Plan set for new Ellis Island 36-story Condo/Casino

August 26

A casino located off The Strip has big new plans to enhance their property.

Weeks after fumbling plans to take over management of the Tuscany casino, the Ellis Island Casino and Brewery has submitted ideas with the county to build a thirty six story condo-hotel tower with 800 rooms.

A permit to use filed August 10 calls for a casino as well as 200 hotel rooms and 603 condo-hotel suites that could be rented out or lived in by the owner. The plans are among a few other growing condo-hotel projects in Vegas, which are preferred for their flexible living arrangements as well as the ability to produce casinos with regular revenue.

The project would be constructed on the Ellis Island site at 4180 Koval Ln. close to Flamingo Rd. as well as the adjacent Super 8 Motel. The Ellis Island sits on 1.7 acres. The continuing Super 8 property, with approximately 290 rooms, lies on about 2.5 acres. It is not clear whether the existing properties would be demolished or remodeled with expansion.

The casinos owner Gary Ellis among other property representatives could not be reached for a comment.

Ellis Island signed an intent letter to take control of the Tuscany, which had not been as successful as first planned in attracting a mix of visitors and locals. Ellis Island sued the owners of the Tuscany in state court last month, claiming officials of the Tuscany backed out of the deal at the last minute. The suit states Ellis was planning to sell the casino to Chicago based Diversified Real Estate Concepts Inc., building the proposed project at 211 East Flamingo Road near Koval Lane. The nearby 255 unit project was approved by county commissioners last year but has yet to be built.

Officials for Diversified Real Estate Concepts could not be reached for comment.

Developers for Ellis Island say the tower will need 1,666 parking spaces but are asking for a waiver from the county to reduce the number to 1,178.

The casino on Koval Lane has sculpted a successful group serving locals including area casino workers who take advantage of food and drink specials after their shifts.

The County Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the plans next month. The Clark County Commission would also weigh in on the project because it is large enough to be of regional significance.

The county planning staff approved, but county commissioners last fall vetoed a plan by Florida company Westgate Resorts to build a timeshare tower with approximately 700 units, in reality down-sized to less than 500 units, on 2.5 acres next to the Showcase Mall. County commissioners have approved a cache of other high rise residential projects in recent months, including Krystle Sands, a 45 story, 600 unit condo/hotel tower on 3.6 acres, formerly the Algiers Hotel.