- The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas has reopened.
- In May 2021, Red Rock Resorts sold The Palms Las Vegas to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority for $650 million USD.
- The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians own and operate the Yaamava’ Casino Resort (formerly San Manuel Casino) in Highland, California.
The Palms Las Vegas is back in business. The property re-opened this week under the ownership of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority. The San Manuel Tribal interests purchased The Palms from Red Rock Resorts for $650 million USD and less than a year from that announcement they’re up and running. On a ‘macro’ level, the reopening has even greater significance–The Palms is the first resort in Las Vegas fully owned and operated by a Native American Tribe.
Prior to the Wednesday grand opening, a traditional Tribal ceremony was held led by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority (SMGHA) Board and Palms General Manager Cynthia Kiser Murphey. The festivities continued throughout the day complete with a fireworks extravaganza. At 9:00 PM Pacific, the first dice were rolled at the craps table and a new era began for the once iconic property. There’s considerable optimism about the future of The Palms–and that’s something that hasn’t been true for quite some time. The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas has reopened. The San Manuel tribe owns and operates the Yaamava’ Casino Resort (formerly San Manuel Casino) in Highland, California where it has been both financially successful and extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.
Here’s the schedule of events from opening day as listed in a press release from The Palms (it looks like they’re going to omit the leading ‘The’ so I’ll do that too):
- Local favorite Mark Shunock hosted a special Tribal Ceremony, where members of the San Manuel and Southern Paiute tribes opened with traditional bird singing and the SMGHA board presented charitable contributions to three local non-profit organizations
- “A Taste of Palms” Dine Around offering a flavor of many of the resorts restaurant offerings
- Ribbon Cutting – Palms Sportsbook and Lounge by William Hill
- Poolside reception featuring: Local DJs and entertainers including Moonshiners, David Perrico & Pop Strings Orchestra and a surprise “Splash Mob”
- Fireworks Extravaganza
The press release also described what guests will find at ‘Palms 2.0’:
Having undergone more than a $600 million renovation in 2019, Palms Casino Resort boasts a diverse mix of bars and restaurants, featuring the return of popular outlets such as the highly acclaimed Scotch 80 Prime and Mabel’s BBQ by Chef Michael Symon. Palms is also proud to bring back its A.Y.C.E. Buffet. Open for breakfast, dinner and weekend brunch, A.Y.C.E. Buffet features seven globally inspired stations with bold flavors, flame-broiled classics and with everything prepared fresh. Casual dining options include Send Noodles and the debut of Serrano Vista Cafe.
The resort also offers guests an expansive resort pool area featuring a multi-level, sprawling 73,000-square-foot space with two luxurious main pools and 39 unique cabanas, most with their own private pool. The space also features oversized daybeds and poolside lounge chairs throughout. Also returning is the upgraded and enhanced 14-screen Brenden Theatres. Additional information regarding spa, entertainment, pool and nightlife offerings will be announced soon.
One very interesting tidbit out of that property description is the return of the A.Y.C.E Buffet. We’ve covered the future of the Las Vegas buffet in the post COVID era extensively–to date, there’s no clear consensus as to whether they’re destined for a comeback or a relic of a different era. The reopening of the A.Y.C.E Buffet is the latest twist. The tribe has a buffet at the Yaamava Resort & Casino so it’s not a massive surprise but a high profile new property with a buffet could portent a trend. Stay tuned.
The property is now taking reservations at https://www.palms.com/.
