The historic Western Hotel & Bingo Parlor might finally have a new owner.
After being put up for sale in March 2024, an update was given about the long-closed property owned by the Tony Hsieh estate during the Las Vegas City Council meeting on Wednesday. According to a representative present at the meeting, they have a purchase and sale agreement with a potential buyer.
Representatives from the Hsieh estate were present at city council to ask for their 14th extension of time on a tavern license for the property.
While not “in a position to disclose” the potential buyer, the estate said they are known for “renovating properties and bringing them back to their glory days.” This will be the company’s first entry in the Nevada market and they have around 200 current properties in 20 states.
The renovation would not include demolition of the property and would “keep the bones,” said Councilwoman Olivia Diaz for Ward 3, who has been working with the estate and potential buyer on the project.
The property is requesting an extension of its tavern license because it allows for the buyer to operate two different properties and have more than 16 casino games associated with it. The property has received an extension of time on its unrestricted nonconforming gaming license from the Nevada Gaming Commission, which is active until May 2026.
“I’m going remain optimistic that the PSA (purchase and sale agreement) will continue to successfully move along, but you will all hustle,” Diaz said during the meeting. “This would probably be the final EOT (extension of time for the tavern license) if, for some reason, the agreement falls by the wayside.”
The property closed in 2012 and is one of several downtown Las Vegas properties that Hsieh’s estate has brought in commercial brokerage Logic Commercial Real Estate to sell. Built in 1970, the two-story building has approximately 49 hotel rooms and has 300 feet of frontage on Fremont Street.
The Western property is described as a “rare, full city block redevelopment opportunity in Downtown Las Vegas,” located at 899 Fremont St. It was known primarily for having cheap slot machines, bingo and table games.
The four-parcel property last sold in 2013 for $14 million to Hsieh’s Downtown Project and sits on a 1.3-acre lot.
Hsieh was the CEO of online shoe seller Zappos and the face of downtown Las Vegas’ economic revival. He died without a will on Nov. 27, 2020, at age 46 from injuries suffered in a Connecticut house fire.
Review-Journal reporter Patrick Blennerhassett contributed to this report.
Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.
