Sneak Preview: El Cortez Casino’s $20 Million Expansion

Downtown’s classic El Cortez is about to unveil a $20 million expansion to its casino. We could’ve waited until the expansion opens to show you what’s going on, but do you know this blog at all?

The casino expansion will have a soft opening on the weekend of Jan. 31, 2025. An official opening (being described as a “grand re-opening”) with the requisite hoopla happens Feb. 20, 2025.

Join us for a whirlwind security breach of this glorious new addition to El Cortez. And by “security breach,” of course, we mean “they invited us to check it out but ‘security breach’ just sounds cooler.”

The expansion features two, count ’em two, new video poker bars. One is Roulette Bar, inspired by (wait for it), a roulette table. To put it into the vernacular of our generation, it slaps.

We were going to say it’s “snatched,” but that’s very awkward for the olds.

We asked about why there were no numbers on the roulette wheel as depicted in the renderings and were told, “Because of you.” Apparently, when considering whether to add numbers, management thought we, specifically, might Tweet something about the numbers being in the wrong places. We feel terrible if that’s what casinos think of us! We’re more of a pip fail person, and we are definitely going to shame those. But roulette numbers? Pshaw. We have never actually seen that word written out.

We are, however, thankful El Cortez helped make this more about us.

Anyway, Roulette Bar is a stunner, and is at the “entrance” to the expanded space from the main casino. Roulette Bar sits where Ike’s used to be.

The ceiling has been raised significantly, as many old-timey casinos have lower ceilings, which can create challenges with slot machines. New slots try to make up for a lack of originality with height.

In our expert opinion, the expansion pretty much doubles the size of the casino at El Cortez. Please stop trying to put quotation marks around “expert,” you might damage your screen. Jerk.

Before we get too far, a video walkthrough will save everyone time.




Show Bar (possibly one word) is the other video poker bar.

Show Bar has a big video screen we trust will feature lots of sports. We’ll be at Roulette Bar on those evenings. Apparently, quite a few people enjoy sports. Nobody’s perfect.

There’s an adorable adjoining bar in high limit for the less gregarious. Four bar top video poker machines, our future home away from home.

Like we said in that last photo caption you just ignored, there’s a shiny new high limit slot lounge.

The former high limit area will be devoted to high limit tables now.

Our view of the high limit slot area was obstructed by this knucklehead, and by that we mean we’re pretty sure mobster Meyer Lansky is still dead, so keyboard courage for the win.

Also in the works is a new restaurant called Hot Noods from the folks behind Chinglish, formerly in Summerlin.

Blessed be the enlightened ones who let us into their venues prior to the “big reveal,” a P.R. strategy from 1975 that hurts casinos more than they realize. Looking at you, Fontainebleau.

The expansion adds 10,000 square feet to the casino footprint at El Cortez.

We loved the new space the minute we laid our eyes on it and felt immediate relief it doesn’t veer too far from the El Cortez we all know and adore. (There are grinders we’re fairly sure will never enter the new expansion as they are hunkered down playing video poker on machines from 1982 with actual quarters in another, smokier, section of the casino.)

It’s worth noting the air circulation system in the expansion area has been freshly updated.

The casino expansion has windows to let in natural light. Weird.

The expansion holds about 200 slot machines, along with 43 in the new high limit salon. Show Bar has 15 machines.

The new expansion is easy to find because El Cortez has some sweet new exterior neon signs (one for each new bar), made by YESCO. The sign people.

Yes, LEDs are cheaper than neon, but it’s El Cortez! And also there are probably ordinances requiring a certain amount of neon, but that is neither here nor there.

During our visit, we bumped into El Cortez owner Kenny Epstein and he was beaming with pride as he took some guests in to see the space. This expansion is a very big deal for El Cortez. The project was announced in May 2024, so it must be rewarding watching all the plans come to fruition.

The arrow is pointing at Kenny Epstein. We’re pretty sure the other guys are former owners of El Cortez, Bugsy Siegel and Jackie Gaughan. Bugsy Siegel was a noted jackass. What part of “keyboard courage” didn’t you get?

We also chatted with El Cortez General Manager Adam Wiesberg, as well as Jon Serfilippi, senior project manager for McCarthy Building (we asked about the stalled Dream hotel project, but he wasn’t spilling), both of whom are still on speaking terms following months of construction which is fairly unprecedented in the world of Las Vegas casino expansion projects.

The El Cortez expansion simply feels right. Like the casino itself, it isn’t trying to be something it’s not.

We’ve got you, casino carpet nerds. Approved.

In a lot of cases around town, new venues are built for a customer that doesn’t exist yet. We refer to them as aspirational amenities. Like the high limit slot room at Ellis Island or the steakhouse at Suncoast.

The expansion at El Cortez is tailored to be a bridge between the classic, gritty, old-school downtown vibe and something new and shiny without too much change too quickly. Remember when locals were forced to interact with club kids (and vice versa) during the Kaos era at Palms? Disaster. Those worlds colliding led to the sale of Palms.

At El Cortez, the grinders can still grind, but the youths bar-hopping on Fremont East will get two sexy new bars to explore. Video poker players can play video poker (and get comped drinks), and watch their infernal sports, and did we mention the music volume is perfect?

Yes, the craps tables have moved. Do not freak out. Roulette Bar is to the left, behind the curtain.

The El Cortez expansion is almost like a new casino opening on Fremont Street. It’s welcoming and everything downtown casino fans like in their downtown casinos. No Cirque shows, no $26 cocktails, no nightclub, no pretense, no dress code, no crowds, no timeshare salespersons, no feeling like a number, no bullshit.

Oh, and no kids. El Cortez is 21-plus.

We would share more about the expansion, but we don’t really “take notes.” So, you’ll have to check it out for yourself.

We play at El Cortez fairly frequently, but we’re absolutely going to visit more often now.

This is a casino expansion done right. It’s more of what we already enjoy at El Cortez, plus there are new things to love. And by that we mean not being yelled at by security for taking photos and video. They’re very good about that.

Update (1/31/25); Here’s a wobbly and inarticulate update captured during the soft opening of the casino expansion on Jan. 31, 2025.




Here’s us playing roulette on a fancy new table at El Cortez.

We aren’t thrilled about listening to us, either. Just turn the sound off if you prefer.