A long-stalled plan to build a casino resort on vacant land southwest of the Las Vegas Strip received approval this week after the Spring Valley Town Advisory Board voted in favor of the Station Casinos’ project.

Scaled-Down Project Approved

Durango Station, the name of the new Station Casinos casino resort, will be built on a 71-acre site located on the west side of South Durango Drive and 215 Betway. It will feature 99,000 square feet of gaming space, 452 hotel rooms and 20,000 square feet of outdoor dining space.

The development of the site consists of two phases, according to company officials, and, while the first one will focus on the gaming aspect of the casino resort, the second will bring a movie theater and a number of restaurants.

Despite that the latest plan features a scaled-down property with “much less intense use” after Station Casinos considered concerns of surrounding neighborhoods and reduced gaming floor space and nearly halved the number of hotel rooms, some of the locals continue to believe a casino in the area would be to its detriment.

Public Opposition

A major concern raised by the locals during the meeting set by the company in an attempt to alleviate public fears was the proposed entrance to the property on Maule Avenue, which is in close proximity to the Red Ridge Family Park. The latter is a recreational area with a basketball court, disc golf course, amenities and an open area for a variety of activities. Locals believe the casino resort will increase traffic on the street and will pose a danger to kids while crossing it.

But the strongest voice against the project was raised by the Culinary Union, which also noted traffic intensity and congestion issues. The Union and Station Casinos have long been at loggerheads due to the company’s policy of having its casinos largely union-free.

It is unfortunate, but we are not surprised, as we have grown used to decades of endless harassment by the Culinary Union. Instead of applauding a project that will pay millions in local taxes, create a beautiful new amenity for the neighborhood, and create thousands of construction and permanent jobs, including jobs for people they supposedly care about, they take the low road and play petty politics.”

Station Casinos

Durango Station is not a typical Station Casinos property, as the company’s focus is on the local market in Southern Nevada, looking to offer residents of the Las Vegas Valley area an escape from the Strip while still having the same first-class quality of service and amenities. The area is also largely neglected from a gaming point of view as the closest casino is located around five miles away.