Caesars to Bring French Theme to Site of Old Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall

The Associated Press reported this week that Caesars Entertainment has disclosed more information about an ongoing hotel redevelopment project currently underway at the former Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall located on Las Vegas’ famed Strip.

The hotel, which is in the process of getting a $185 million facelift and rebranding, will have a “subtle” Paris theme and is to be named the Cromwell.

Property entangled in Massachusetts fiasco

Last year, the Nevada property, which occupies a prominent place along Las Vegas Boulevard near the intersection of Flamingo Road, became caught up in the scandal surrounding Caesars’ eleventh hour exit from a partnership with the historic Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston, Massachusetts.

Caesars and Suffolk Downs had plans to build a new casino on the site of the existing racetrack, a staple in the neighborhood dating all the way back to 1935.

Only days before a public referendum at which voters in both East Boston and neighboring Revere went to the polls to give the thumbs up or thumbs down to the casino plan, Suffolk Downs asked Caesars to step aside after the company was made aware of the fact that Caesars was likely to be deemed unsuitable to operate in the Bay State after a routine background investigation by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission uncovered possible criminal ties to the Bill’s redevelopment project.

At the heart of the matter was one Arik Kislin, a German born investor in the trendy New York hotel the Gansevoort. Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall was slated to become a western outpost of the hip Meatpacking District Hotel, however the background check revealed that Mr. Kislin had alleged ties to organized crime.

Caesars not only dropped its bid to put a casino in Massachusetts, where up to three highly coveted land-based casino resort permits are expected to be issued in the next few months along with one license for a slots-only gambling parlor – that one to be issued very soon – but also quickly announced that it would be abandoning the Gansevoort project.

At the time, Caesars CEO and president Gary Loveman, himself a native of Boston, was critical of Massachusetts gaming regulators as being overly harsh.

Previously, he had remarked that Boston had the potential to become the second most important gambling center in the United States behind Las Vegas. Steve Wynn, whose hat is also in the ring for the lone Boston-area casino license to be granted, also commented that the background checks were unfair.

New project to also be boutique hotel

Those Las Vegas visitors hoping for a cool, boutique hotel to stay in need not despair the demise of the Gansevoort project, however.

With the announcement of the plans for the Cromwell, Caesars revealed that it too will have a small, trendy feel. The Cromwell will have 188 hotel rooms, Drai’s nightclubs and day clubs, as well as a pool on the roof, according to the AP.

In a statement, the general manager of the Cromwell, Karie Hall, said, “The Cromwell will bring an exclusive experience to the Las Vegas Strip as a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel focusing on hospitality, amenities and personalized service.”