Red Rock Resorts pushes back Durango Casino and Resort opening date to December 5

Red Rock Resorts has decided to reschedule the grand opening of its Durango Casino and Resort, located in the southwest region of Las Vegas. The originally planned debut, scheduled for November 20, has now been pushed back to December 5, in a move that took industry analysts by surprise.

This announcement was made during the company's third-quarter earnings conference call. According to Red Rock Resorts' CFO, Steven Cootey, this adjustment was deemed necessary "to ensure a first-class opening of the property."

Red Rock Resorts' Vice Chairman, Lorenzo Fertitta, discussed the reason behind the decision. He stated that "certain areas" of the resort, which he described as "critical to the opening," weren't completed within the anticipated timeframe.

Although the specific details regarding these areas were not disclosed, Fertitta elaborated on the rationale, explaining: "We didn't feel like it gave us enough time to properly train our staff and our team members in the venues and be able to have the appropriate load-in days and then play days."

Ensuring an optimal opening experience was especially important as most guests will be Las Vegas Valley residents whom they want to return, officials said. Fertitta emphasized this point by saying: "This isn't where we're going to see a new face every day. For me and Frank (Fertitta III, chairman and CEO), the most important thing is that the level of service on the day that we open is at the highest quality it can be."

Despite the change in the opening date, Cootey confirmed that this adjustment would not result in any additional costs beyond the initial budget of $780 million allocated for the project.

With 201 rooms and situated on a sprawling 50-acre site near the 215 Beltway and South Durango Drive, it is set to become the area's only major casino within a 5-mile radius, catering to a population of over 250,000 adults.

The casino floor, spanning 83,000 square feet, will house nearly 2,300 slot machines, 63 table games, and an array of dining options, including four full-service restaurants and a 25,000-square-foot food hall. The resort also features 20,000 square feet of convention and meeting space, as well as a pool area.

Red Rock Resorts is actively in the process of recruiting a staff of 1,700 employees to manage the casino. The company reassured that Durango employees originally scheduled to commence work on November 20 would continue to receive their salaries and tips as planned.

Furthermore, guests holding reservations between November 20 and December 5 will be given priority when booking for future dates at the Durango property. Alternatively, they will be offered the opportunity to reschedule at any of the other six Station Casino properties in Las Vegas. Restaurant reservations will similarly be accommodated with options to reschedule at other properties or secure a future booking at a Durango restaurant.

During the third-quarter earnings call, Red Rock Resorts reported net income of $68.4 million and revenue of $411.6 million, marking the third-best revenue quarter in the company's history. Red Rock Resorts shares, traded on the Nasdaq exchange, experienced slight fluctuations but ended the day positively, closing at around $41.89 per share.