Early years Construction of the Mesquite Star hotel-casino began in 1996, NevStar Gaming & Entertainment Corporation, the project owner, intended to launch an
initial public offering (IPO) during 1996, but the company cancelled such plans because of low investor demand. By the end of 1996, Hawaii businessman Richard Kelley had provided approximately $5 million in
bridge financing to help the project while NevStar prepared for an IPO, expected for the first quarter of 1997. Kelley was the chairman of Outrigger Enterprises, which owned
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. Nevada real estate developer Richard Tam, a business partner of Kelley, was also an investor in the Mesquite Star. Tam had introduced Kelley to the project, and they subsequently became partners in it, as well as the largest shareholders in NevStar Gaming. NevStar later intended to launch its IPO in September 1997, to raise money for the project. By February 1998, NevStar had received a $5 million construction loan from the First Credit Bank of Los Angeles. By April 1998, NevStar reached an agreement for the hotel portion of the Mesquite Star to be operated under the
Best Western brand in affiliation with the hotel chain. That month, the
Nevada Gaming Control Board deferred approval of the project, citing NevStar's limited financial reserves. The control board was concerned about the possibility of the hotel-casino entering bankruptcy shortly after its opening, an event that had been scheduled for Memorial Day weekend. In June 1998, the control board recommended that NevStar be approved for a
gaming license to operate the Mesquite Star, after the company demonstrated that it had a cash reserve of at least $2 million, including a $1 million
line of credit from Kelley and Tam. The
Nevada Gaming Commission gave final approval later that month. becoming the fifth hotel-casino to open in Mesquite. which ran alongside the resort.
Financial problems and litigation NevStar struggled financially after opening the Mesquite Star. Around the same time, NevStar was planning to eventually develop a shopping and entertainment complex adjacent to the Mesquite Star. Tam died in August 1999. NevStar offered a reorganization plan to a court, but it was rejected. The casino portion closed on March 6, 2000, followed by the rest of the property on March 10. The Mesquite Star had employed approximately 270 people at the time. The contents of the Mesquite Star were subsequently liquidated.
Virgin River Casino Corporation, a company owned by Black, purchased NevStar's $5.4 million debt with its primary creditor, First Credit. The purchase took place in April 2000. Simultaneously, A.F. Construction had won court approval to proceed with a
sheriff's sale of the Mesquite Star, in order to collect the debt that it was owed. The sale had been scheduled for May 2000, but Virgin River found out about it and objected, as did four other creditors. A.F. Construction agreed to postpone its sale of the Mesquite Star after AmeriResource became interested in purchasing the property and paying off the creditors. Sale negotiations with AmeriResource broke down in June 2000, and the creditors resumed separate, competing efforts to auction the Mesquite Star. A foreclosure sale of the Mesquite Star had been scheduled for July 2000, but it was postponed hours prior, due to a
motion filed on behalf of approximately 100 former employees. According to the motion, the workers' health coverage had been regularly deducted from their paychecks, but the money was diverted to an unknown location, leaving workers without health coverage. The motion sought to ensure that the workers would be compensated for their deducted wages. At the same time, the three primary creditors – Virgin River Casino Corporation, A.F. Construction, and Kelley – were involved in a court battle to determine which of them would be prioritized for debt payment, following the eventual sale of the Mesquite Star. NevStar filed for bankruptcy again in July 2000, putting a temporary halt to all planned auctions of the property.
Virgin River ownership Virgin River Casino Corporation purchased the Mesquite Star in November 2000, and owned it for the next 12 years. Black said in January 2001 that he did not have a clear timetable for reopening the Mesquite Star because of ongoing financial problems associated with it, including foreclosure issues, and
liens that had been placed on nearly every item inside the facility. By 2004, the facility had been operating without a casino as the Virgin River Convention Center. The facility was also sometimes used for overflow hotel guests from Black's other properties in Mesquite. The Mesquite Star was mostly well maintained throughout the years, with the exception of some water leakage in the central roof. Intentions to open a travel center at the proposed location were cancelled in January 2013, when Pilot Flying J decided not to purchase the property. and Lee had friends who would call about hotel rooms in the area for when their children would play in local sports tournaments. Once Lee realized how many ball and soccer fields there were in Mesquite, he began to consider the idea of turning the Mesquite Star into a sports-themed hotel resort. Lee said, "We want to make Mesquite a place teams want to drive an extra hour to play in." A team of sports-related advisors – including coaches, trainers and camp directors – was created to inform the owners what they would want in a sports-themed resort. The new property would serve as the center of nearby sporting facilities, including ball fields, golf courses, and the Mesquite Rec Center. Andre Carrier, the
chief operating officer of the new resort, said the intention was to create a property that would benefit from the abundance of sports facilities in the area. In November 2015, it was announced that the property would be renamed Rising Star Sports Ranch Resort. Renovations proceeded at a rapid pace, ultimately putting the project ahead of schedule. The project was 90 percent complete as of August 2016, with only finishing touches remaining. The opening had been scheduled for December 2016, but it was moved closer because of the rapid renovation work. The Rising Star opened on October 1, 2016, Sports memorabilia is located throughout the resort. with a total of 210 rooms. The Rising Star has several technologically advanced features, Robots are stationed on each floor of the hotel. The resort was built with the intention that a majority of customers would be families from Las Vegas. Although the resort was successful in its early months, many of its customers were from neighboring states rather than Las Vegas. As a hotel without a casino, the Rising Star became popular as a suitable, non-gaming alternative for underage guests who were participating in local youth-sporting events. including some with groups such as
Nike and the
Utah Youth Soccer Association. and the
UNLV Runnin' Rebels also stayed and practiced at the resort.
Closure The property was listed for sale in November 2023. Rising Star was closed in 2025 for remodeling and reopened on April 10, 2025 as a Holiday Inn Resort. Future renovations will include a
lazy river, outdoor bar, game room, and sports bar. ==References==