Bryan Horwath

Story Archive

Photos: Take a look at the over-the-top Circa a week before opening
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020
Circa Las Vegas owner Derek Stevens is sitting in the massive sports book at his new downtown property. He looks around at the bright lights, projection screens and other features and can’t help soaking it all in.
Resorts, Metro Police ramp up security after spate of violent incidents on Las Vegas Strip
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020
A group of visitors patiently waited this weekend to be scanned with a metal detector before entering Encore. It’s the type of screening people typically ...
Nevada dispensary association exec: ‘Cannabis industry is hugely important to our recovery’
Monday, Oct. 19, 2020
As the new executive director of the Nevada Dispensary Association, Layke Martin will be tasked with overseeing governmental affairs and public outreach for the group that represents dispensaries throughout the state. The association promotes ...
Las Vegas might not see normal until 2022, longtime casino owner says
Friday, Oct. 16, 2020
Las Vegas casino owner Michael Gaughan said he hopes the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over by the spring, but Las Vegas might not fully recover until 2022.
Restaurants at Paris Las Vegas to cut nearly 150 positions
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020
Two restaurants at Paris Las Vegas will terminate close to 150 jobs in December, according to state records. In separate letters Monday to Nevada employment officials ...
Federal renter protections remain in place after Nevada's eviction moratorium ends
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020
When a state moratorium banning evictions expires on Thursday, some distressed tenants will still have federal protections preventing them from being evicted.

Slow business prompts Encore to close three days a week
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020
Citing weak customer demand, Wynn Resorts announced today it is cutting the operating schedule at the Encore to four days a week. The 2,034-room Strip resort will be open Thursdays through Sundays only. After closing at noon Monday, it will be closed until ...
Las Vegas women making inroads into the construction industry
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020
“Hopefully, there will be more and more women looking to do (construction) because it’s a great industry with a lot of opportunity. It doesn’t have to be male dominated.”
A look inside the almost finished Las Vegas Convention Center expansion
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020
On an open-air terrace on the third floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall expansion, Steve Hill stood with a large chunk of the Strip serving as his backdrop. Resort towers, including Wynn Las Vegas, Encore and the Venetian, glistened behind him in the afternoon ...
Gaming group: No federal help for Las Vegas casinos expected soon
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020
An American Gaming Association official said election politics have likely torpedoed the chance for additional COVID-19 federal relief funds that could help the gaming industry ...
Las Vegas staple Vickie's Diner confirms plans to reopen in new location
Friday, Oct. 9, 2020
Fans of Vickie’s Diner will soon have their beloved eatery back, albeit in a new spot. Vickie Kelesis, owner of the popular diner near the Strat that closed in August, said Friday that she has signed a long-term lease at a new location.
Allegiant Air lays off another 50 employees
Friday, Oct. 9, 2020
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air laid off dozens of employees effective Thursday, according to a notice sent to state workforce officials. In a letter dated Wednesday, the airline notified ...
Wynn Resorts enhancing security measures in Las Vegas
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020
Wynn Resorts will employ added security measures at the Wynn and Encore properties in Las Vegas on weekends in an effort to push back against ...
With supply tight, Las Vegas home prices hit all-time high
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020
The median sale price of existing homes in the Las Vegas area grew to record high $337,250 in September, an increase of 9% from September of last year ...
Sisolak appoints final 2 members to Cannabis Compliance Board
Monday, Oct. 5, 2020
Gov. Steve Sisolak has appointed the final two members of the state’s new Cannabis Compliance Board ...
On road to opening, Resorts World envisions a singular guest experience
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020
“When people walk in, the casino will be kind of an afterthought. We know people will find the casino, it’s going to be there. We want to be the first truly integrated joint on the Strip where you won’t have any reason to leave.”
Caesars says it has deal in place to acquire William Hill
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020
Caesars Entertainment has a deal in place to buy sports-betting firm William Hill.
Downtown Las Vegas businesses focus on attracting more locals
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020
Las Vegas normally attracts visitors from across the globe. But with travel lagging during the coronavirus pandemic, downtown businesses are looking toward locals to ...
Amid pandemic, PropSwap sellers choose good karma over making a quick buck
Monday, Sept. 28, 2020
When the pandemic shuttered all sports in the spring, it also put a pause on the PropSwap business, and created a problem they could have never expected.

Will Park MGM no-smoking policy set a trend in Las Vegas?
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020
Public health advocates are praising MGM Resorts International for establishing the Strip’s first nonsmoking casino, but industry observers say it’s too early to know ...
Ray of sunshine: Circa resort creating 1,500 jobs in Las Vegas amid pandemic
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
The first casino built downtown in four decades, Circa is providing some 1,500 jobs at a time the coronavirus pandemic has rocked the Las Vegas economy, sending ...
WSOP’s move to online events continues paying off
Monday, Sept. 21, 2020
With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the World Series of Poker events online, players in the United States had to get creative to participate.
Poker room at Encore reopening Sept. 30
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
The poker room at Encore is set to open later this month, according to a news release Friday from Wynn Resorts. The 24-hour poker room will open at ...
Slot player hits nearly $790,000 jackpot — and then some
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
A slot player from Hawaii hit an almost $790,000 jackpot at a downtown Las Vegas casino, then topped it off by winning another ...
TV executive named next CEO of Fremont Street Experience
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020
Marketing veteran Andrew Simon will be the next chief executive officer for the Fremont Street Experience, according to a news release. Simon, who will start his ...
Rats! Home because of pandemic, residents noticing more pests
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020
A Las Vegas Valley resident since 1960, Sharon Coomes first noticed what turned out to be rat droppings in her garage a couple of years ago. Before that, Coomes had never noticed a rat issue in her Whitney Ranch neighborhood in Henderson ...
Farm Basket’s chicken, turkey favorites coming to east valley
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020
A new Farm Basket location is set to come to the east Las Vegas Valley ...
Pandemic has forced many businesses to pivot, if they’re able to remain open
Monday, Sept. 14, 2020
Normally a region that attracts more than 40 million visitors annually, Southern Nevada has been in the economic doldrums for months, and the situation isn’t likely to improve soon. That has impacted small business that provide services for conventions, weddings and more.

