Monarch Casino Resort Spa Explained

Monarch Casino Resort Spa
Coordinates:39.7985°N -105.4824°W
Location:Black Hawk, Colorado
Address:488 Main Street
Date Opened:February 4, 2000
Rooms:516
Space Gaming:64000square feet
Owner:Monarch Casino & Resort Inc.
Names Pre:Riviera Black Hawk (2000–2013)
Monarch Casino Black Hawk (2013–2020)
Renovations:2020

Monarch Casino Resort Spa is a casino resort in Black Hawk, Colorado. It is owned and operated by Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. The property includes a 64000square feet casino and a 23-story hotel tower with 516 rooms.

The casino opened on February 4, 2000, as the Riviera Black Hawk, and originally lacked a hotel. It was developed by Riviera Holdings, which also owned the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. In 2012, the Riviera Black Hawk was sold to Monarch, which rebranded it the following year. A renovation and expansion began in 2015, and eventually concluded in 2022, after construction delays. The $442 million project included the addition of hotel rooms and more casino space, both debuting in November 2020.

History

Early years (2000–2012)

The resort began as the Riviera Black Hawk, and was the second gaming property by Riviera Holdings, which also owned and operated the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Construction on the Black Hawk location was underway in 1998.[1] [2] It had a soft opening on February 4, 2000, with an official grand opening the following month. The Riviera Black Hawk cost $75 million. The casino featured table games, 1,000 slot machines, a 490-seat entertainment venue, a buffet, and a coffee shop. Unlike its Las Vegas counterpart, the Black Hawk property lacked a hotel.[3]

Riviera Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010, and announced a year later that it would sell the Riviera Black Hawk to focus on its Las Vegas property.[4] The Black Hawk location was sold to Monarch Casino & Resort Inc., owner of the Atlantis Casino Resort in Reno, Nevada.[5] The $76 million sale was finalized in April 2012.[6] [7] Monarch also bought 1.5 acres of vacant land, just east of the Riviera, for future development.[8] With 988 rooms in Black Hawk, Monarch considered the local hotel market to be in need of expansion. This was a primary factor in purchasing the Riviera, which was among the largest casinos in Black Hawk at the time, with 750 slot machines.

Name changes and expansion (2013–present)

The property was renamed the Monarch Casino Black Hawk in October 2013.[9] A $295 million renovation and expansion was launched in 2015,[10] starting with a new, nine-story parking garage on the property's east side.[11] After its completion, the existing garage was imploded in December 2016, making way for a hotel tower.[11] [12] The expansion project also included additional casino space.

The renovation and expansion, when originally announced, was expected to conclude by the end of 2017.[13] However, it would go on to be disrupted by construction delays. The 23-story tower was eventually topped off in January 2019, and work on the overall property was expected to finish later in the year. The tower was designed by MBA Architecture and Interior Design, and built by PCL Construction.[14]

Monarch's relationship with PCL deteriorated due to the delays,[15] and the contractor sued Monarch later in 2019, citing breach of contract and other issues. The suit concerned cost overruns brought on by problems encountered during construction. PCL alleged that Monarch repeatedly declined to approve a guaranteed maximum price, and Monarch called the suit "an attempt to deflect attention from [PCL's] failures to deliver the completed project in a timely and cost appropriate manner."[16] Monarch later sued PCL in 2023, over hotel defects,[17] and PCL subsequently stated that the expansion project "went off the rails" due to micromanagement.[18]

The 2019 opening of the new facilities was eventually delayed until the following year,[19] [20] with the new casino space opening on November 19, 2020. The hotel portion began a phased opening starting six days later. The property, renamed Monarch Casino Resort Spa, includes 516 rooms.[21] It competes against the 536-room Ameristar Black Hawk.[13] The Monarch is the first gaming property encountered by motorists entering from the city's south side.[22] It is the area's second high-end resort after Ameristar, which originally opened in 2001 and added a hotel in 2009.[23]

