“ We always try to do something unique and different , property to property . We take the best parts of what we learned from the last property , then kind of grow on that .”
— Scott Kreeger , Chief Operating Officer , Station Casinos
Local Challenge
Durango Casino Resort is Station Casinos ’ first new property since Red Rock in 2006 . Located on a tract in one of the fastest-growing areas in the valley , it offered a prime opportunity for the locals giant , says Station Chief Operating Officer Scott Kreeger : “ The demographics are off the charts , and there ’ s really no competition within a five-mile radius . From a business perspective , it was a great opportunity for us .” In December 2023 , Durango opened to rave reviews . “ From a customer feedback perspective , we ’ re overjoyed ,” Kreeger says . “ We always try to do something unique and different , property to property . We take the best parts of what we learned from the last property — in this case , Red Rock — then kind of grow on that .”
Station broke every rule with Durango . Instead of a dark cavernous space , it is open to daylight , streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows . Gone are the rows of endless slots , replaced by mini-carousels of three to five machines . But the most dramatic change is in the sportsbook .
“ Sports has been a huge piece of local gaming for years , and continues to be , but it ’ s morphed over time ,” observes Kreeger . “ Once on NFL Sundays , you had to be there before 10 o ’ clock to lay down your bets . Now you can do it with your phone . That ’ s changed what we ’ ve done . We ’ re the marketshare leader in mobile sports wagers in the city , and we ’ re proud of that .”
He thanks “ an incredible team . Art Manteris , who worked for us for years and is a legend in sports wagering , trained up some young guys that are the best in the business .”
The race and sportsbook at Durango “ will be the new model going forward . There ’ s a small over-the-counter area where you can get a ticket and bet on the games . We have large-format screens , great seating areas , an incredible bar where you can play video poker or watch a game and have a beer , and a really compelling food-and-beverage and entertainment component . The George ( Sportsmen ’ s Lounge ) does more than 2,000 covers on a Sunday . On Friday and Saturday nights , we have a country band or a different type of entertainment . So it ’ s really seven days a week and it ’ s been a smash .”
F & B at Durango also signals a shift in the Station strategy . “ What we ’ re finding is that the more we lean into non-gaming amenities , ( the more ) Las Vegas grows up as a city ,” Kreeger says . “ We all used to go to the Strip when we went out to eat , but now the restaurant scene in the suburbs is quite dynamic . We think we ’ re driving some of that .”
Today , the company that once had to convince restaurants to operate at its casinos is fielding proposals from the nation ’ s top restaurateurs .
“ Durango ’ s a testament to that ,” says Kreeger . “ James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurant companies with over 150 units across the country are all interested in coming to our new developments . They ’ re doing food better than we ever could . And the customers agree .”
18 CASINO STYLE 2024