2 Nevada casinos plan renovations

Renovation crews will be busy at several Mesquite resorts this summer as several multimillion-dollar projects take shape.

Mesquite Gaming, operators of CasaBlanca and Virgin River hotel-casinos, said this week it will renovate Katherine’s Steakhouse inside the CasaBlanca and the sportsbook inside Virgin River. The announcement is in addition to a $6 million renovation plan that debuted in March.

CEO Justin Moore said Tuesday the major changes come several months after private investment firm Oaktree Capital purchased the casinos in December. The Los Angeles-based firm previously invested in the Nevada gaming industry through its acquisition of Interblock Gaming, an electronic table games supplier.

Renovations at Katherine’s Steakhouse will include a new lounge, expanded bar area and new carpeting. Renovations are scheduled to begin midsummer and the restaurant is expected to stay open during the three-month project.

“People might want an expedited experience,” Moore said of the typical steakhouse meal. “Having a nice lounge area where you go in, grab a couple cocktails, maybe get a small bite or enjoy the traditional menu, might be very attractive to people.”

At Virgin River, Mesquite Gaming plans to move its sportsbook to the vacant movie theater space on the property to utilize 10-by-53-foot LCD screens. That project is expected to come online in the fall, mid-NFL season.

Moore said the region, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, is experiencing noticeable growth within the city and from the neighboring St. George, Utah, area.

The renovations also come at a time when there’s increased investment in the local industry. Mesquite previously announced renovations at CasaBlanca that will more than double the size of the current Center Bar, as well as add a new sports bar and 200 new slot machines to the casino floor. The property is also renovating its showroom by removing the doors to create an open space, Moore said. All projects are expected to be completed between August and the end of the year.

Across the street from Virgin River, competitor Eureka resort-casino announced plans in April to invest $40 million into renovating its hotel rooms and gaming floor.

Moore said the attention may come from the growth that’s not only in Mesquite, but also in Las Vegas and St. George. It also comes from the region’s need for investment — as evident by guest comments online.

“You can tell they have this wish list — we see it on social media — of what they’d like to see next. We’re listening to that, but it comes in stages,” Moore said. “That’s part of what tells me this is a little bit overdue.”

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.