Boyd Gaming has announced it will demolish its Eastside Cannery Casino-Hotel on Boulder Highway and sell the site for residential housing.
While Eastside has remained shuttered since COVID-19 struck in March 2020, the move to repurpose the land for urban housing represents a pivot away from Las Vegas-based Boyd’s traditional casino/resort development, ownership, and acquisition strategy.
X user @GabuTheLVDon posted an image of the destruction-earmarked casino-hotel, adding: “You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone in this town:”
The Nevada Independent cited Boyd spokesperson David Strow stating the firm was finalizing plans to send in the wrecking equipment because there was “not sufficient market demand” to reopen the Boulder Strip casino-resort.
said it would be fenced off from Friday morning
Strow confirmed his firm’s real estate plans for the property and said it would be fenced off from Friday morning.
Half a mile down the road, Boyd’s Sam’s Town Casino has absorbed much of Eastside’s clientele since 2020, the firm stated. Despite renewing the latter’s gaming license in 2024, Boyd has finally ended its wait-and-see period.
While there is, according to investor media, a growing trend in Vegas and Nevada to diversify the economy beyond tourism by developing mixed-use spaces such as sustainable urban housing, the pivot to this market for Boyd represents a significant strategic departure, and a gamble.
Melbourne-based financial data analyst Meyka stated that, while investors may see an opportunity in Boyd’s residential pivot in line with Vegas’ economic diversification strategies, the firm must also: “navigate zoning laws, environmental assessments, and community engagement processes to successfully execute its vision.”
