Aliante Station on track for November opening

"Regardless of whether the economy is strong, weak or anywhere in between, we build these businesses for the long term," said Joe Hasson, general manager for Aliante Station. "I don’t think about ’what does the economy bear today?’ I think about we’re taking a foothold in a newer part of the valley and we’re going to grow a terrific business over the long haul."

Aliante Station, in the Aliante planned community in North Las Vegas, is scheduled to open on November 11. It’s on 16.1 hectares at the northeast corner of the North 215 Beltway and Aliante Parkway.

"Any new casino is going to attract some degree of trial from those who want to see it, experience it, taste the food experience, the gambling, check out the new kid on the block," Hasson said. "But when the dust settles, our businesses are designed to take care of locals and locals often vote based on proximity and distance."

Most repeat customers live within three to five miles surrounding the resort, he said. Aliante is expected to draw from the area north of Cheyenne Avenue, from the western edge of the valley to Nellis Air Force Base on the east.

Aliante was designed with the affluent Phoenix suburb Scottsdale in mind. With its muted earth tones and rock and crystal adornments, it bears a resemblance to Station Casino’s Red Rock resort also. "It’s the desert retreat and locals’ oasis that we’ve created here," Hasson said.

Between the casino-hotel and its tenants, Aliante Station will employ 1,400 people. The hotel has 202 rooms with rates starting at us$ 59.99 midweek for a standard room. Each room has a flat screen television, CD player, iPod connectivity, wired and wireless Internet connections and a minibar. Hasson said Aliante Station has started taking reservations.

The project has 2,554 slot machines, 40 table games and a 12-table poker room. There are 5,000 parking spaces, of which 3,500 are in a garage. There will be a 16-screen Regal movie theater with IMAX, an arcade and a 600 seat showroom.

Aliante includes meeting space capable of serving up to 1,000 people in the grand ballroom and a pool with room for 700 people. Restaurants include a mix of well-known regional and national brands. Station Casinos will own and operate MRKT (pronounced market) Sea & Land, a seafood and steakhouse open nightly for dinner.

Pips Cucina & Wine Bar is the first restaurant concept created and owned by wine and epicurean connoisseur Rino Armeni, formerly of Southern Wine & Spirits. Camacho’s Cantina is one of Southern California’s popular casual Mexican restaurants.

Also included are Station Casinos’ Feast Buffet, T.G.I. Friday’s, The Original Pancake House and a food court with Dunkin’ Donuts, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, Panda Express, Rubio’s Mexican Grill and Johnny Rockets.

The showroom, called Access, is a throwback to classic Las Vegas entertainment, Hasson said. The plush booths and intimacy were intended to recreate an old school feeling regardless of the musical genre.

Smokey Robinson is slated for the opening weekend at Access. Other scheduled performers include Jerry Tiffe, Etta James, Sully Erna from the band Godsmack, Kenny Loggins, Merle Haggard, Chris Botti and Herman’s Hermits.

Aliante Station is a joint venture between Station Casinos and affiliates of the Greenspun family, which publishes the Home News, the Las Vegas Sun and developed the Aliante community. Station Casinos will manage the new casino-hotel and will be paid a fee.