The existing casino structure remained in operation throughout the expansion project,[24] and was renovated thereafter. Casino space was nearly doubled with the 35000square feet addition, for a total of 64000square feet.[25] The casino has 1,100 slot machines and a sportsbook.[26] Other new features included a rooftop pool, a spa, and several restaurants. Work on the property concluded in March 2022,[27] [28] at a final cost of $442 million. The new and renovated areas were designed to emulate resorts in Las Vegas.[29] [26] The expanded property employed 1,000 people,[30] and is Monarch's second resort.[31]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Brooke . James . Competition between Colorado gambling towns gets nasty . June 2, 2024 . Las Vegas Sun . December 28, 1998 . In Central City, residents now look enviously down Gregory Gulch, where building is under way on Las Vegas-style casinos with names like Riviera, Mardi Gras and Isle of Capri..
  2. News: Cash flow falls at Riviera, increases at Tropicana . June 2, 2024 . Las Vegas Sun . April 20, 1999.
  3. News: Simpson . Jeff . Riviera Holdings pleased with new Colorado casino . Las Vegas Review-Journal . February 9, 2000 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010510022554/http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Feb-09-Wed-2000/business/12925856.html . May 10, 2001.
  4. News: Green . Steve . Riviera selling Colorado casino, focusing on Las Vegas property . June 2, 2024 . VegasInc . September 29, 2011.
  5. News: Sieroty . Chris . Riviera Holdings sells Colorado casino for $76 million . June 3, 2024 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . September 30, 2011.
  6. Web site: Monarch Casino Completes Acquisition of Riviera Black Hawk . GlobeNewswire . June 3, 2024 . April 26, 2012.
  7. News: Velotta . Richard N. . $20 million in renovations planned for the Riviera . June 2, 2024 . VegasInc . May 2, 2012.
  8. News: Monarch Acquires Land Next to Riviera . Reno Gazette-Journal . October 6, 2011 . June 3, 2024 . Newspapers.com . subscription.
  9. News: Colorado business briefs . June 2, 2024 . The Denver Post . October 28, 2013.
  10. News: Profits flow in '15 for Atlantis owner . Reno Gazette-Journal . April 23, 2015 . June 3, 2024 . Newspapers.com . subscription.
  11. News: Svaldi . Aldo . Colorado casinos hit a hot streak, getting best start of year since 2007 . June 2, 2024 . The Denver Post . November 30, 2015.
  12. News: Paul . Jesse . Parking garage implosion at Black Hawk casino is emblematic of town’s hopes for future . June 3, 2024 . The Denver Post . December 21, 2016.
  13. News: Harden . Mark . Work stepping up on $295M Black Hawk casino-hotel project . June 3, 2024 . Denver Business Journal . June 19, 2015.
  14. Web site: Oppermann Stern . Kris . PCL Construction tops out Monarch Hotel and Casino . Colorado Real Estate Journal . June 3, 2024 . January 14, 2019.
  15. Web site: Shriber . Todd . Monarch Casino Stock Tumbled After a Contractor Sued The Company . Casino.org . June 3, 2024 . September 3, 2019.
  16. Web site: Chartier . Doug . Black Hawk Casino Expansion Marred by Contractor’s Lawsuit . . June 3, 2024 . October 7, 2019.
  17. Web site: Ducassi . Daniel . Colo. Casino Sues Construction Co. Over Hotel Defects . . June 3, 2024 . February 10, 2023.
  18. Web site: Ducassi . Daniel . Colo. Casino Owner Was 'His Own Worst Enemy,' Builder Says . Law360 . September 5, 2023.
  19. News: Stutz . Howard . Lawsuit with general contractor slows completion of Monarch’s Colorado casino expansion . June 3, 2024 . CDC Gaming Reports . September 5, 2019.
  20. News: Crowley . Matthew . Black Hawk expansion opening delayed as Monarch misses on earnings and revenue forecasts . June 3, 2024 . CDC Gaming Reports . October 31, 2019.
  21. News: Renoux . Matt . Black Hawk casino completes $400M expansion, 516-room hotel . June 3, 2024 . KUSA . March 9, 2022.
  22. News: Reno's Atlantis owner moves into Colorado . Reno Gazette-Journal . October 1, 2011 . June 3, 2024 . Newspapers.com . subscription.
  23. News: Stutz . Howard . Legal changes make Colorado an enticing casino market for Nevada operators . June 2, 2024 . The Nevada Independent . September 4, 2022.
  24. Web site: Building Blackhawk . Colorado Construction & Design . June 3, 2024 . March 10, 2018.
  25. News: Demopoulos . George . Black Hawk casino places $230M hotel bet . June 3, 2024 . BusinessDen . June 19, 2015.
  26. News: McKee . David . Colorado: Black Hawk’s casino market draws analyst rave . June 3, 2024 . CDC Gaming Reports . April 5, 2022.
  27. Web site: Singer . Daliah . Black Hawk Is Upping Its Cool Factor with the Revamped Monarch Casino Resort Spa . . June 3, 2024 . April 13, 2022.
  28. News: Sealover . Ed . Black Hawk's Monarch Casino unveils lineup of new restaurants it hopes will draw Denverites . June 3, 2024 . Denver Business Journal . March 3, 2022.
  29. News: Brown . Charlie . Central City’s Monarch & Ameristar Casinos . June 2, 2024 . Colorado Expression Magazine . May 1, 2021.
  30. News: Schulz . Bailey . Colorado casino-resort recruits workers in Las Vegas . June 2, 2024 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . August 21, 2019.
  31. News: Sealover . Ed . Peek inside Black Hawk's newest casino resort as it preps to open . June 3, 2024 . Denver Business Journal . November 18, 2020.