Hooters Archives · EDGe Vegas

Rumor: Las Vegas May Soon Be Hootersless

Hooters Hotel And Casino Las Vegas — Hooters

Hooters Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas has been available for sale in off and on for the past couple years but it looks like they’re serious about selling this time, whether anyone is interested or not.

That sounds like a patchwork solution…shepherding Hooters along until maybe, someday, someone will actually want to buy the place.

Hooters is bringing in Navegante Gaming Inc. as consultants who somehow never help turn around a casino but always manage a casino til it’s inevitable end. They’ve most recently managed Gold Spike and LVH to their death and inevitable death, respectively.

Navegante Gaming Inc., the father-and-son company of industry veterans Larry Jean Woolf and Larry David Woolf, has won approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission to manage Hooters Hotel & Casino.

Regardless of a sale it looks as if they’re going to de-brand Hooters.

The property is is in the process of undergoing a remodel that has already seen $3 million spent to replace carpeting and affect some hotel renovations. A name-change for the off-Strip hotel-casino is also expected shortly, although attempts to find a buyer have, to date, been unsuccessful.

I have an idea for an awesome name – HLV. This in no way would be confused with LVH another awesome name for a casino that can’t be sold.

Seriously, the Hooters brand name has taken a hit in the past couple years with the introduction of new “breastaurant” franchises. The name simply doesn’t hold the same recognition it did 5+ years ago when San Remo was sold and renamed.

It seems as if Hooters is being cleaned up and prepared for sale but who would want to buy an off strip casino? I’ve never been to Hooters and have no plans to ever go. 1 of the 4 people I know that have been there left with pinkeye. I don’t want pinkeye.

Photo: Wikimedia

Lunching Outside At Bagatelle Beach

Bagatelle Beach Club At Tropicana Las Vegas — Bagatelle Beach Club

Eating and drinking outside? I’m in!

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to have lunch at the new Bagatelle Beach at Tropicana. This was the soft opening and a great way to kick off Cinco De Mayo weekend before losing every bet I made on the Kentucky Derby. Since this was the soft opening I was among the first guests.

Comparing Bagatelle Beach to Encore Beach Club is only fair in that they’re the same concept but there’s nothing at Tropicana that’s done on the same level as Wynn so it’s really not a fair comparison. Besides I was at Bagatelle Beach for lunch outside and not to scope out bikini babes. Note: Every person serving lunch was a dude, the bikini waitresses seem like they are only for pool customers.

Bagatelle Beach is set up with separate areas for people who want to party at the pool and people who just want to grab lunch. There dining tables set up in a shaded are that are fairly secluded and above the action of the beach club. There are also a few booths closer to the pools with coverings providing shade as you can see below.

Lunch area - Bagatelle Beach Tropicana Las Vegas

Le Diablo - Bagatelle Beach Tropicana Las Vegas

Lunch began with a cocktail called Le Diablo. I don’t normally drink tequila but I usually enjoy a drink with fresh berries and ginger beer so I figured I’d give it a whirl. Since I was so early the fresh blueberries hadn’t arrived so they used strawberry instead. Both drinks were tasty but the original concept of the drink was much better. I always recommend sticking with blueberries when they’re part of the recipe. Additionally, ginger beer is probably my favorite mixer for cocktails.

Lunch - Bagatelle Beach Tropicana Las Vegas

For lunch I had a chicken and turkey club on a croissant. The sandwich was good but nothing particularly special. At $12 (maybe $14) this was priced similarly to most restaurant sandwiches on the strip. Combined with the al fresco dining and drinks this made for a fine base of food for the day. I wouldn’t be upset eating this sandwich again but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

Iced Coffee - Bagatelle Beach Tropicana Las Vegas

Since I had to drive after lunch I took it easy on the tasty boozy drinks and imbibed a few cups of iced coffee. I don’t look at a day/beach club as the kind of place that many people are ordering iced coffee so I was pleasantly surprised they had it available. While not the highlight of the day it was a nice way to close it.

