Golden Gate Expands High Limit, Complete With Sly Nod to the Past
The little casino that could, well, has. Golden Gate has expanded its high limit slot area.
If you’ve kept up with developments at Golden Gate, you’d know we didn’t really need to qualify that phrase with “slot area.” That’s because Golden Gate has no table games. The controversial decision has changed the trajectory and vibe of this beloved casino, so it’s great to see they’re still finding ways to try and attract players.
The new high limit space coincides with the one-year anniversary of the casino’s “The Night Starts Here” promotion where guests get free play and drinks every night between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Golden Gate has cornered the market on “People Looking for Something for Nothing.” Don’t get us started.
The new high limit area is an expansion of the existing high limit room. It’s built in what was back-of-house space for Du-Par’s restaurant.
Du-Par’s closed at Golden Gate in 2017 after the restaurant owner screwed over Derek and Greg Stevens (owners of the casino) to the tune of many tens of thousands of dollars. Bygones.
Here’s a quick walkthrough of the new high limit space. Spoiler: Please ignore the Easter egg until we’ve had a chance to mansplain it.
We love us some dark wood and cushy chairs. Oh, and there are some slot machines in the space as well.
Derek Stevens is a big fan of Las Vegas history, and he’s looked for clever opportunities to show off the casino’s past before. He’s aided in that endeavor by Jeff Victor, Vice President of Operations for Circa Hospitality Group.
Previously, the duo had builders install a discreet panel in the existing high limit room that gives guests a chance to see a portion of the hotel’s original wall circa 1906.
There’s also a water fountain, circa 1909, tucked away in a cubby hole in high limit.
In the expanded space, there’s another piece of history on display. It’s a beam from the Sal Sagev. A placard spells out what’s what.
Above the placard, there’s a peephole where you can see the exposed beam, which sounds a lot dirtier than it really is.
Golden Gate opened as Hotel Nevada in 1906, became Sal Sagev in 1931 and eventually Golden Gate. “Sal Sagev” is Las Vegas backwards, in case you blew through the video and didn’t bother to read the placard. Who made you like this?
You’ll often see replicas of vintage items in older Las Vegas casinos, like the reproduction of the first phone in Las Vegas (in Golden Gate’s hotel registration area), but this beam is the real deal.
We did a deep dive into the history of Golden Gate for its 120th birthday.
As mentioned, Golden Gate has faced some headwinds in the past year. After the removal of the table games (they were actually losing money during the graveyard shift due to waning demand and high labor costs), some longtime customers swore off the place entirely. Many just swore.
The nightly happy hour and free play giveaway (somebody gets $1,000) draws a big crowd consistently, but freeloaders are some of the worst casino customers. They also don’t tip.
We honestly thought they’d pull the plug on the promotion, but Derek Stevens and his team committed to doing it for at least a year, and they have.
We don’t get the economics, and staff isn’t thrilled, but there’s been a small bump in business due to the relocation of the classic Sigma Derby from The D to Golden Gate, so there’s that.
It was a whole thing.
The fact is the place is a ghost town just a few minutes after the open bar ends.
Does an expanded high limit space help Golden Gate’s struggle? Unknown, but it sure is pretty.
Ultimately, Derek Stevens has a sentimental connection to Golden Gate, but it doesn’t move the needle much one way or the other when compared to Circa. They had to do something to stop the bleeding.
High limit spaces aren’t really about high limit machines anymore. Pretty much any penny slot on a casino floor will accept big wagers. High limit spaces are about creating an exclusive, secluded vibe. Basically, they’re about how they make you feel. You know, superior to the commoners.
Given that the music volume at Golden Gate is now 460% louder than it was before the table games were removed, any distance from the main casino is welcome.
The initial handful of machines in the new space don’t include video poker, so we aren’t likely to relocate from our spot at the southernmost end of Prohibition Bar.
Still, the new high limit room is well done and fans of Golden Gate will appreciate a new spot to try their luck.
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