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California Hotel and Casino

Coordinates: 36°10′23″N 115°8′40″W / 36.17306°N 115.14444°W / 36.17306; -115.14444
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This article is about the hotel in Las Vegas. For the Fremont Street casino that operated 1958-1973, see California Club (casino). For the hotel in Oakland, California, see California Hotel.
California Hotel and Casino
The California and its newer west tower (left) in 2009
California Hotel and Casino is located in Downtown Las Vegas
California Hotel and Casino
California Hotel and Casino is located in Nevada
California Hotel and Casino
Location Las Vegas, NV 89101
Address 12 East Ogden Avenue
Opening dateJanuary 1, 1975; 49 years ago (1975-01-01)
ThemeHawaiian
No. of rooms781
Total gaming space35,848 sq ft (3,330.4 m2)
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerBoyd Gaming
Renovated in1982, 1984, 1994, 2016–17
Websitewww.thecal.com

The California Hotel and Casino (also known as The Cal) is located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The hotel casino is owned by Boyd Gaming. It opened on January 1, 1975, with 325 rooms in an 11-story hotel. A 14-story west tower was added in 1984, and was extended a decade later, bringing the room count to 781.

Despite its name, the California is a Hawaiian-themed property and caters largely to Hawaiian residents through vacation packages.

History

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The California is owned by Boyd Gaming,[1] and was the company's first property in downtown Las Vegas.[2] It was developed by a group of stockholders led by Sam Boyd, who held 25 percent ownership. His son, Bill Boyd, held another 25 percent.[3]

The 11-story[4] hotel tower was topped off in September 1974. Built at a cost of $10 million,[5] the California opened on January 1, 1975, with 325 rooms. The casino also featured two restaurants and an entertainment lounge.[6]

The original hotel tower circa 1981

A $1 million renovation took place in 1982; it included hotel and restaurant remodeling. The project also added a neon sign that wraps around the casino's lower exterior, from 1st Street to Ogden Avenue. The hotel tower was topped with a lighted parapet.[4]

Another hotel tower was added in 1984, along with a six-story parking garage. The new tower is 14 stories,[7][8][9] and was built west of the original tower.[10]

In 1989, the California designated the term "Golden Arm", after Stanley Fujitake rolled dice for three hours and six minutes in craps without losing.[11]

An addition was made to the second tower's north end in 1994,[12][13][14] bringing the room count to 781.[15] Also added was an enclosed walkway over Main Street, leading to Boyd's newly purchased Main Street Station property, which the company reopened in 1996.[16]

A norovirus outbreak began at the California in December 2003, and more than 1,500 cases were reported over the next three months.[17][18][19] A Boyd executive believed that norovirus only accounted for 284 cases, with the remainder caused by similar illnesses such as the flu.[20]

The California underwent a remodel in 2016,[2][21][22] which included a new bar and a sports lounge.[23] The Redwood Grill was updated as well and renamed the Redwood Steakhouse.[24][25] Hotel room renovations continued into 2017.[23][26] The California includes 35,848 sq ft (3,330.4 m2) of gaming space.[27]

Hawaiian appeal

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Despite its name, the California features Hawaiian design elements,[28][29] and has long targeted Hawaiians as a key demographic.[30][31][32] Boyd was a former resident of Hawaii,[33] where gambling is illegal.[29] After facing slow business initially, Boyd soon began focusing on the Hawaiian market, offering Hawaiian food and encouraging a more casual atmosphere.[34][35][36] He introduced vacation packages from the islands, with charter airfares as low as $9.90.[34] The travel packages bring in most of the California's guests.[37]

Hawaiians made up 70 percent of the property's clientele as of 1985.[30] A decade later, the California was receiving 200,000 annual visitors from Hawaii.[28] As of 2006, Boyd Gaming was charting 10,000 Hawaiian tourists to Las Vegas each month, and they made up 80 percent of the California's guests.[29] Boyd's Hawaiian marketing, which later extended to the Fremont and Main Street properties, is credited with helping to build a large Hawaiian community in Las Vegas, earning it a nickname as the Ninth Island.[34][38] As of 2012, an estimated 80-90% of Hawaiian visitors to Las Vegas stay at a Boyd property.[34] The Hawaiian theme was modernized during the 2016 renovation.[39]

