An off-Strip casino celebrated the grand opening of its new smoke-free gaming expansion Tuesday by raising roughly $35,000 for 10 Southern Nevada organizations.
Palms hotel-casino held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new 7,300-square-foot, fully enclosed nonsmoking gaming space, which opened to the public last week.
The celebration included the inaugural “Spin It Forward” IGT Charity Slot Challenge, featuring Las Vegas personalities competing on slot machines on behalf of local nonprofit organizations.
Each of the 10 participating organizations received a $2,500 donation from the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, which owns and operates the Palms, for a combined $25,000.
IGT provided an additional $10,000 that was awarded to the charities based on their finishes in the slot tournament.
Proud to Rescue Benevolent Fund, partnered with BMX rider Ricardo Laguna, took first place and received an additional $3,000, bringing the organization’s total donation to $5,500.
The second-place charity, Vegas PBS, received an additional $2,000, while the third-place organization, Springs Preserve Foundation, received an extra $1,000.
Other participating organizations were Heaven Can Wait Animal Society; UNLV Chapter of Advancing Indigenous Science & Engineering Society; Southern Nevada Joint Management Culinary & Training Fund; S.A.F.E. House; The Ability Center of Southern Nevada; Make-A-Wish Nevada; and Teach For America Nevada.
The new gaming area, located near the sportsbook, features 224 slot machines from nearly a dozen gaming manufacturers and has its own full-service bar.
Unlike designated smoke-free sections within a larger casino, the Palms expansion is fully enclosed and separated from the property’s main gaming floor.
Palms officials said the expansion was developed in response to guests seeking additional nonsmoking gambling options.
The Palms is owned and operated by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, an entity of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. The tribe acquired the resort in 2021 and reopened it in 2022.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.
