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50-715: It was initially owned by Tom Yarbrough, who opened it as Tom's Sunset Casino on August 2, 1989. The casino closed in January 1998, due to financial losses and new competition. John Woodrum purchased the casino and reopened it as the Klondike Sunset Casino in October 1999, after a $ 5 million renovation. The casino was a sister property to Woodrum's Klondike Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in nearby Paradise, Nevada . After Woodrum's death in 2014,

100-456: A sports book . The renovation, costing more than $ 1 million, began in May 1993, with the demolition of an east-facing wall. The expansion was to add 3,000 sq ft (280 m), including a three-story façade, with the third floor being non-functional. Other plans included a 38-foot lighted exterior sign, two new entrances, 100 new slot machines, and a new southwestern theme. A grand reopening

150-630: A $ 2 million sale of the North Las Vegas Air Terminal to Howard Hughes . The following year, Engelstad received approval to add several slot machines to the motel's tavern. In 1973, four motel buildings from Engelstad's other Las Vegas Strip property, the Flamingo Capri motel , were relocated and converted into a one-story motel building for the Kona Kai. Katsumi Kazama, a business partner of John Woodrum, purchased

200-403: A $ 542,000 renovation was being planned. After an extensive and lengthy renovation, the Klondike Sunset Casino reopened on the night of August 3, 2016, with a special VIP opening held at 6:00 p.m., followed by an opening to the general public at 9:00 p.m. The casino employed approximately 70 people at that time, and exclusively featured slot machines, with no table games. The Klondike Sunset Casino

250-479: A 35 percent decrease in customer attendance. Sports book losses were another reason for the closure, as Yarbrough owed more than $ 150,000 in sports wagers at the casino and three other sports books that he owned, but lacked the funds to pay off the debts. Following the closure, 92 employees were laid off. The casino had featured 219 video poker machines at the time, while its small restaurant had become known for its $ 1.99 breakfast specials. Industry observers felt that

300-608: A bankruptcy trustee for Nevada Gaming Partners and to continue operating the casino, which had been scheduled to close that night and cause the termination of approximately 50 employees. The casino's auction had been scheduled for December 19, 2017. In February 2018, Giudici planned to buy back the casino from Familian, with the sale expected to be complete by March. The casino's long-awaited sports book, operated by William Hill , opened in March 2018. Klondike Hotel and Casino Klondike Hotel and Casino (also known as Klondike Inn )

350-536: A casino and condo hotel resort known as Paramount Las Vegas. The Klondike closed in June 2006, and was demolished in March 2008. Royal Palm Las Vegas had difficulty obtaining financing for the Paramount project, and the land was put up for sale later in 2008. A Harley-Davidson dealership opened on the former Klondike property in 2014. The hotel sat on 5.29 acres (2.14 ha) of land on Las Vegas Boulevard , between

400-399: A lawsuit against Klondike Sunset LLC, claiming the casino's owners breached an agreement from a month earlier to sell the property. Its Gotta Go had agreed to pay $ 3.56 million for the casino. According to the lawsuit, Its Gotta Go put $ 100,000 into escrow but faced problems as it was not yet licensed as a casino operator. Its Gotta Go accused the casino's owners of refusing to either agree to

450-439: A lease agreement to continue operating the casino with its nonrestricted gaming license, or to extend the time for Its Gotta Go to obtain a gaming license. In February 2013, the casino was found to be in violation of state regulations, as its minimum bankroll was $ 25,706 short, which could have prevented it from paying off potential customer winnings. As a result, the casino's table games were removed and its number of slot machines

500-479: A result, much of Giudici's time was spent primarily on selling his Club Fortune casino, although he hoped to use the profits from the sale to finish renovations on The Mint. Giudici expected to have the casino reopened on April 2, 2016. Because of unforeseen circumstances, CG Enterprises was unable to proceed with its renovation plans, and sold the casino to Bruce Familian and Jon Athey in December 2015. In March 2016,

