Sahara Casino to reopen in Las Vegas

However, this bit of Vegas history closed early in 2011 as one of the casualties of the American recession. With Sin City no longer bringing in the same amount of tourists, the Sahara was one of the hardest-hit casinos. However, it doesn’t look like the hotel/casino will stay closed for long since the property is currently being remodeled so it can be reopened. And some of the new plans for this dated casino are definitely worth checking out.

The Sahara was quickly identified by the unique Arabian theme that it featured. The sign pretty much said everything because it was shaped like an Arabian tower, and featured two camels towards the top. Once inside of the casino, visitors could bask in the Middle Eastern-themed architecture and decorations. Interestingly enough though, the Arabian look will be scrapped as the Sahara’s current owner – Stockbridge SBE Holdings LLC – looks to go in a different direction.

At this point, it’s not exactly sure where SBE Holdings plans to go with the casino’s new theme, but whatever it is, it won’t include any sort of Arabian element. The theme isn’t the only thing changing because the hotel and casino will be renamed, and the signature roller coaster in front of the property will be removed. The idea behind the big overhaul is that SBE Holdings wants to bring the Sahara up to date with the sleeker, more modern casinos of Las Vegas.

Many of the new casinos that are being built in Vegas provide visitors with an all-inclusive experience. No longer do people have to run all over to visit spas, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. because these places are all included in many of the modern casino complexes. Contrast this model to the old Sahara, which was often viewed as a historic, but dilapidated remainder of how casinos used to be.

Under new direction, the remodeled Sahara property will include a new entrance, a 2,800-square-foot beer garden, renovated hotel rooms, more restaurants, extra convention space and a nightclub. As for the entrance, SBE doesn’t think that the current gateway is very accessible to the general population, and they want to change this so that the unnamed future casino is more inviting.

The beer garden is another major development since the owners are hoping to create a new vibe where people are encouraged to hang around outside while drinking. Sticking with this new vibe, SBE also considers a trendy nightclub to be a must. The idea is to attract a younger crowd that’s into more than just casino gaming since the nightclub would make the Sahara area an entertainment destination. More restaurants will also help out the future casino because the Sahara’s dining options were somewhat limited.

It seems the only part of this ambitious plan that doesn’t seek to be bigger and better is the number of hotel rooms, which will be reduced from 1,700 to 1,622. However, the rooms are all going to be renovated so they’re more elegant and hospitable. Finally, the added convention center space should go a long way towards encouraging more business meetings at this casino.

While there are reports a plenty on how SBE Holdings plans to reinvent the Sahara, the only thing missing is a definite timetable for when construction will be finished. So far, noted architecture firm Gensler Architects and construction company Penta Building Group have been hired to begin designing options for the project. Both companies have an extensive and successful background with other Las Vegas constructions, so the future casino will be in good hands here.

Seeing as how this is a renovation, rather than a complete construction, we won’t have to wait four or five years like with many large-scale casino projects. However, it still remains up in the air as to when we’ll be able to see how dramatically the Sahara has changed.