Eureka (hotel and casino)

Eureka is a hotel and casino in Mesquite, Nevada. It initially operated under the name Rancho Mesquite. The hotel portion, originally part of the Holiday Inn chain, opened in August 1996. The casino opened on February 14, 1997. The Rancho Mesquite was owned by the Lee family, who were the only Nevada casino owners to be of Asian descent. Because of confusion with other businesses, the name was changed to Eureka in 2000.

Eureka
Location Mesquite, Nevada
Address 275 Mesa Boulevard
Opening dateAugust 1996 (1996-08) (hotel)
February 14, 1997 (1997-02-14) (casino)
ThemeSouthwestern
No. of rooms214
Total gaming space40,285 sq ft (3,742.6 m2)
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerEmployee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Operating license holderRancho Mesquite Casino Company
Previous namesRancho Mesquite (until 2000)
Renovated in2005–07
Coordinates36.817637°N 114.063413°W / 36.817637; -114.063413
Websitewww.eurekamesquite.com

In 2016, the Eureka was sold to its 550 employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), becoming one of two casinos in the United States to be employee-owned.

History

Real estate developer Ted Lee had considered making a land investment in Laughlin, Nevada during the 1980s, but ultimately passed on the idea. He was later surprised to learn of Laughlin's rapid growth within a few years, and decided to figure out which city in Nevada could be next for such growth. Mesquite was considered one possibility, and a month later, an investment group from that city contacted Lee about a possible investment on property located at the intersection of Pioneer Boulevard and Mesa Boulevard. The group wanted to build a hotel and casino on the land, but eventually abandoned the project and sold the property around 1989 to Lee, who proceeded with the idea. However, he was skeptical that Mesquite, with its small population, could sustain another casino property.[1] At the time, the only casino in Mesquite was the Oasis.[2]

Lee initially intended to name his hotel-casino "Conastoga".[3] He put his project on hold when construction began across the street on a rival hotel-casino called the Virgin River,[2] which opened in 1990.[4] Planning for Lee's project, now called Rancho Mesquite, was underway again in early 1995.[5] Groundbreaking took place on August 22, 1995. Lee still had some concerns about whether the city could sustain more gambling, as three new casinos – the others being Players Island and the Mesquite Star – would be opening in Mesquite within a year of each other.[1] Construction was halted by the city at one point because the general contractor on the project had failed to comply with building codes.[2]

The hotel was affiliated with the Holiday Inn brand and opened in August 1996,[6][7] with 215 rooms,[2] located in a four-story building.[1] The Rancho Mesquite casino opened on February 14, 1997, in a separate building located on the same property.[2][8] It was Mesquite's fourth casino,[9] and was operated by Longhorn Group, which also owned two casinos in Las Vegas. The 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m2) casino building included 500 slot machines and 13 table games. It also featured a restaurant, bar, and lounge with live entertainment.[2] When it opened, the Lee family were the only casino owners in Nevada to be of Asian descent.[4]

At the time of its opening, many gaming observers considered the Mesquite casino market to be overbuilt,[2] although rival casinos believed that the opening of the Rancho Mesquite would be beneficial for all casinos in the city by increasing overall business.[6] The Rancho Mesquite featured a southwestern theme, and its target clientele consisted of residents from southern Nevada and southern Utah.[2] According to Lee, observers were critical of the Rancho Mesquite's layout, although he believed that having two different buildings, separated by a parking lot, would provide better access for local patrons of the casino.[8]

The Rancho Mesquite struggled initially.[4] Greg Lee, the son of Ted Lee,[10] lived at the hotel and served as president of the Rancho Mesquite. Greg Lee became familiar with regular customers and their opinions of the property, and he used this knowledge to improve the Rancho Mesquite by adding a steakhouse and newer slot machines. The property also signed a deal to become the host hotel for golf packages at the Wolf Creek Golf Club in Mesquite.[4]

In November 1997, an episode of Promised Land was filmed at the casino.[11]

Eureka

In November 1999, the Lee family was planning to rename the Rancho Mesquite as the Eureka, to avoid confusion with other businesses such as the Mesquite Star. A contest was also launched for customers to submit their own name ideas with the chance of being selected instead of "Eureka".[12][13] Nearly 1,500 names were submitted by more than 700 participants.[14] On December 31, 1999, the Lee family announced that Eureka would be the new name. The Lees already operated a small Eureka casino in the Las Vegas Valley. Greg Lee said, "We've always liked the name, 'Eureka'. It is synonymous with discovery, excitement, and finding something valuable. The slogan, 'Eureka, I've Found It,' has been a part of western lore since the Gold Rush in 1849. Furthermore, the name is short, active and usable on billboards".[14]

