Station Casinos calls Culinary Union's push against Durango project "harassment"

The Culinary Union has been urging residents near Station Casinos’ planned Durango Station casino resort to speak up and let local officials know if they are against the project, marking a new episode in both parties’ ongoing disputes.

Durango Station is set to be located in Las Vegas’ southwest valley, with over 400 hotel rooms and gaming floor space of approximately 99,000 square feet, plus 20,000 square feet of outdoor dining space.

The project, currently in its budgeting and planning phase, will also feature a sportsbook and should it clear all steps needed, would start construction in early 2022. It would take approximately between 18 to 24 months to build the venue.

At a Spring Valley Town Advisory Board meeting on August 31, the project received community approval. Ahead of the event, the union mailed postcards inviting residents in the area to attend and voice their opinions about a “Strip-sized casino” planned, reports FOX5.

According to Bethany Kahn, spokesperson for the Culinary Union, several residents they had spoken with were concerned about an increase in traffic near Wayne Tanaka Elementary school, located near the proposed gambling venue. Moreover, the union is also raising questions about “neighborhood compatibility”, according to a press release dated August 27.

Despite the concerns raised by the union, the casino was voted favorably in the meeting, making progress towards becoming a reality. Durango Station has been in the works for years now and must next receive approval from Clark County Commissioners, set to make a final decision following meetings scheduled for September 7 and September 21.

According to Station Casinos representatives, the project has the potential to create thousands of construction and full-time jobs and generate millions of dollars in revenue for the community.

But the Culinary Union doesn’t see it in the same favorable light. In a series of social media posts, the union shared photos of residents attending the meeting, captioned with messages such as: “How many more cars will drive on Maule Ave every day? Will guests in the 216-foot-high hotel be able to see your backyard?”, and “Do you want a big casino with 2,000 slot machines in the neighborhood? Has the developer asked neighbors for input?”

🎰 Do you want a big casino with 2,000 slot machines in the neighborhood?

Has the developer asked neighbors for input? 🏗️

❓Residents requested changes to the proposed #DurangoStation project at the Spring Valley Town Advisory Board meeting.https://t.co/A49BeBEU5O pic.twitter.com/x3b61qtPlj

— The Culinary Union (@Culinary226) September 1, 2021

Following the meeting and the union’s statements, Station Casinos thanked the community and reiterated its intentions to work with the residents as partners, taking into account their input, while also lamenting the Culinary Union’s position.

“We have grown used to decades of endless harassment by the Culinary Union,” stated the company. “Instead of applauding a project that will pay millions in local taxes, create a beautiful new amenity for the neighborhood and create thousands of construction and permanent jobs, including jobs for people they supposedly care about, they take the low road and play petty politics. Nothing that comes from the culinary union can be trusted.”

The ongoing conflict between Station Casinos and the Culinary Union stems from disagreements over union representation of workers, which has led to various legal battles in the last decade. The casino company says it has been accused of unfair labor practices by the union.