Westin Causarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa
Encyclopedia
The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa is a resort
and casino
in Paradise, Nevada
. It is located at the intersection of Flamingo Boulevard and Koval Lane, just east of the Las Vegas Strip
. The Westin Casuarina is managed and owned by Columbia Sussex
, under franchise from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
which owns the chain of Westin Hotels
and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
. It is noteworthy for being one of the very first Las Vegas resorts to prohibit smoking
in almost all parts of the property; only in a part of the casino is smoking permitted.
The casino floor has fewer than 300 slot
and video poker
machines and only ten table games, far smaller than Strip megaresorts and even smaller than many casinos catering to local residents. Instead, the resort concentrates more on its hotel amenities, including a destination spa
, catering to guests who typically visit other Westin Hotels throughout the world.
In 1999, the casino was closed in a dispute between the casino operator and hotel owners. The hotel itself remained open without gaming, until closing entirely in 2001.
The Maxim was the site of the infamous shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur
in 1996. Shakur was a passenger in a BMW
that was driving in front of the casino, when a man in a Cadillac pulled up and opened fire, gravely wounding the rap star. He died a week later from his injuries.
. The Westin Casuarina marked the first Westin resort nationwide to feature a casino and is the first Westin in Nevada. Columbia Sussex bought the former Maxim for $38 million then spent an additional $90 million on the remodel.
In November 2010, lenders filed for foreclosure
on the Westin Casuarina, after Columbia Sussex had stopped making payments on the property's $160 million mortgage in April. The hotel's general manager said in October 2011 that Columbia Sussex would not fight the foreclosure, and that the hotel was overleveraged due to property values declining in the recession. Lenders asked a court to appoint Pyramid Hotel Group as receiver
to operate the resort.
36.1151°N 115.1657°W
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
and casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in Paradise, Nevada
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census...
. It is located at the intersection of Flamingo Boulevard and Koval Lane, just east of the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. The Westin Casuarina is managed and owned by Columbia Sussex
Columbia Sussex
Columbia Sussex is a private hospitality company based in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The company, owned by the Yung family, owns and operates hotels in various parts of the United States. , the company operated 73 hotels under 13 different brands. The current president is William J...
, under franchise from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is a hospitality ownership and management organization, headquartered in White Plains, New York. One of the world's largest hotel companies, it owns, operates, franchises and manages hotels, resorts, spas, residences, and vacation ownership properties...
which owns the chain of Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels & Resorts are an upscale hotel chain owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. As of 2011, Westin operated over 160 hotels in 37 countries.-History:...
and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
. It is noteworthy for being one of the very first Las Vegas resorts to prohibit smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
in almost all parts of the property; only in a part of the casino is smoking permitted.
The casino floor has fewer than 300 slot
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
and video poker
Video poker
Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a slot machine.-History:...
machines and only ten table games, far smaller than Strip megaresorts and even smaller than many casinos catering to local residents. Instead, the resort concentrates more on its hotel amenities, including a destination spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
, catering to guests who typically visit other Westin Hotels throughout the world.
Maxim Hotel
The property was originally opened on July 1, 1977 as the Maxim Hotel and Casino. Though smaller than typical Vegas resorts even before today's megaresort era, the Maxim had a popular following because of its attention to personal service. It thrived during the 1980s, but went into decline as flashier, larger resorts opened on the nearby Strip.In 1999, the casino was closed in a dispute between the casino operator and hotel owners. The hotel itself remained open without gaming, until closing entirely in 2001.
The Maxim was the site of the infamous shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
in 1996. Shakur was a passenger in a BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
that was driving in front of the casino, when a man in a Cadillac pulled up and opened fire, gravely wounding the rap star. He died a week later from his injuries.
Westin Casuarina
Columbia Sussex reopened it as The Westin Casuarina on November 6, 2003, using the name of its successful resort in the Cayman IslandsCayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. The Westin Casuarina marked the first Westin resort nationwide to feature a casino and is the first Westin in Nevada. Columbia Sussex bought the former Maxim for $38 million then spent an additional $90 million on the remodel.
In November 2010, lenders filed for foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
on the Westin Casuarina, after Columbia Sussex had stopped making payments on the property's $160 million mortgage in April. The hotel's general manager said in October 2011 that Columbia Sussex would not fight the foreclosure, and that the hotel was overleveraged due to property values declining in the recession. Lenders asked a court to appoint Pyramid Hotel Group as receiver
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
to operate the resort.
External links
36.1151°N 115.1657°W