Johnny Z’s expanded to the adjacent Granite Building and plans to add a hotel in 2012.
By Linda Jones
Many things remained unchanged in the year now ending, but in Central City, some major strides toward financial stability were made. Black Hawk continues to dominate the gambling market and even gained one new casino, but that growth was possible only because one large casino downsized. When Bullwhackers vacated the historic hardware building, the owner of that building created Sasquatch Casino in the space. Ed and Shirley Smith already operated two small but successful casinos nearby, the Wild Card and Black Hawk Station, and added Sasquatch to their stable.
The “Sasquatch” is all decked out for the Christmas season. The casino is the newest casino in Black Hawk and owners Ed and Shirley Smith also operate two small but successful casinos nearby, the Wild Card and Black Hawk Station.
Black Hawk continued to contribute the greatest share of the nearly $23 million in gaming taxes paid in Colorado in the first four months of the 2011-12 fiscal year, but Central City showed new signs of life. Johnny Z’s, the newest casino in what was historically called The Richest Square Mile on Earth, continued to contribute significantly to the city coffers and expanded into the adjacent Granite Building (1874). Johnny Z’s casino plans to add a hotel above the Granite Building.
A new casino owner in Central City promises competition for the Main Street casinos of Black Hawk. The remodeled, refurbished and rebranded, as of January 2012, created from the former Fortune Valley, offers a needed choice of vibes in Central City. When Fortune Valley sold at auction, Luna Entertainment, a nationally-known business because of its Hard Rock brand, purchased the complex and transformed the tired old dowager into a vibrant player. The Guitar Bar promises fun, the restaurants have been gutted and remade and live bands play on weekends.
The Central City economy staggered in the last half of 2011 because of the construction on – and destruction of – Main Street. This vital artery was virtually unavailable for more than five months. Thankfully the streetscape project has ended and walking or driving along Main Street is now easy and pleasant.
The Guitar Bar at Fortune Valley Casino is part of the revamping the casino has gone through to get ready for its rebranding in January 2012.
Central City is determined to lure back the heritage tourist and to that end has partnered with the Gilpin County Historical Society, the Central City Opera and the art gallery to increase and diversify the events in the city. The goal is to keep the city’s casinos healthy while also bringing back the 20th century allure of the city for heritage tourists, now the fastest growing segment of the travel business.
The ultimate goal of the Black Hawk city fathers is to create a total destination resort. Ameristar Casino & Hotel is a vital partner in that goal; the new Ameristar Hotel draws a constant stream of business meetings and small conventions, whose attendees visit all the casinos in Black Hawk, gambling and eating. The groups who’ve convened at the Ameristar are unanimous in declaring they’d like to return.
All in all, the past year was not a roaring success for the casino business but neither was it a huge disappointment. Onward – and hopefully – upward to 2012!