Lee said that the old name seemed "very generic," stating, "Over the years, there have been five other casinos (in Mesquite), and a lot of residential development. Our name seemed like it was no longer connoting a casino, and could be confused with other developments. We wanted to give it a name denoting fortune, gaming and what a casino is."[15] Lee also said that because of population growth, there "are a lot more businesses with the name 'Rancho' and 'Mesquite', and this was confusing our customers."[14] At the time of the name change, the Lees had ended the property's affiliation with Holiday Inn. The name change was expected to become effective in March 2000.[15]

As of 2003, the Eureka had 350 employees.[10] That year, the Eureka surpassed the Virgin River to become the most successful casino in Mesquite, which was seeing a continual rise in its population. A $30 million renovation began in 2005, and concluded two years later. The project expanded the casino and added a buffet, while another $3 million was spent renovating the hotel.[4] The casino expansion included 300 new slot machines and a new sportsbook and poker room.[16] As of 2009, Greg Lee remained as the only Asian casino owner in Nevada. At the time, further expansion plans were on hold due to the economic effects of the Great Recession.[4]

In 2010, the Eureka began hosting a popular and annual Fourth of July celebration known as "Rockets over the Red Mesa".[17][18][19][20][21]

In February 2013, the Eureka hosted an off-road vehicle event on vacant land adjacent to the resort. The event was attended by 7,000 people, and included Nitro Circus rider Tanner Godfrey breaking a Guinness World Record for longest jump on an ATV.[22][23] Later that year, the resort allowed the installation of a radio transmitter on its roof to expand coverage for KNPR.[24]

After two years of consideration, the Lee family announced in October 2015 that they would sell their interest in the Eureka to its 550 workers through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Greg Lee said that the gaming industry had been stagnant since 2007, and that an ESOP would allow the Eureka to strategize future growth. The sale would also allow employees to earn certain retirement benefits via the resort's profits.[25][26][27] The Lee family had always considered the employees to be part of their own family, with Greg Lee stating, "Many of them have been with us since my father and mother first opened the Eureka in 1997. The ESOP makes the Eureka even more of a 'family business' and honors the employees' contributions to our success."[25]

The sale was approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission in November 2015.[28][29] Two months later, the Mesquite City Council unanimously approved the transfer of gaming and liquor licenses to the ESOP.[30] The Eureka is one of two casinos in the United States to be owned through an ESOP, the other being the Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Illinois.[25][31] Lee remained as the chief executive officer of the Eureka, while Andre Carrier remained as chief operating officer and also serves as trustee of the ESOP.[25][32] As of 2017, the casino is managed by Rancho Mesquite Casino Company.[33]

Doris Lee, one of the founders of the property, died of lymphoma in 2018, at the age of 98.[34][35]

In 2018 and 2019, the Eureka was included on Fortune's Top 100 Medium Workplaces, a list consisting of U.S. businesses with less than 1,000 workers.[36][37][38] Eureka employees told Fortune, "We are one huge family and deeply care for one another."[38]

Features

The Eureka has 214 hotel rooms[36] and a 40,285 sq ft (3,742.6 m2) casino,[39] which includes 1,000 slot machines, and the only 24-hour poker room in Mesquite.[26][36] It also has three restaurants: Gregory's Mesquite Grill, Mason Street Courtyard, and Town Square Buffet.[36] The Eureka also includes the Grand Canyon Ballroom, used for hosting various events.[40] When the Mesquite Local News ran its Best of Mesquite reader poll in 2013, the Eureka won more accolades than any other business, for 13 categories that included best casino, hotel, and restaurants.[41]

Las Vegas location

The Lees opened their original Eureka casino in 1988.[10] It was built at 595 East Sahara Avenue[42] in Paradise, Nevada, located in the Las Vegas Valley. The Eureka was built east of the Las Vegas Strip and is small in comparison to most gaming properties in the area.[10][43][44]

