Red Rock Resorts continues to turn up the heat in the Las Vegas tavern-business competition with plans to open a new Seventy Six Tavern location by acquiring the Den, an existing bar between its two popular west-valley resorts.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board Wednesday recommended approval for the pub to the Gaming Commission. In addition, it recommended licensing for Bobbie Sue Rihel, vice president of the small-properties division for Red Rock’s Wildfire Casino brand.
Red Rock’s first Seventy Six Tavern opened in North Las Vegas in October 2024. The second property in North Las Vegas opened in January.
Christopher Fiumara, senior vice president of operations, told the Board Red Rock continues to bring the Seventy Six brand to various parts of the Las Vegas valley.
The Den on Tropicana Avenue in southwest Las Vegas will be closed, then remodeled and reopened in 90 days with new slot machines.
“This is a strategic location for us,” Fiumara said. “It’s a jump-ball location between Durango and Red Rock resorts. We’ve done all kinds of demographic studies, matches to our database, and traffic counts and it’s a very strategic acquisition for us.”
Red Rock plans to add more taverns in the future.
“The goal of the Seventy Six brand is to extend the reach of Station Casinos to emerging areas of the valley,” Fiumara said. “We look at the brand as appealing to the younger demographic, where we can introduce the Station brand as they age out of the tavern scene. We have five more in the pipeline and hopefully they open by the end of the year, pending licensing. We continue to evaluate potential sites throughout the valley.”
In her licensing, Rihel told the Board she started in the business as a busser and worked her way up to server, host, and bartender before getting into management in 1996. She joined Red Rock Resorts in January 2023 and as vice president of small properties helps oversee 10 Wildfire casinos and two Seventy Six taverns. The division has 386 employees, including 338 at Wildfire and 48 at the taverns.
“The division is doing great,” Rihel said. “We’re on track to have our best revenue year on record.”
Board Chair Mike Dreitzer praised Rihel for being well qualified and having a great career trajectory.