Historic Henderson Casino, Once Boyd’s First Property, Sold Again

• ECL Water Street is set to acquire The Pass Casino from DeSimone Gaming this summer, giving it control of all three historic downtown Henderson, Nev. casinos
• Originally opened in 1961 as the Wheel Casino, the property became the El Dorado a year later
• The property was foundational to the Boyd Gaming empire

The Pass Casino, a longtime gaming landmark in Henderson, Nev., is changing hands for the fifth time.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, ECL Water Street — the company behind the Emerald Island and Rainbow Club casinos — has reached an agreement to purchase the property from DeSimone Gaming, an acquisition that would give ECL control of all three casinos in downtown Henderson’s historic Water Street District.

The sale, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is scheduled to close on August 1, 2026, pending approval from gaming regulators.

Tim Brooks, GM of the Emerald Island and Rainbow Club, told the R-J that The Pass is “a cornerstone of this community” and said the company intends to build on the foundation established by current owner Joe DeSimone.

The Pass occupies 17,756 square feet and features 350 slot machines, six table games, and a Circa Sports‑operated sportsbook. ECL says it intends to renovate the property and introduce new amenities.

“ECL Gaming has demonstrated a strong commitment to our community, and I am confident they will continue to invest in the success of The Pass for years to come,” DeSimone told the R-J.

Pass to Present

The Pass opened on February 15, 1961, as the Wheel Casino. (Its original owner is not recorded by the Clark County Assessor’s Office.) The venture faltered and closed within a year.

In 1962, local businessman Paul Perry agreed to purchase the shuttered casino. His attorney, Bill Boyd, took a stake in the deal and assembled a small investor group that included his father Sam Boyd, Joe Crowley, Bill’s aunt, and law partner Jim Brennan.

The group reopened the property as the Eldorado Casino on July 1, 1962, establishing the very first casino ever owned by the future Boyd Gaming empire.

The Boyd family took full ownership in 1966 and, in 1993, formally transferred it into the corporate portfolio of Boyd Gaming, which Sam and Bill Boyd co-founded in 1975.

The Eldorado remained with Boyd Gaming until December 2020, when it was sold to DeSimone, who has owned the historic Railroad Pass Casino, between Henderson and Boulder City, since 2015.

After a renovation, DeSimone reopened the property as The Pass on April 1, 2021.