550-435: A short chase, one of the three suspects was apprehended. In February 2004, the casino planned to add a staffed Leroy's sports book. In April 2004, Leroy's was approved to place betting kiosk terminals at the casino. The sports book began operating in June 2004. The casino was known for its cheap restaurant specials, and appealed to customers who preferred smaller casinos. John Woodrum's son, Michael Woodrum, primarily operated

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600-521: A subsidiary of the Boca Raton -based Royal Palm Communities – bought 5.25 acres of land adjacent to the Klondike for $ 42 million. In September 2005, the Klondike and its 5.29 acres were sold to Royal Palm for $ 23.7 million, for a total of 10.5 acres. Woodrum acknowledged one reason for the sale being that the Klondike would not be able to compete with new, larger resorts. Another reason for the sale

650-426: A tightening credit market. Demolition of the Klondike began around March 17, 2008, and concluded on March 20, 2008. The land was put up for sale in May 2008, at a price of $ 18 million per acre. In May 2013, plans for a Harley-Davidson dealership were announced, to be built on the former land of the Klondike. The two-story, 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m ) dealership, built at a cost of $ 18 million, opened on

700-838: Is a casino designed primarily to attract residents of the area in which it was built rather than tourists or vacationers. The term is most commonly associated with casinos in Nevada , United States, to distinguish them from casinos that target mostly tourists in a central area. Locals casinos tend to operate under slightly different business models than those frequented by tourists, most notably having lower house advantages . Locals casinos may also have amenities to appeal to tourists, such as lodging, truck parking, and expanded dining options. Many traditional tourist casinos have tried to appeal to locals, sometimes offering more generous comps for local residents, and providing community-oriented amenities such as shopping options and movie theaters that are

750-571: The Las Vegas Strip . In May 1964, the Kona Kai opened a lounge and restaurant known as Talk O' the Town. Later that year, the lounge and restaurant was renamed Robin's, after co-owner Robin Criswell. In June 1965, Sonny Morris reopened the restaurant and lounge as Sonny's Restaurant. The motel was robbed of $ 640 in September 1965. Ralph Engelstad purchased the motel in 1969, using money from

800-754: The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and McCarran International Airport . The Klondike was the southernmost hotel on the Las Vegas Strip until its closure. Mandalay Bay is now the southernmost hotel. Woodrum also operated a sister property, the Klondike Sunset Casino , in nearby Henderson , from 1999 until his death in 2014. The Klondike initially opened in 1962 as the Tiki/Hawaiian-themed Kona Kai Motel, located at 5191 South Las Vegas Boulevard on

850-524: The house advantage and the payout percentage on slot and video poker machines is increased; locals casinos are well known for offering more full-pay video poker machines, and even machines that pay more than 100%. Locals casinos will typically offer comps , such as free meals at the casino's restaurants, at a higher rate than tourist-oriented casinos. Additionally, many locals casinos have promotions such as payroll check cashing, frequently accompanied by some type of free play bonus, to get patrons into

900-513: The Gaming Control Board to file weekly bankroll reports with the state for a year. A stipulation between Woodrum and the Gaming Control Board was approved the following month. The casino, still financially struggling, was closed on August 15, 2014, during a pending sale to Carl Giudici's CG Enterprises. Giudici had previously owned many other casinos. The sale was finalized in September 2014. That month, Giudici received approval from

950-657: The Henderson City Council for the casino to retain its zoning for a nonrestricted gaming business license and for a nonrestricted gaming liquor license for up to a year during its closure, allowing it to remain closed during that period for renovations. Giudici had planned to reopen the casino as The Mint. Giudici's first casino – opened in Sparks, Nevada , in 1984 – was also named The Mint Casino. In June 2015, Giudici said renovations had been delayed because of recent health problems, which limited his free time. As

