M Resort to double capacity with new tower

Californians, conventioneers and Raiders fans often fill the Las Vegas Valley’s southernmost resort property.

Within a couple of years, the M Resort will have even more space to fill once a new 384-room tower is completed. In addition to more than doubling the resort’s capacity to 774 rooms, the new tower will include additional meeting space and updated amenities.

Ground was broken Monday for Penn Entertainment Inc.’s $206 million tower project.

Following a short presentation with dignitaries — the entire five-member Henderson City Council was present — a group of Penn and M Resort executives joined by Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero and Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft turned over a shovelful of dirt from a trough in the approximate location of the new building.

The new tower will be just southeast of and attached to the existing tower. In addition to being connected to the current structure that opened in 2009, the buildings also will be attached underground so that new convention facilities under the resort will be continuous.

M Resort Vice President and General Manager Hussain Mahrous said he expects construction will begin on the site within 60 days and the tower would be completed and ready to open in 18 months.

None of the existing M public areas will be affected by construction.

“There may be a little construction noise on the property, but we won’t have to close anything,” Mahrous said.

Mahrous said M frequently nears capacity on busy weekends in Las Vegas and having the additional capacity would make the resort even more vibrant when the new tower opens.

M has capitalized on Henderson-centered sports.

It’s listed as the “Official Team Headquarters Hotel of the Las Vegas Raiders” and it partners regularly with the Foley Entertainment Group and its Henderson Silver Knights minor-league hockey team. The Silver Knights “town crier” officially started Monday’s groundbreaking event with a proclamation.

The resort is about a mile away from the Raiders’ West Henderson headquarters.

More local partnerships are expected to be announced at a later date.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating this day with our team members and key stakeholders,” Mahrous said. “We look forward to hiring new team members and expanding the wonderful offerings that make M Resort a premier destination for visitors and convention attendees from across the country.”

The tower project was announced as a companywide $850 million expansion involving Penn properties in Illinois, Ohio and Nevada. Penn is the largest regional gaming operator in the country with 43 properties in 20 states.

In Henderson, the resort currently has 390 guest rooms and suites, over 92,000 square feet of gaming, 11 restaurants and bars, the Forbes Four-Star Spa Mio, a modern fitness center and a 100,000-square-foot pool and events piazza.

The M opened as the Las Vegas Valley’s southernmost property in March 2009. It was acquired by Penn in 2011. Penn sold its other Las Vegas property, the Tropicana, to Bally’s Corp. in September 2022 for $148 million.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.