The last remaining Sigma Derby machine in operation will soon have a new casino home in downtown Las Vegas.
The iconic mechanical horse-racing game is relocating from The D to Golden Gate, where it is scheduled to reopen June 19 at 4 p.m, according to a news release.
To mark the move, Circa Hospitality CEO Derek Stevens will lead a public farewell celebration and processional across Fremont Street Experience, featuring miniature horses, entertainers and special guests. The event will culminate with remarks from Stevens about the significance of the relocation.
Originally introduced in the 1980s, Sigma Derby remains a cult favorite among casino patrons for its interactive, communal gameplay. Players wager between 1 cent and $2 on mechanical horse races, gathering around the machine’s stadium-style viewing area to watch the action unfold.
Guests will have their final opportunity to play Sigma Derby at The D through midnight on June 14. Following the relocation, the game will debut at Golden Gate on June 19, coinciding with the property’s nightly “The Night Starts Here 3.0” promotion, which includes open-bar access, free-play incentives and slot leaderboard competitions.
All-inclusive nightlife package debuts at new Vanderpump Hotel
Drai’s After Hours is introducing what it describes as the city’s first all-inclusive nightclub experience as part of a broader $250,000 refresh tied to the opening of The Vanderpump Hotel.
The late-night venue, located inside the newly rebranded Strip boutique hotel-casino, has launched a $99 VIP admission package that includes expedited entry and an open-bar wristband valid throughout the evening.
In addition to the new admission model, Drai’s unveiled a $695 Cotton Candy & Caviar Package, featuring champagne service, caviar and themed presentations inspired by the Vanderpump brand. The venue also expanded its food-and-beverage offerings with a new late-night dessert menu and specialty hookah options.
The renovation included upgraded seating, refreshed guest areas and a new sound system. According to President Dustin Drai, the changes are designed to align the venue with evolving consumer preferences that prioritize convenience, value and experience-driven hospitality.
The 11,000-square-foot nightclub, which has operated in Las Vegas for nearly three decades, remains focused on the after-hours market, operating Thursday through Sunday beginning at 1 a.m. The venue continues to offer EDM and hip-hop programming, VIP table service and private-event capabilities.
Mirage volcano on display
Artifacts from The Mirage volcano were put on display Friday at the Neon Museum, the nonprofit organization that displays and illuminates signs and other collections from Las Vegas’ cultural past.
The Mirage and Hard Rock International donated a 13-foot, 400-pound sign and a FireShooter to the museum and conducted a relighting ceremony featuring Mirage designers Jon Sparer (FAIA), Andrew Kraft (Lifescapes International), Brett Ewing (Cuningham) and Desmond Stevens (STO Design Group).
The lagoon sign once served as a prominent marker for The Mirage Volcano attraction along Las Vegas Boulevard and originally was fabricated in September 2008.
“The Mirage transformed Las Vegas and redefined what a resort destination could be,” Aaron Berger, executive director and CEO of The Neon Museum, said in a release. “For generations of visitors, the volcano became more than an attraction, it was a shared experience, a gathering place and one of the most recognizable symbols on the Strip. Preserving the Lagoon sign and a FireShooter ensures that an important piece of Las Vegas history remains accessible to future generations. In addition to allowing visitors the chance to reconnect with this ghost of times past, the signage and FireShooter will be added into our Arts & Design K-12 field trips. This piece will span from nostalgia to inspiring education. It’s very exciting.”
Cabanas for a Cause continues
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has expanded its Cabanas for a Cause summer fundraising platform with the addition of Opportunity Village, its fourth nonprofit partner.
The organization will participate on Monday, July 20, when it will receive all proceeds from $99 private pool cabana rentals at the off-Strip hotel-casino.
This year’s other nonprofit partners are the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation, who participated on the first Monday of June (June 1); the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, who will take part on the first Monday of July (July 6); and HELP of Southern Nevada, participating on the first Monday of August (Aug. 3).
Cabanas accommodate up to eight guests and must be reserved by emailing the resort’s marketing team at marketing@vhlv.com.
Guests should note that the cabana rental fee does not apply toward any food and beverage minimums.
Best dealer
The American Gaming Association is continuing to take nominations to find the best casino dealer in North America.
A July 17 deadline has been set for nominations for the competition planned at this year’s Global Gaming Expo at The Venetian Expo opening Sept. 28 this year.
Competitors will demonstrate their expertise in blackjack and roulette, tackling a series of challenges designed to showcase technical mastery, showmanship, and dedication to delivering an exceptional player experience.
To be considered, each competitor must be nominated by a casino operator representative in a table games role at the director level or above, using a form available on the G2E website. Nominators will be asked to include information about themselves, the competitor and a judge from the same property.
In the inaugural competition in 2025, Elleonor Hoffman, a dual-rate tables game dealer at Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, California, won the first-place prize of $5,000. She also received an individual trophy and the dealer championship cup, which was engraved with her name and displayed at Graton until this year.
MGM Macau ownership
The chairwoman and executive director of MGM China has sold her MGM Resorts International shares but still has an ownership position in MGM’s Macao operations.
Pansy Ho Chiu King sold her 3.1 million shares in MGM, a 1.2 percent ownership stake, for an estimated $140.1 million (U.S.) in five transactions occurring between May 28 and June 3, according to filings with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The transactions came in the wake of American businessman Barry Diller’s bid to acquire the company and take it private.
Ho continues to hold an estimated 22.5 percent ownership role in MGM China, a subsidiary that owns two casinos in the Chinese gambling enclave, MGM Macau and MGM Cotai.
MGM Resorts holds a majority 56 percent stake in MGM China.
Tax increase
The state of North Carolina is considering a tax increase on the state’s eight legally operated sports betting operators.
Lawmakers are debating whether to raise the state’s 18 percent tax on gross gaming revenue generated by the sportsbooks to between 20 percent and 30 percent.
The move could move the rate above neighboring Tennessee, 19.7 percent, and Virginia, 15 percent, while New York is at 51 percent.
Nevada’s gaming tax is at 6.75 percent and was established in 1983.
Contact Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X. Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X. Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.
