Durango Casino & Hotel is the latest iteration of the fast-changing Station Casinos brand. Author: David McKee
Station Casinos is on a winning streak. The company and its parent corporation, Red Rock Resorts, have resolved to double their 47-year-old presence in the Las Vegas Valley by 2030. It has projects in various phases of development at the Inspirada master-planned resort in Henderson, Nevada, at Skye Canyon, at the Tule Springs development in North Las Vegas, and adjacent to Michael Gaughan's South Point at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. That's quite several pans for one stove. However, we are leaping ahead of ourselves.
In one year, Station will have opened Durango Casino & Hotel, which is scheduled to open in December 2023. The $750 million locals resort Station's first large-scale development since 2006's flagship Red Rock Resort and 2008's Aliante Station opened just before the Great Recession. That's a lengthy period of inactivity for Station Casinos, though it has completed a few small initiatives here and there. However, Durango Casino is its first significant casino in over a decade. And it's not an impulsive purchase.
Since Station has owned the land (previously known as "Rhodes Ranch") for over two decades, the project has been placed on and removed from the front burner numerous times. But Station CEO Frank Fertitta III and his brother – and fellow board member – Lorenzo Fertitta were poised to draw the trigger when Las Vegas recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic and as their company rode the recovery's crest. In March of last year, Durango's ground was broken, and construction proceeded at a breakneck tempo.
The Fertitta brothers chose David Horn, a 28-year Station veteran who also led the remodeled Palace Station to great success, to lead Durango. So it was only natural for him to supervise the most recent change in Station's image, Durango. Beginning in 1994 as a front-desk staffer at Palace Station, he has worked at virtually every Station property. The native of Sonoma County and graduate of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas made time in his schedule to speak with Casino Life.
Station Casinos has had the Durango site for 20 years-plus. What prompted the timing of the development?
I'm not necessarily going to speak for Frank III and Lorenzo Fertitta. Still, the circumstances, post-pandemic, the city on the rise, and everything else being developed at this time, and it's the right time to capitalize, allowed them to launch this venture. It makes sense for the business, the neighborhood, and the ownership. Everything has its time. It is always so. You're correct, we deliberated for a long time, but they've decided the time is now, and I concur.
How favorable are the demographics around Durango, and why?
They are superb from both a gaming and non-gaming perspective. It meets every criterion we're searching for. The region lacks sufficient casinos. There are no comparable business opportunities within a six-mile radius of us. The growth in that region, particularly over the past five years, and what continues to occur there creates fantastic opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. What we intend to provide will benefit the area in question as a gaming opportunity and an amenity opportunity. We have many exciting items that will attract residents in that neighborhood.
What is the competitive landscape like?
We examine the vast majority of people in the region. Silverton or The Orleans would probably be the closest in proximity. These are the closest competitors from a purely gaming perspective. Since Red Rock 16 years ago, we have set the standard for what constitutes a luxury casino resort on the inside. We're attempting to reimagine the appearance of the hotel's flagship, and we're striving to bring our luxury properties to a new level of innovation and excellence.
What will that new look be like?
It is a hybrid, if you will, of Southern California and Southwestern styles. I loathe to use the term "oasis," but it feels somewhat like one. Those hues and tones have a calm yet warm aesthetic. Red Rock has a variety of brown shades and decor details from 2006, giving it a stone-like appearance. It was simply a different era. This has the Southern California coolness and oasis-like qualities of an arid environment. On this property, there is abundant vegetation.
How will the Las Vegas gaming economy perform over the next few years?
Frank and Lorenzo discuss this frequently on the quarterly conference calls, and I concur: There is a bullish mentality, and I do not believe we are alone in feeling this way. The city has emerged more vital than ever, and the local, regional, and even national economy has been able to sustain that, which we intend to capitalize on. Although local casino companies and most stoners are from the surrounding area, we have experienced significant growth in our regional and national markets. Next year, all eyes will be on Las Vegas, and we are in an ideal position to capture a new audience. Given our luxury hotel and high-end gaming offerings, we will attract this demographic to the property.
What performance expectations do you have for Durango?