1000-492: The Klondike Hotel and Casino, closed in June 2006, were expected to be transferred to the Klondike Sunset Casino. By July 2008, the casino was struggling financially due to an economic downturn . The Las Vegas Sun reported that the casino would "be lucky" if it could produce a profit of $ 5 million that year; it had previously generated $ 7.5 million two years earlier. The Woodrum family, which spent $ 1 million to keep

1050-404: The Las Vegas Strip. The hotel contained 153 rooms, and the casino measured 7,700 sq ft (720 m ). The Klondike was popular among local residents and was known for its cheap restaurant specials and cheap gambling, while the hotel was popular for its low room rates. According to Woodrum, approximately 90 percent of the Klondike's customers were local residents. In its later years,

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1100-423: The business operational, acknowledged that the casino would probably no longer be around in another decade, as they planned to eventually sell the property when it became valuable enough. At that time, the casino had 300 slot machines and eight table games. In February 2012, the casino was among seven other business cited for a first-time offense of making alcohol sales to minors. In June 2012, Its Gotta Go LLC filed

1150-416: The business. During the 2000s, Michael Woodrum was also a principal owner of the casino, although John Woodrum continued to retain ownership as well. In 2006, Michael Woodrum speculated that the casino's future was financially secure: "The area out here is growing fast and because of ordinances, you're not going to see any more little casinos opening up out here. I think the future's bright." Many employees from

1200-431: The casino opened as early as December 31, 1998, although the opening date was contingent on when the casino would receive approval for gambling and liquor licenses. Woodrum's intended New Year's Eve opening was delayed as he awaited approval of a state gaming license. Woodrum invested $ 5 million to renovate the building, which included an expansion of the casino's bar. The Klondike Sunset Casino opened on October 1, 1999. It

1250-429: The casino was closed and sold to Carl Giudici, whose plans to renovate and reopen the casino failed to materialize. Bruce Familian and Jon Athey purchased the casino in December 2015, and reopened it on August 3, 2016, after an eight-month renovation. In July 1988, Southwest Equities was approved for a limited gaming license for Tom's Sunset Casino, with 243 slot machines and five table games. Shortly thereafter, ownership

1300-413: The casino's change cage and then fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Approximately 30 people were present, many of whom were not aware that it was a robbery until police arrived. Another robbery occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m. on March 21, 2002, when two men armed with handguns and assault rifles took approximately $ 7,700 from a cashier. A third man was waiting outside the casino in a vehicle. After

1350-556: The casino. In Nevada , this is usually expanded with special promotions to cash tax refund checks from the Internal Revenue Service . Locals casinos often act as community centers and frequently include non-gambling entertainment such as bowling alleys , movie theaters , ice skating rinks and child care centers. The revenue of locals casinos in Clark County, Nevada , is normally calculated by taking

1400-617: The casinos owned and operated by Boyd Gaming , and all or most of those owned and operated by Station Casinos . In order to attract residents to gamble , locals casinos try to differentiate themselves from tourist-oriented casinos to benefit gamblers. For example, locals casinos usually have a different mix of games or offer games not typically found in tourist-oriented casinos in the area, such as bingo . Additionally, they offer table games with lower minimum bets, as well as lower denomination slot machines and video poker . In addition, table games rules are frequently adjusted to decrease

1450-420: The closed casino would need to expand and add amenities such as a pool and hotel in order to compete. In September 1998, John Woodrum, a longtime friend of Yarbrough, purchased the property for $ 1.4 million in a foreclosure auction. That month, Woodrum announced that the casino would be reopened as the Klondike Sunset Casino, which was expected to employ approximately 150 people upon opening. Woodrum hoped to have

1500-411: The hotel's clientele included out-of-town construction workers. Bob Stupak , a longtime friend of Woodrum, was a frequent customer at the Klondike, as well as singer Tom Jones . By 1997, Woodrum had declined several offers to purchase the Klondike. At that time, the casino included five table games and 450 slot machines. In 2000, Woodrum stated that Clark County wanted to demolish aging motels on

