The new ownership group of the Casablanca Resort and Virgin River Hotel & Casino in Mesquite Thursday outlined improvements to their properties to the Nevada Gaming Commission, which issued a license to the properties’ general manager Justin Moore.

In November, the Commission approved the sale of the two Mesquite casinos by gaming legacy families to a Los Angeles-based private-equity firm, Mesquite OCM Voteco LLC, a fund of Oaktree Capital management. Michael Gaughan, the owner of the South Point Casino, had owned 35% of Mesquite Gaming along with Anthony Toti Gaming Trust and Newport Global Advisors LP, a Texas-based investment company. The deal was completed in December at an undisclosed sales price.

A native of St. George, Utah, Moore has worked at multiple Station Casinos properties, including as slot manager and assistant general manager at Green Valley Resort in Henderson. He worked for Rush Street Gaming in the Northeast, including two years in Philadelphia. This license marks Moore’s first licensing in Nevada. He’s licensed in New York and Pennsylvania.

Moore told the Commission he reports to the Oaktree board, which is playing a big part of the capital projects they’re undertaking in Mesquite.

“We’ve reinvested millions of dollars this year into both properties, $6 million alone for brand-new slot machines and remodeling the Casablanca floor,” Moore said. “There’s a brand-new bar and showroom, and we’ll remodel another bar later this year. We’re adding a lounge to the steakhouse at Casablanca and some construction walls will go up later this month at the Virgin River to build our brand-new sportsbook.”

“Oaktree is delivering what they promised and you’re an instrument of that investment in Nevada,” said Commissioner Brian Krolicki. “It’s exciting to watch and I can imagine it’s exciting to be a part of.”

Moore said business at the two properties has been great. They’ve seen “phenomenal numbers, especially from a year-over-year perspective.” They’ve reinstated some offerings at the properties from before the pandemic, including full concerts at Casablanca and buffets at both properties.

“The business has been strong for us and we know the future is bright with the reinvestments,” Moore said.

During weekends, the crowds get younger, with people coming in from Las Vegas and southern Utah, Moore said. On weekdays, the crowd is older; the average age in Mesquite at 65.

“That’s our bread-and-butter – our locals, which we love,” Moore said. “Virgin River sees more of the local crowd, while Casablanca seems to drive much of the out-of-towners to Mesquite.”

When the weather cools, Mesquite doubles in population with snowbirds coming from northern states and Canada, Moore said.

Casablanca brands itself in television ads as “what Vegas used to be.”

St. George, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation with more than 100,000 people, brings a lot of visitors from 40 miles away, Moore said. “It’s a big part of our future, and why we decided to reinvest so much into the properties.”
Moore said they have specials, depending on the time of year, for Las Vegas residents, from $49 to $99 a night, including golf.

Please fill out the form to send a message to the CDC Gaming Reports team. Alternatively, you can send an email to the address on the footer of each page.