South Coast opens its doors, eyes locals and tourists
by Scott A. Aruti
The mesmerizing Western sun rises above the picture-perfect desert landscape, ushering in yet another beautiful Southern Nevada morning. Amongst the ever-growing suburban communities in the Las Vegas valley, the idyllic neighborhood of Silverado Ranch rests comfortably on the outer edge of the famed Las Vegas Strip’s southernmost stretch—gorgeous, sun-kissed days are not uncommon here, yet a new casino resort just minutes away is shining brightly through those glistening, warm rays.
Spread across 60 acres in one of the fastest-growing segments of the Vegas valley, the South Coast Hotel & Casino is the newest property belonging to Boyd Gaming’s Coast Casinos. This gold-faceted new palace of chance and entertainment is strategically located on a growing tip of Las Vegas Boulevard. The property is easily accessible for the local scene, but is proving to be unique in that it has created a gateway to Vegas for the millions that converge on the town from Southern California via route I-15, running just adjacent to the resort.
Come upon this modern, chiseled structure and the first thing one notices is the clean, gold-trimmed façade, completely uncluttered in design. The valet area and front entrance exhibit a sense of regal, almost classic opulence—quite out-of-the-ordinary for a casino catering to a “local” clientele—and the 6,000-space parking facility readily welcomes guests with a spacious presence. Upon entering the main doors, the first thing that catches the eye is a sweeping 80,000-square-foot casino, comfortable and complete with more than 2,400 slot and video poker machines, over 60 table games including craps, baccarat, 21, roulette, three-card poker and Pai Gow and an equally-sprawling race and sports book featuring over 300 seats with separate viewing areas for horse and sports action.
Not dissimilar from other Coast properties, South Coast offers a variety of restaurants spanning the range of price and appetite factors. An elegant but affordable selection is Silverado Steakhouse, serving steaks, chops, seafood and poultry. Upscale in everything but price, the 625-seat bright and spacious Garden Buffet features six live cooking stations with a variety of hot and cold food items.
Cookie Larimer, an ex-hostess from a buffet at another local property and now a waitress at the Garden Buffet, says the South Coast/Boyd experience has been so much better for her. “This is a great outfit to work for,” she explains. “Interestingly enough, the property has hired mostly new employees—there are a small amount of Coast property transfer workers here. The management has also been great in terms of the way they treat the workers; there is a policy whereby any employee that commutes with another together, gets special parking, special benefits, eligibility for expense cuts and coupons, that sort of thing. I have experienced an undoubtedly more positive experience as a waitress in the fun, upbeat, carnival-like atmosphere of this buffet, as a waitress, than I did as a hostess in my last stressful position!”
The 24-hour Coronado Café is South Coast’s classic coffee shop, while Baja Miguel’s is the sister restaurant to the popular Don Miguel’s at The Orleans and Senor Miguel’s at Suncoast, offering south-of-the-border selections. Watch your fresh catch of the day be prepared right before your eyes as the South Coast’s food team displays their talents at the Big Sur Oyster Bar adjacent to the buffet. Don Vito’s serves Italian and seafood fare.
When a sweet tooth craving hits, Kate’s Korner will suffice, offering a variety of ice creams, sundaes, sodas, milkshakes and malts. Kate’s has become a Las Vegas staple since its inception at the Gold Coast nearly 18 years ago. And to go with your ice cream, Seattle’s Best coffee house is located adjacent to Kate’s Korner and offers a selection of roasts and blends as well as iced coffee combinations.
The first phase of accommodations at South Coast has been completed, encompassing 650 guest rooms with the top floor boasting suites, exclusively. Views of the glistening Las Vegas valley or the serenity of the surrounding mountainscape are the tempting visceral choices afforded by the different room selections. Each guest room, according to property officials, functions more like a mini-suite, with plasma screens and high-speed Internet connections. Rooms feature Pacific color patters reminiscent of the Southern California lifestyle, according to South Coast representatives. Suites range in size from 900 to 2,500 square feet.
This coming summer will bring a host of eye-openers for South Coast: a lavishly-landscaped pool and Jacuzzi, outdoor activity area with sand volleyball court and hospitality area for poolside entertaining and a spa and fitness center. There is even a 64-lane bowling center at South Coast, featuring a main center aisle with 32 lanes of bowling on each side. There is also a bar adjacent to the lanes, a full-service pro shop, snack bar, locker rooms and an arcade. Also on the way is the South Coast Equestrian Complex, an indoor horse facility playing host to a 4,400-seat arena and 1,200 climate-controlled horse stalls. Here, some of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world will take place on a 250 by 125-foot show arena floor. In addition to the equestrian facilities, the Complex will feature 80,000 square feet of exhibit and 20,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space.
According to property employees like Larimer, public reaction to South Coast has been extremely favorable so far. “The casino has been undoubtedly catering to—and drawing in—mainly locals, but there is the draw of being so close to the freeway that connects L.A. to Vegas that it will soon change the demographics here, and create a more mixed situation,” she says. “Guests have been raving about the service in the different areas of the casino up to this point; the sports book has been a particularly hot commodity, with its spacious, airy, uncluttered design. Attendance has been wonderful, and I am hearing nothing but positive remarks from patrons of the (sports) book. In sum, the locals are finding South Coast a great place to play, and the employees are finding the property a great place to work!”
For more information, call (866) 796-7111 or visit www.southcoastcasino.com.
South Coast opens its doors, eyes locals and tourists.