1550-776: The hotel, restaurant and bar closed on June 30, 2006. The Klondike had 45 employees at the time of closure, down from 150 employees three months earlier. Many employees from the Klondike were expected to be transferred to Woodrum's Klondike Sunset Casino in nearby Henderson . Shortly after its closure, the property was used for training by the K9 unit of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department . The Klondike's replacement would have been called Paramount Las Vegas. The new resort, initially expected to cost $ 1 billion, would have included an 1,864-room condo hotel and 80,000 sq ft casino. Plans for

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1600-523: The land in September 1975, and the property remained under the ownership of the Kazama family for the next 30 years, while Woodrum owned the motel. Woodrum, a former business partner of Bill Boyd , took over operations of the motel on May 12, 1976, and it was renamed that year as Klondike Inn. In 1976, Woodrum provided a power line to the nearby Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign , which had not been lit for several years. The county later provided power to

1650-405: The new resort were approved by Clark County in October 2006, but Royal Palm Las Vegas did not expect to begin construction in the near future. Plans for the project were delayed in late August 2007, when an investor pulled out shortly before closing on restructuring a land loan. By September 2007, homeless people were living in the abandoned motel rooms of the Klondike. Royal Palm Las Vegas LLC

1700-478: The property had already been approved prior to the changes. However, the casino would have to add 120 hotel rooms if it were to expand, according to the ordinances. Tom's Sunset Casino opened on August 2, 1989, with over 240 slot machines and a restaurant. The casino featured the Sunset Slot Seekers club, and was the only Henderson casino to offer a club to regular customers. An official grand opening

1750-682: The revenue of Clark County and subtracting the revenue of the four tourist areas ( the Strip , Downtown , Laughlin , and Mesquite ). This is the only realistic calculation available, since the Nevada Gaming Commission does not provide more detail. However, this calculation will include some properties like Gold Strike , Hoover Dam Lodge , Primm Valley Resorts and all the various casinos in Laughlin and Mesquite as "locals casinos" even though they have many guests who are visiting

1800-517: The sign. People frequently parked at the Klondike and ran across the street to take pictures of the Las Vegas welcome sign. The Klondike received a gaming license in 1982, and ultimately became known as the Klondike Hotel and Casino, while retaining the Klondike Inn name. The Klondike included a western theme, and was the first hotel-casino encountered by people travelling north on

1850-463: The site in October 2014. The Klondike appears in the 1997 film Vegas Vacation , in which the character of Clark ( Chevy Chase ) plays unusual gambling games to win his money back. The Klondike also appears in the 2005 film Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous . In 2005, Avenged Sevenfold filmed a portion of the music video for their song, " Bat Country ", inside one of the Klondike's motel rooms. Locals casino A locals casino

1900-406: The southern Las Vegas Strip for new megaresorts. Regarding the Klondike, Woodrum said, "It's a little ragged and not what they'd like to see on Las Vegas Boulevard and I understand this. But there isn't one of us left that wouldn't fight until our last breath." In September 2004, Leroy's Horse & Sports Place began operating a sportsbook at the casino. In May 2005, Royal Palm Las Vegas LLC –

1950-490: The time of its opening, the Klondike Sunset Casino consisted of a 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m) building and featured an Alaskan wilderness theme. The casino, approximately 7,700 sq ft (720 m), included 360 video poker and slot machines, as well as three blackjack tables and a roulette table. The casino offered $ 2 minimum blackjack and 25-cent roulette, both considered rare at that time. At approximately 4:00 a.m. on December 30, 1999, two masked gunmen robbed

2000-503: The typical hallmarks of locals casinos. Locals casinos can range from locations with fewer than 15 machines such as supermarkets , convenience stores , gas stations , bars or lounges with no lodging, to resorts that have hundreds of machines and hotels with hundreds of rooms. Larger locals casinos in the Las Vegas Valley include the M Resort , South Point , Silverton , the two Arizona Charlie's casinos, all or most of

