On 27 April 2022, two great rivers coursingthrough American gaming – tribal and LasVegas – at last converged into one. The event prompting this union? The official grand reopening of the Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas which, after being sold to the SanManuel Band of Mission Indians in 2021 for $650m, has become the first tribally-ownedand managed casino on the Strip.
The move by the San Manuel Band ofMission Indians marked the latest – and by far one of the most prominent – instances of tribes diversifying their portfolios by inserting themselves into the world of commercial gaming. In this case, the actual purchase and management was done by the tribe’s government agency, the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority.
Vegas’ newest casino will have a range of offerings for its guests. Two towers will contain 766 hotel rooms and suites; there will be all the eating and entertainment choices that people have come to expect of casinos. The game floor itself will be top-of-the-line and stretch over 95,000 square feet. Among the other features in thecomplex’s newest iteration are 190,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, a 2,500-seat theater, a pool and spa area with two separate pools and 39 unique cabanas (many of which containing their own private pool), a 14-screen movie house, 600 further unitsof condominiums, and, with poetical flourish, a wedding chapel.
Overseeing the operations of this new Strip heavyweight will be Cynthia Kiser Murphey. She brings to the role a wealth of experience, including degrees in hotel management and administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas – the institution where she was a part-time faculty member and adjunct professor prior to assuming her new role. Her position before this one was as President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, also in Las Vegas. Before that, she worked several different positions at MGM Resorts International.
Murphey commented on the opening, which was on of the city’s most anticipated for years: “April 27, 2022 is another milestone date for Palms, for Las Vegas and the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority. We are thrilled to welcome guests back to this spectacular resort and our entire Palms team looks forward to creating a lively and fun environment throughout the property.”
The Palms Las Vegas is located just to the west of the Strip’s focal point, off I-15 on Flamingo Road.
