Opened in 1964, The Lady Luck Hotel Casino sought to update the legendary casino with the fresh, contemporary feel of newer gaming and hospitality properties in downtown Las Vegas. The new owneran urban, community-based investment company recognized the redevelopment potential in this outdated space which is located next to the highly successful Fremont Street Experience. Rather than level and rebuild the property as is often done in Las Vegas, the client commissioned RTKL to adaptively reuse the existing buildings and create a more lively, pedestrian-oriented and mixed-use environment.
Altogether, the redeveloped property features an upscale 631-key boutique hotel with destination pool and spa, 50,000 SF of casino, 36,000 SF of retail, and meeting and conference spaces.
The design concept focuses on a transparent three-dimensional faade that allows natural light into the building while activating the urban experience. Contrary to a traditional casino-centered design, a clear screen between the interior and exterior creates a dialogue between the public and private space. Together with the retail, the space enlivens the casino, opening it up to the exterior and allowing it to engage with the public spaces.
The stacked box faade continues horizontally along Third Street to showcase the hotel lobby, spa, fitness, and pool deck. The design of the hotel component occupies the existing two hotel towers reducing construction waste and repurposing existing materials.
The streetscape is composed of a strategic placement of program components and native landscaping in order to activate pedestrian activity and to reactivate neighboring buildings of historic significance. Thus, the Third and Stewart Street Redevelopment exemplifies the kind of adaptive reuse that can both preserve a legacy and meet changing consumer demands.