2050-523: Was Woodrum's second casino property, and a sister property to his Klondike Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in nearby Paradise, Nevada . Woodrum chose not to add a hotel to the property, opting instead to focus on the locals market. Woodrum's Klondike property on the Las Vegas Strip attracted a clientele consisting mostly of senior citizens and Henderson residents who preferred smaller casinos. Woodrum hoped to attract Henderson residents to his new property with coupons for free food and drinks. At

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2100-636: Was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada , in the United States . The property began as the Kona Kai Motel in 1962, and was purchased by Ralph Engelstad in 1969. The motel was sold to John Woodrum, who renamed it as the Klondike Inn in 1976. A casino was eventually added, and the Klondike became popular among local residents. In 2005, the Klondike was sold to Royal Palm Las Vegas, which planned to replace it with

2150-449: Was converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation due to a halt in a dispute among creditors regarding Familian's continued operation of the casino. After the bankruptcy change, Familian and Las Vegas attorney Brian Shapiro were preparing to sell the casino through an auction but they wanted to keep it open during the process. On November 30, 2017, the Nevada Gaming Commission held an emergency meeting and unanimously approved Shapiro to take over as

2200-506: Was decreased from 300 to 65. The casino's sports book was subsequently closed in June 2013. John Woodrum died in January 2014. In March 2014, the Nevada Gaming Control Board filed an eight-count complaint against the casino, which was cited for continued violations of failing to maintain a minimum bankroll. Ellen Woodrum – John Woodrum's wife and the current casino owner – reached a tentative agreement that month with

2250-481: Was ordered by Clark County to either demolish the buildings by November 13, 2007, or repair them by December 18, 2007. County officials considered the Klondike dangerous because of deterioration, which put its second floor at risk of collapsing. The Klondike was boarded up in November 2007. By January 2008, plans for the Paramount project were uncertain as Royal Palm Las Vegas had difficulty obtaining financing, due to

2300-499: Was scheduled for August 2, 1993, the casino's four-year anniversary. Other expansions included a horseshoe-shaped bar and a larger lounge. In 1997, the casino offered proposition betting , and was among nine other Las Vegas casinos to offer SportXction, a new interactive betting system. The casino closed on January 12, 1998, partially because of competition from the new, nearby Sunset Station . For 18 months prior to its closure, monthly profits had declined from $ 650,000 to $ 275,000, with

2350-400: Was scheduled for October 7, 1989. In January 1990, the casino introduced its free "Fun Bus" service. In July 1990, Yarbrough was approved for a 2,993 sq ft (278.1 m) addition to the casino, which would include the removal of existing buildings already on the property. Possible amenities that would be added in the expansion included a video game arcade, a gift shop, a snack bar, and

2400-459: Was the Klondike's rising property taxes , which had doubled in recent years. The Woodrum family continued to operate the Klondike through an open-ended lease, while a closing date initially remained undetermined. Woodrum stated that the Klondike had remained financially successful but that, "Like anything else, progress takes its toll […]. You can only stand in the way of it so long and it rolls over you." The casino closed on June 28, 2006, while

2450-614: Was the first new casino to open in the Las Vegas Valley since the SLS Las Vegas in August 2014. The casino opened with 225 slot machines, and an expanded 24-hour restaurant known as Sarah's Kitchen, named after Familian's wife. A small sports book was expected to open inside the casino in October 2016. Nevada Gaming Partners LLC, Familian's company which opened and operated the casino, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2016. In October 2017, Nevada Gaming Partners' bankruptcy

2500-403: Was transferred to Yarlow, Inc., owned by Thomas Yarbrough, who had to apply for a new gaming license to operate the casino. By that point, new ordinances had been passed which would require the construction of a 200-room hotel to meet approval for a limited gaming license. In July 1989, a city attorney recommended that Yarbrough be approved for a limited gaming license despite the new ordinances, as

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