Booth View - Bagatelle Beach Tropicana Las Vegas

I saw some friends dining out in the booths as I was winding down my lunch so I grabbed this sweet view of the entire Bagatelle Beach complex which comes complete with Hooters in the background.

Bagatelle Beach isn’t for everyone. The music is very loud since this is a day club and the DJ mix is today’s EDM (Deadmau5, Calvin Harris) and hip hop (Lil Wayne, Doctor Dre). I enjoyed the music and thought it added to the vibe but it’s not for everyone.

I only visit the Tropicana a couple of times a year or so and this may be one of the few times I visit during 2013. The Tropicana isn’t a hotel many people I know visit so there’s rarely an excuse to stop by. Actually, most people I know don’t even stay on the south end of the strip unless they have a conference at Mandalay Bay.

I would return to Bagatelle Beach if someone else wanted to go there for lunch but probably wouldn’t go out of my way to return. I’ve already recommend Bagatelle Beach to a couple of people as a place to dine outdoors on that end of the Vegas strip.

Lunch was paid for by Bagatelle Beach but my thoughts and pictures are my own.

Hooters, Golden Nugget and Terribles Get New

People often ask for cheap places to stay in Las Vegas and I like to send people to hotels with new and clean hotel rooms first and formost. After new and clean rooms I look to the casino and then other amenities since that’s how I roll. In the past couple weeks a few non-major hotel & casino renovations have been announced. Here’s the rundown.

Golden Nugget – I don’t go inside this building anymore after too many bad gambling losses. That said, the Golden Nugget is probably the nicest, most luxurious, hotel in downtown Vegas. Golden Nugget room rates are easily the most expensive downtown and are comparable to hotel room rates on the Vegas strip. That’s how the Golden Nugget can pay for the Rush Tower, which opened just 4 years ago, to get new rooms called the Gold Club. I’m biased but I’d save my money downtown and get a remodeled room at the D, Golden Gate, Fremont or Plaza. You can find more renderings and details on the Gold Club hotel rooms at Vegas News.

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Hooters Files For Chapter 11

Hooters Casino filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection comes as no surprise since the bondholders have been threatening foreclosure since earlier this year, but it finally went down yesterday.

The bankruptcy filing will likely halt the foreclosure on that date, although Canpartners can ask the Bankruptcy Court later for permission to foreclose.

Records indicate the property is encumbered by mortgage and bond debt totaling $162 million plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in trade claims. The initial filing didn’t fully disclose exactly how much is owed or exactly how much 155 East Tropicana feels the property is worth.

The Hooters bankruptcy aimed at blocking a foreclosure is in contrast to another recent Las Vegas gaming bankruptcy — Riviera Holdings Corp. — that was far friendlier.

Chapter 11 doesn’t mean out of business and the casino will remain open during the proceedings. Last week I had a column at Vegas Chatter about best casinos by tier – cheap, mid-range, high end and Hooters came up a few times as a surprising cheap place to stay. I may have to expedite a trip there in case things get worse.

I don’t know much about this place other than a friend got pink eye after a 15 minute visit. I’ve had no desire to visit since. I don’t want pink eye.

Hooters!

One of the fun things about living in Las Vegas is that my eyes are wandering towards things I wouldn’t have looked at when I was back east.

Case in point Hooters Casino. My only memory of Hooters is when my friends ditched me at Hard Rock a few years ago to go there. Thankfully I didn’t go because a friend of mine got pink eye.

Generally, my head is on a swivel when I’m gambling and when I’m webbing around. I hear a strange noise and my head turns. I see a pretty girl and my head turns.

One day last week I got a tweet from Hooters model, Miss February, Theresa Trujillo at Vegas Tweets. Obviously, that turned my head and I learned that If you’re in Vegas today and/or tomorrow you can meet some of the Hooters calendar girls at the casino.

I won’t be able to make it and I’m sure I won’t be missed as there are still plenty of rodeo dudes that will be stopping by. For reference here’s a better look Miss February.