Casino Royale's $14 Million Denny's, Walgreens Overhaul

Casino Royale is rolling the dice on a dramatic upgrade to their Strip resort with a $14 million project that will demolish the existing Denny's restaurant and replace it with 22,500-square-foot, all new Denny's and Walgreens pharmacy combination. The two-story venture will include a 20-foot-wide second floor balcony for patio dining facing the Strip and the Mirage resort across the street.

The low roller casino and hotel was brought under the umbrella of the Best Western chain in December. While these two new additions will dominate the front of the casino, there will no entrance onto the casino floor through either property.

The City's zoning commission is helping push the project forward, but a number of issues have slowed progress. The City is keeping an eagle eye on improving the public right of way outside the casino and seek assurance the designs don't chip away at any pedestrian real estate. On this section of the Strip, the width of the sidewalk can shrink to eight feet. Casino Royale vowed a commitment to meet this issue head on, during, and post-upgrade.

More complicated was the City requesting a re-design for the proposed modern architecture that does not fit the mock-Victorian look of the rest of the Casino Royale frontage and attempt to at least acknowledge the Italian style of the Venetian. The current renderings firmly indicate a 21st century visual inspiration.

The proposed "simulated stone, metal frames, tinted glass, and a flat roof behind parapet walls" was viewed as complementing the existing architecture on either side of the casino. City ordinances for new Strip builds require them to be visually and functionally integrated into the look and flow of the adjacent properties. A design re-think is ongoing before further appearances before the City planning process. No timetable for completion has been publicly announced.

Denny's opened their supper club concept Diner of the Future at Neonopolis in December. Another Denny's is located further down the Strip, opposite the Monte Carlo resort. Walgreens operates a two-story, 20,022-square-foot flagship at Harmon Corner, next door to Planet Hollywood Resort. There is also a Walgreens less than a quarter of mile away from this future site, at the base of the Clock Tower at the Palazzo.

In addition to the present Denny's incarnation, Casino Royale's on-property dining options include an Outback Steakhouse and a food court including a Subway and Noble Roman's Pizza.
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