The Plaza Hotel & Casino is a casino–hotel located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned by the Tamares Group and Jonathan Jossel is the CEO. It currently has 995 rooms and suites, a casino and more than of event space. The Plaza also features a showroom, a rooftop swimming pool, fitness center, bingo room, and a race and sports book.
History
Las Vegas Union Pacific Station
Prior to the construction of the casino, part of the site was used for the first train station in Las Vegas, a Spanish style depot, constructed in 1906. Union Pacific replaced that station in 1940 with a Streamline Moderne train station designed by H. L. Gogerty, with a Union Pacific shield, and "Streamliners & Challengers" neon sign. This station was demolished in 1970. The casino – originally named Union Plaza, in reference to the railroad station that originally stood at the site – included a small waiting room to be used as a station for Amtrak trains.
Union Plaza Hotel and Casino
Upland Industries, the Union Pacific's real estate division, and developer Frank E. Scott built the Union Plaza complex on the station site. The hotel opened at 10 AM on July 1, 1971; the casino opened at midnight following and was managed by a team of local casino executives that included Sam Boyd, Jackie Gaughan, JK Houssels Jr, and Bill Boyd. With 500 rooms when it opened, it was advertised as the largest hotel and casino in the world.
Before the discontinuation of the Desert Wind train route on May 10, 1997, Amtrak made its Las Vegas, Nevada station near the Plaza. The station and ticket windows were directly connected to the hotel. It was the only train station in the United States located in a casino. The Greyhound Bus station for Las Vegas was also located at the ground floor of the Plaza since opening, until hotel management terminated their lease. The station moved out February 23, 2021.
Plaza Hotel & Casino
Barrick Gaming Corporation acquired the Plaza from Jackie Gaughan and in late 2005 later ceded operation to majority owner Tamares Group. On July 1, 2005, after Tamares took control of the Plaza, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman made his opinions clear: "If I had my druthers, I would like to have somebody in place to discuss imploding the Plaza." He was referring to his desire to see the Plaza replaced with new construction that would create a scenic entrance to Union Park. Yet, in the decades since, the Plaza has invested millions to improve the property, and Goodman is now a strong supporter of the property, even lending his name to its steakhouse.
During its ownership by Barrick Gaming Corporation, D.W. Barrick's friend, Larry Manetti (who played Orville "Rick" Wright on the television show Magnum, P.I.) hosted a celebrity brunch every Sunday, featuring such guests as Pat Morita and Steve Rossi. He also owned Manetti's in the Plaza. When Barrick sold its interest in the hotel to the Tamares Group, Manetti closed his restaurant and severed his relationship with the hotel. The Plaza's famed glass dome is now the home of Oscar's Steakhouse, which opened in 2011.
The hotel closed for renovations on November 11, 2010, and acquired furniture, carpets and fixtures from the bankrupt Fontainebleau Resort Las Vegas project on the Las Vegas Strip. From November 2010 to August 2011, the Plaza still operated its sports & racebook, showroom, one bar, and a portion of the casino. By March 2011, the south tower had been renovated, and the casino finished renovations and re-opened on August 24, 2011. The hotel officially re-opened for business on September 1, 2011. The cost of the renovation project was $35 million .
In 2014, the Plaza announced that a new 3,500-seat facility would be constructed at the hotel to become the new home arena for the Las Vegas Wranglers minor league hockey team of the ECHL. However, the hockey team suspended operations for the 2014-15 season and would eventually fold mid-season.
The property has undertaken numerous other renovations and amenity enhancement projects since 2011. In 2016, the Plaza fully refurbished its rooftop pool creating a "retro Palm Springs meets classic downtown Las Vegas" inspired outdoor space with a wet deck, hot tub, private cabanas, bar and food truck. With 12 Pickleball courts, the Plaza is the only hotel/casino in Las Vegas with so many courts dedicated to the sport.
The Plaza built the multipurpose venue CORE Arena, an equestrian center in downtown Las Vegas, with 80 equine stalls. which hosts events including rodeos, monster truck shows and other sporting events.