References

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  1. ^ "Sam Boyd; Las Vegas Philanthropist, Built Eight Casinos". Los Angeles Times. January 16, 1993. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Stutz, Howard (December 3, 2015). "Boyd announces plans to redesign California Hotel". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  3. ^ "Hotelmen Seek Gaming Permit". September 15, 1974. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Casino finishing face-lift". Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 10, 1982. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  5. ^ "$10 Million Vegas Hotel Topped Off". Nevada State Journal. September 10, 1974. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "California Hotel, Casino Opening in Las Vegas". Valley News. December 31, 1974. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Panel oks plans for California Hotel". Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 26, 1983. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  8. ^ "Downtown Expansion". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 22, 1984. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Downtown's new look breeds new confidence". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 16, 1984. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  10. ^ "Photograph: The Next Generation". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Montero, David (April 28, 2017). "A method to their magic: Craps champions swear it's more mystique than math at the tables in Vegas". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  12. ^ "Downtown casino to add walkway, 13-story tower". The Press of Atlantic City. May 15, 1994. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Boyd 'tops off' California tower". Las Vegas Review-Journal. October 8, 1994. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  14. ^ "Boyd's California Hotel gets 146 more rooms". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. January 5, 1995. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Noble, Kenneth B. (April 23, 1995). "Las Vegas Upgrading Dowdy Fremont Street". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  16. ^ "Boyd wins approval to reopen long-closed Main Street Station". Reno Gazette-Journal. October 28, 1996. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Kayal, Michele (March 17, 2004). "Virus Sickens Hotel's Patrons In Las Vegas". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  18. ^ Smith, Rod (March 17, 2004). "Virus outbreak at local hotel subsiding". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005.
  19. ^ "Hotel cleaning up after virus outbreak". Las Vegas Sun. March 26, 2004. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  20. ^ Silver, Kate (March 18, 2004). "Welcome to the (Infected) Hotel California". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Leach, Robin (December 3, 2015). "Downtown California Hotel and Casino to undergo sweeping redesign - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018.
  22. ^ Stutz, Howard (February 2, 2016). "Boyd Gaming adding 20 restaurants to beef up nongaming amenities". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Riley, Bryce (December 6, 2016). "California hotel-casino completes sweeping redesign". KTNV News. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
  24. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (May 6, 2017). "California Hotel updates Redwood Steakhouse, keeps old Vegas flavor". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  25. ^ Harris, Elaine; Harris, Scott (November 29, 2017). "Rejuvenating Las Vegas' classic casinos". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  26. ^ Szydelko, Paul (2016-12-07). "Downtown's California completes redesign for 'modern island vibe'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
  27. ^ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage (2017 data)". Nevada Gaming Control Board. March 6, 2018. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016.
  28. ^ a b "Hawaiians flock to Vegas' California hotel for gambling fun". Reno Gazette-Journal. December 25, 1995. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b c Song, Jaymes (August 27, 2006). "In Paradise, Gambling Issues Persist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Gift of Buddha statue unveiled at hotel anniversary ceremony". Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 19, 1985. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  31. ^ "Boyd: 'Hawaiians' get special treatment in Vegas". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. April 20, 1994. Retrieved December 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ Hitt, Christine (September 1, 2022). "Why Las Vegas is known as Hawaii's 'Ninth Island'". SFGate. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  33. ^ "Las Vegas gaming exec raps proposed charter flight cuts". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. December 29, 1974. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ a b c d Gladstone, E. C. (February 16, 2012). "A Hawaiian island in the Las Vegas desert". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  35. ^ Dudley, Joan Paulette (September 19, 2002). "The spirit of Hawaii". Las Vegas Mercury. Archived from the original on October 13, 2002.
  36. ^ Clifford-Cruz, Rebecca (September 17, 2011). "Aloha spirit found in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  37. ^ Berns, Dave (March 14, 2000). "Up for Downtown". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 3, 2001.
  38. ^ Leff, Lisa (October 27, 2002). "The Ninth Hawaiian Island". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  39. ^ Szydelko, Paul (December 7, 2016). "Downtown's California completes redesign for 'modern island vibe'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

Further reading

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