Caesars today.