Report: SLS to rename to.. The Sahara

I hope they keep Bazaar Meat around if there are changes coming..... Great chef, great food, unique steakhouse. - oh wait, just read "Bazaar Meat is staying and getting an expansion. " - thank god!!! Do whatever else you want with the place!

 

Sahara was my first Vegas experience, and our home base for many years. Im 99% sure my oldest daughter was conceived there. If they have great suites and craps the wife and I will definitely be going back.

 

Sahara was my first STRIP hotel / casino I returned to as my VEGAS BASE.
I saw it slowly ......crumble.....
The Holy Cow was right across the street back then.
But.....
Finally.....one trip....I realized I was the best dressed Mug in the casino.......Huh ?.....me ?
and the cocktail waitresses were fighting over serving me at the Crap Table -
because I tipped more ?.........I knew The Sahara was "over" for me........and I moved on next trip.....forever.
.
That Buffet was classically .....THE WORST !!!.....ha ha !......I walked off the overcrowded buffet line - thinking ?
" I'm waiting on line for this sloppy shit ? ".......left.....never to return.
But those were my EARLY VEGAS YEARS.......and Sahara was my home......love the memories !
The Sportsbook with one window and 6 chairs - no TV - --- turning down a Dolphins fan trying to bet 10k --- " too much go to Mirage "
and the staggering drunk guy ( not me ! for once ! ) who sat in a guy's wheelchair while the guy was standing throwing
dice - the drunk guy flopped into the wheelchair and pissed his pants ! and the seat !....finished and staggered off - the Dice shooter never
seeing it !......I was watching and was hysterical !!!!......one of the funniest scenes I ever witnessed !
I hope they name it back to Sahara !

 

I was there in early April. The casino was under construction and most of the industrial chic decor in the main casino was covered.

The room, World Tower, the former Tangiers Tower, had not been changed, but that tower did not ever have the Mid-Century Construction Zone styling of the Story Tower.

At the time, the employees said they were expecting the name change sometime this summer.

 

Nostalgia would be nice to those that gambled at the original. Sadly how long will that feeling last when it falls in line with what the rest of the strip hotels are up to. I doubt they are going to buck the trends payouts and fees. Sorry to be a downer. My favorite was the New Frontier and wish it was still standing If a new one opened in the old spot I'd say I'd go once just to reminisce then be gone.

 

I'd love to see a high-end or even so-so end theme. The themes and kitsch always make Vegas more fun to me!

I actually love seeing Sahara getting a rebirth!

 

The interior is completely different from what it had been and bears no resemblance. For the Sahara to really get back to its <1992 roots, the casino would need an interior facelift, and more importantly, replace the annoying floor to ceiling sized video slots with table games.

 

Thinking back to April, I really don't remember the casino being particularly busy at any time, although I was gone most of the time. I did see it before breakfast, and in the mid-late evening, and it was always fairly empty.

 

This is what I posted on the LVA forums:


They can call it whatever they want. Ain't gonna help. Its all about location, location, location. They are in "no man's land" too far north on the strip, away from the famous hotel/casinos.
What to do? You need something to draw customers - gambling or food or entertainment.
Gambling - Go against the trends on the strip - offer 3:2 BJ. Offer decent pay-tables on video poker, with progressives on the royal.
Food - offer decent reasonably priced options. Lets face it your target audience is the "mid-roller", not the "High Roller".
Entertainment - This ain't my area of expertise...
And FREE PARKING.

 

It's a shame that no VMB'er mentioned this 4 years ago...oh...wait!
https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?posts/1169614/

 

I know...I was just busting your chops lol...but you never know. Your joke might just turn out to be right on the money!

 

Every trip I intend to stop in and every trip, I never do.

 

Personally, I like the name change, regardless of whether the Sahara went downhill in its latter years. I stayed at the old Sahara a few time back in the early-mid 2000, since you couldn't beat their low room rates for a strip hotel/casino. Now if their new players club incentives and room rates are reasonable, I'd be willing to give them a try again.

My gripe with the SLS was that they never sent out any promos when they opened, so I never had any incentive to stay at the SLS. Even giving them some play, the best offer I ever received was for discounted room rates. I find it hard paying for a room when I have free room offers at other properties. Needless to say, they need incentives to draw folks to their property and get them to return considering their location.

 

Sounds like me and downtown. lol

I made it over a few weeks ago. I like the look. Not sure there is any vibe there, however, which probably is the problem. People = vibe.

 

Problem with their player's club (Club 52) is that the two lowest tiers Preferred and VIP have literally not differentiation between them. At least Mlife and Caesars will throw in a line pass to the buffet when you get to the 2nd lowest tier.

 

BJ tables with the felt having cigarette burns

 

You've fused two concepts that I wasn't linking.