We are surpassing them. [laughs] I have my expectations and those of my proprietors and superiors. But what matters most to me are our guests' expectations, both from our local community and our out-of-town visitors. They anticipate something extraordinary. We must provide a service level, arguably unlike anything we've ever done. We must recalibrate many standard operating procedures and training models we've developed for the company, apply them to this property, and reset our level. Therefore, I am in the industry of exceeding expectations, which is also our mission.
From a guest's perspective, what does the typical Station Casinos consumer want today?
They are always in search of value. They seek candidates with experience. However, I don't believe it has ever changed. Ask any Red Rock, Green Valley Ranch, or Palace Station customer. Guest service is the top priority. From the perspective of this city, a significant number of our customers work in this industry. Still, their expectations over the past decades have been that they receive the absolute finest service.
Several locations are always the shiniest places you can be, but the hospitality service is what will attract customers. Consequently, if you can combine that with a fantastic venue and beautiful amenities, still have smiling people, and know your name – at the heart of Station's business model – then you have the formula for success.
Only 200 hotel rooms will be available when Durango first opens. Why did you make this decision?
There was possibly a change in direction early on in this project's development. Initially, the idea was to build a beautiful property, albeit on a modest scale. Once they got rolling, it evolved into something else. Perhaps we could use more space in the future, but for the time being this number of bedrooms is adequate. It's compatible with the footprint we've already planned for the casino. That seems like a reasonable estimate for now.
When will we start using the 'Station' name brand?
We intend for it to be a premium label. There is a subset of our properties that, at least by our standards, enjoy a more excellent measure of luxury. We want to give it the same care as Red Rock, but we'll still stay true to the Station Casinos' commitment to excellent customer service and treating our employees with respect. All of those things will undoubtedly be significant to us. However, the property's aesthetics and service must be elevated to Red Rock standards.
Please describe the range and quality of the services you want to provide.
In this iteration, we have about 16 shared venues and outlets, strongly emphasizing the restaurants we plan to open. We're building a sports betting and restaurant complex that will be among the most impressive things the city has ever seen in terms of visual and auditory awe. Then we'll have a resort pool that rivals Red Rock's beauty, with a cabana service on par with the famous hotel's and perhaps even more elaborate landscaping and design. That's the prototype, anyway.
Tell me about the games you plan to carry and the genres you plan to prioritize.
Compared to Red Rock's slot floor, this one will be slightly smaller but still larger than Green Valley Ranch's. It will go into the office's second-largest table games waste bin. Mixed in with a dramatic high-limit experience on par with what we just opened at Red Rocks in terms of refinement and luxury will be an Asian-themed section that reflects where exactly that growth in gaming has taken place. Then, the proximity of the bars to the central pit will allow for spectacular views. Overall, it's just a fantastic game accessible to casual gamers.
You've worked at both Palace Station and Palms Casino Resort. How many Palm trees and how many Palaces does Durango have?
From the point of view of commonalities, all of that resides in our staff. Frank and Lorenzo collaborated on this project to make something fresh and exciting for the company, its product line, and the local community. What we have in common is all our employees' ability to provide the same high level of service to our customers. Many of our guests will transfer from other hotels in the same chain, creating a common bond here at Durango.
How much of the resort's internal structure is finalized, and how much is subject to change at this point, a year before its scheduled opening?
A lot of things are set in stone. We're at a point where we have to stick to our schedule if we want to open by New Year's Eve 2023, which I'm confident we will. We've likely reached the end of our evolutionary journey. We've got to the point where we're locking things down and bolting things down on the floor to ensure that specific locations are operationally efficient workplaces for our team members. The tower is quickly taking shape, and its exterior will be encased in no time.
You've spent most of your professional life working at Station Casinos. Tell me about the culture at work.
What I've learned from my upbringing... I came in with one perspective as an hourly worker, and now, as a salaried executive, I can see things in a whole new light. It's odd because things I could have been critical of many years ago can now be seen from both sides, allowing me to work more effectively with that group. Both Frank and Lorenzo have my most profound respect and affection. They have always encouraged my efforts, and I value my friendships with many locals. I know I'm not the only one who has stuck around for as long as I have [26 years]. Many of the current corporate structures have been in place for roughly the same time as me, so we have fought many battles together. Although the word "family" is overused, there are times when a person truly appreciates the familial nature of their workplace and the people in it.
