Boyd Gaming Corporation has announced the demolition of the long-closed Eastside Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, with plans to sell the land for residential development, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Situated along Boulder Highway in East Las Vegas, the property has remained closed since Nevada’s casinos were mandated to shut for 78 days in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Las Vegas-based gaming company indicated in a statement released on Friday that insufficient market demand is the driving force behind this decision.
“It has been over five years since we closed Eastside Cannery, and there is not enough market demand to justify reopening the venue,” the company stated. “Consequently, we are moving forward with plans to demolish the structure and are currently negotiating a sale of the site for residential purposes.”
The property, which is 17 years old, includes a 16-story tower, 307 hotel rooms, a 64,000-square-foot casino, multiple bars and restaurants, a club on the 16th floor, a 250-seat entertainment lounge, and approximately 20,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space.
Boyd acquired the Eastside Cannery and its North Las Vegas counterpart, the Cannery, for $230 million in 2016. Post-2020 shutdown, Boyd continued to invest in the property, spending more than $500,000 monthly on utilities, IT, and security systems to keep it functional.
During the pandemic, the Eastside Cannery served as a vital community resource. Boyd permitted Three Square Food Bank to utilize the site as a weekly food distribution center, while the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County Fire Department conducted training drills at the site, including active-shooter scenarios, cadet seminars, and rescue practices.
This decision to demolish the Eastside Cannery coincides with Boyd Gaming’s expansion plans for its local operations. Earlier this year, the company commenced development on Cadence Crossing, which will replace its former Joker’s Wild Casino in Henderson. This new project kicked off just two months after Boyd announced its $45 million acquisition of 29.5 acres from former Eastside Cannery operator Bill Wortman.
Boyd Gaming currently runs 10 casinos throughout Southern Nevada, including Sam’s Town, located immediately north of the Eastside Cannery site.
The planned demolition signifies the conclusion of major casino property closures in the Las Vegas Valley resulting from the 2020 pandemic. Other operators, such as Red Rock Resorts, have already leveled their closed properties, including Texas Station, Fiesta Rancho, and Fiesta Henderson.
The Colorado Belle in Laughlin stands as the last Nevada casino still closed since the pandemic.