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References
  1. Rourke, Catherine J. (September 3, 1995). "Fourth hotel casino comes to Mesquite". The Spectrum. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Steinhauer, Adam (February 12, 1997). "Mesquite's Latest: New casino to be fourth in 'tough' market". Las Vegas Review Journal. Archived from the original on July 19, 1997.
  3. "Mesquite second fastest growing city in Nevada". The Spectrum. December 4, 1991. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Yung, Jean (August 23, 2009). "Deliberate growth amid boom reflects Eureka owner's heritage". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  5. Gardner, Helen (March 24, 1995). "Mesquite Teachers Seek to Have Growth Controlled". Deseret News. Retrieved May 19, 2020. Ted Lee's Rancho Mesquite Casino and Hotel is presently going through preliminary developmental steps with Mesquite City Council.
  6. Meyer, Hans K. (February 13, 1997). "Rancho opens amid questions". The Spectrum. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Holiday Inn Rancho reaches top ranking". The Spectrum. March 23, 1997. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Steinhauer, Adam (February 17, 1997). "Mesquite's Four of a Kind". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 19, 1997.
  9. Waters, Charlie (April 27, 1997). "Desert Green". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  10. Mihailovich, Steven (November 14, 2003). "Decision Maker: Greg Lee". Las Vegas Business Press. Archived from the original on March 9, 2004.
  11. "'Promised Land' filming at casino today". The Spectrum. November 5, 1997. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Rancho Mesquite wants a new name for the new Millennium". The Spectrum. December 8, 1999. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Rancho Mesquite will get new name for 2000". The Spectrum. December 22, 1999. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "New Name for prominent Mesquite hotel-casino". The Spectrum. January 12, 2000. Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Confusion prompts casino to change name". Las Vegas Sun. January 17, 2000. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  16. Knightly, Arnold M. (December 3, 2008). "Black closes Oasis' casino". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  17. "Eureka to again present 'Rockets over Red Mesa' fireworks show". Mesquite Local News. June 10, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2020 – via NewsLibrary. For the third consecutive year, Eureka Casino Resort is to host "Rockets over the Red Mesa" on Wednesday, July 4.
  18. Nehrenz, Teri (July 7, 2014). "Eureka Casino & Resort over-delivers once again for community". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  19. "Eureka 4th of July tradition continues with orchestra, Sinatra tribute and fireworks". Mesquite Local News. June 14, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  20. ""Rockets Over the Red Mesa" continues". Mesquite Local News. June 10, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  21. Faas, Linda (July 8, 2019). "Eureka rocks the holiday with concerts and fireworks". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  22. Martin, Lou (February 3, 2013). "Construction Continues on Nitro Circuit Venue at Eureka Hotel Casino". Mesquite Local News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013.
  23. Bunker, Stephanie (February 27, 2013). "Mesquite Holds Weekend Of Off-road Adventure". Moapa Valley Progress. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  24. "KNPR on 88.1 FM". Mesquite Local News. July 26, 2013. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013.
  25. Ellestad, Barbara (October 29, 2015). "Lee Family selling Eureka Casino to Employees". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  26. Smith, John L. (November 3, 2015). "Mesquite casino rolls the dice with employee ownership". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  27. Weast, Burton (November 6, 2015). "Explaining Eureka Employees' ESOP". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  28. Ellestad, Barbara (November 14, 2015). "Gaming Board approves Eureka Employee buy-out". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  29. Ellestad, Barbara (November 24, 2015). "Eureka Employee Buy-out gains final State approval". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  30. Ellestad, Barbara (January 14, 2016). "Public Comments Longer than Council Meeting". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  31. Ellestad, Barbara (February 6, 2019). "Eureka expands gaming empire". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  32. Morris, J. D. (December 14, 2015). "Mesquite casino takes 'family business' to the next level". VegasInc. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  33. Velotta, Richard N. (May 18, 2017). "Gaming Commission approves licensing for James 'Jay' Barrett". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  34. "Doris Lee, Co-founder of Eureka dies". Mesquite Local News. August 27, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  35. "Doris Lee, noted Mesquite patron, dies at age 98". Mesquite Local News. August 29, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  36. "Fortune Magazine Honors a Casino That Bet Big on Its Employees". Mesquite Local News. October 31, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  37. Wilkins, Terell (January 1, 2019). "Eureka Casino caps off year with awards from Mesquite chamber". Desert Valley Times. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  38. Ellestad, Barbara (November 6, 2019). "Eureka ranks high in Fortune Magazine Top 100 Workplaces". Mesquite Local News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  39. "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage (2017 data)". Nevada Gaming Control Board. March 6, 2018. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  40. Krause, H. Scot (April 5, 2016). "Eureka Casino a gem in Mesquite". Gaming Today. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  41. "Better than most; the Best of Mesquite winners announced". Mesquite Local News. October 3, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  42. Lawson, Jen (April 11, 2005). "Eureka Casino is sued over shooting death". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  43. Benston, Liz (April 13, 2007). "Small casinos team up to play like the big boys, stay in loop". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  44. Benston, Liz (August 22, 2008). "Small casinos keep it simple, friendly". Las Vegas Sun. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
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