Wynn Resorts files lawsuit over ‘melee’ at Strip casino
Friday, Sept. 11, 2020
Wynn Resorts is punching back following what the company described as a melee at its Encore casino over Labor Day weekend. Wynn is suing 15 to 20 unnamed people involved in a fight in the resort lobby, according to a lawsuit filed today in ...
Las Vegas sports books ready for big NFL opening weekend
Friday, Sept. 11, 2020
Las Vegas sports books are gearing up for a busy first weekend of NFL action, despite the coronavirus pandemic. John Murray, executive director of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, said he expects a big turnout Sunday, even though fans and bettors will have ...
Golden Knights rent out T-Mobile suites for fans to watch games
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
The Golden Knights might not be playing at T-Mobile Arena, but that doesn’t mean fans can’t throw on their favorite jersey and watch a game there. The Golden Knights, in the midst of a deep Stanley Cup Playoffs run, are renting out luxury suites ...
Park MGM to resume operations in October
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020
The Park MGM, which has been closed since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen next month, MGM Resorts International said today. “Park MGM is ...
Las Vegas home prices set record amid pandemic
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020
The median sale price of an existing home in Southern Nevada hit $335,000 in August, a new record. The previous record ...
The Linq to reopen hotel on weekends, beginning this week
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020
The Linq’s hotel, which has been closed since mid-March, will be open Thursdays through Sundays at first, the company said ...
Amid pandemic, Amazon is a lifeline for some Las Vegas-area workers
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020
Matthew Mills arrived in Las Vegas in mid-March eager to find employment. He wasn’t alone. A few days later after the 23-year-old single father arrived, the coronavirus pandemic forced ...
Wynn Resorts helps employees struggling with child care issues
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020
With many parents facing challenges with child care and distance learning amid the coronavirus pandemic, one Strip casino company is among businesses that have stepped up to help. Wynn Resorts has contracted with the Boys and Girls Clubs ...
Pandemic casualty: Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas to close
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020
The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas will close next week. A casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-trumpeted Las Vegas buffet has largely gone away ...
Spa at the Venetian extends furloughs
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020
One of the biggest spa and fitness centers in Las Vegas has extended furloughs for nearly 200 employees, according to a notice sent to state employment department officials. Canyon Ranch, located at ...
Tourism agency approves plan to buy Las Vegas monorail
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has agreed to a deal to buy the monorail transit system along the Resort Corridor. The motion passed with the approval of ...
How Henderson is helping residents, businesses stay afloat
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020
Danielle Eldridge, a Salvation Army case manager who works with financially distressed families in Henderson, said the next six months are likely to bring more pain for residents struggling to pay their rent or mortgage because of the economic downturn caused by ...
Business booming for Las Vegas air conditioning companies amid record temps
Monday, Aug. 31, 2020
As what will likely be the hottest August on record in Southern Nevada drags on, the area’s air conditioner service providers are also feeling the heat. Many businesses throughout the valley have fallen on hard times because of the pandemic. That’s not the case with ...
Pandemic has been a boon to the Las Vegas bicycle industry
Monday, Aug. 31, 2020
In the early days of the pandemic in Southern Nevada this spring, people were rushing to stores to buy things like toilet paper, canned foods and household cleaning supplies.That type of panic-buying—which led to long lines, empty shelves and senior-specific shopping hours—eventually gave way to other changes in consumer purchasing habits, one in particular that centered on recreation.

After CG Technology deal, bookmaker William Hill relishes bigger Strip presence
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020
Come Tuesday, sports betting giant William Hill will likely have a much bigger presence on the Las Vegas Strip.
MGM Resorts set to lay off 18,000 employees nationwide on Monday
Friday, Aug. 28, 2020
MGM Resorts International will lay off 18,000 furloughed employees nationwide on Monday, company officials said. In a letter ...
Downtown Las Vegas fixture Tony Hsieh leaves Zappos
Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
In 2013, Zappos moved its headquarters to downtown Las Vegas with Hsieh investing millions from his personal fortune in an effort to ...
Slot player hits $3.9 million jackpot at Bellagio
Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
A slot machine player hit a $3.9 million progressive jackpot Saturday at the Bellagio, according to a news release. The player, who was not identified, hit the jackpot on ...
New firm aims to reinvent the way homes are bought and sold
Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
Technology continues to disrupt the way business traditionally has been done in many industries, and real estate is no exception.
Las Vegas casinos with coin-play slots scramble as coin shortage hits US
Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020
Because of a nationwide coin shortage brought on by business closures out of COVID-19 concerns, casinos with the coin-play machines have had to scramble to secure enough coins in circulation for …
Nearly 100 workers laid off from Strip property
Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
A Strip casino plans to permanently lay off nearly 100 employees, according to a notice sent to state officials.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas might delay fall opening
Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
The remodeling of the former Hard Rock Hotel property, on Harmon Avenue just east of the Strip, remains on schedule. A reopening date should be established ...