Barbary Coast (1979–2007) The property was once the site of the Desert Villa motel, which opened in 1958, at the northeast corner of
Las Vegas Boulevard and
Flamingo Road. It was later renamed Empey's Desert Villa, after owner Phillip Empey. It was renamed again as the Times Square Motel in 1974, before closing later that year. In 1975, plans were approved for a shopping center to be built on the land, but the project failed to materialize, as the site had inadequate space for parking. By December 1975, the
Flamingo Hilton, and the
MGM Grand The Clark County Department of Building and Safety said it would also oppose the project, as the hotel's parking structure would be built under high-voltage power lines located in a right-of-way, posing a safety hazard. Michael Gaughan said that the existing motel structure was already located beneath the power lines, and that he had approval for the construction of the parking garage. In February 1976, the
Clark County Commission approved a
variance for the start of construction, despite a recommendation of denial from the county planning commission. Within a week of the groundbreaking, the MGM and Flamingo filed a suit against the county commission, stating that it did not give the resorts adequate time to prepare arguments against the variance. The suit also claimed that Jackie Gaughan's application did not include necessary details about the project. In addition, the resorts accused commissioner
Tom Wiesner of having a conflict of interest, which he denied. Wiesner owned a financial stake in the
Marina hotel down the street, which was expected to benefit from the opening of the Barbary Coast. Later in 1976, Jackie Gaughan won an extension from the Clark County Commission, narrowly granting him another year to begin construction while the project faced legal challenges from opponents.
Operation The eight-story Barbary Coast was eventually built, at a cost of $13 million. It was opened by Michael Gaughan on March 2, 1979. It was built on land that was owned by Empey Enterprises, which leased the site to the hotel-casino. The Barbary Coast saw significant success, particularly among local residents, and Michael Gaughan later started his own gaming company,
Coast Casinos. The property was named after the "
Barbary Coast" term which was once used to refer to the North African coastal regions. Gaughan had the building designed to eventually accommodate four additional floors, although such plans never materialized, as he found the property to be successful enough as-is. When the MGM Grand
caught on fire in November 1980, the Barbary Coast was closed to customers by management, allowing the property to be used as an evacuation center for MGM guests. The two properties were located across the street from each other. In 1990, a federal court issued a
preliminary injunction and ordered the Barbary Coast and Michael Gaughan to negotiate a new contract with the
Culinary Workers Union, after the expiration of the previous contract a year earlier. A federal judge determined there was reasonable cause to believe that management had threatened employees who supported the union. In 1991, the
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleged that Gaughan and the resort violated the injunction. Two years later, the NLRB alleged that the Barbary Coast had engaged in dozens of violations relating to the
National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Among the allegations was that the property terminated workers' pension and health plans, and withheld salary raises. Barbary Coast workers voted for a new contract later in 1993. By 1996, the Barbary Coast was worth $60–70 million. Later in the year,
Hilton Hotels Corporation began discussions to purchase the Barbary Coast, although this did not go through.
Robert L. Johnson, a co-founder of
BET and a Hilton board member, considered buying the Barbary Coast a few years later. He wanted to focus less on gaming and more on entertainment, with live music programs to be broadcast from the property. Gaughan was willing to sell the Barbary Coast for $100 million, but Johnson offered only $65 million. Johnson ultimately decided that the Barbary Coast was too small for his plans, which would have included the addition of a theater. As of 2002, the Barbary Coast had 800 employees. An employee parking lot was located just east of the Barbary Coast, on 2.5 acres. The casino had been leasing the property from
Nevada Power Company, which put the site up for sale that year. Coast Casinos purchased the land for $20.7 million in 2003, and continued using it for employee parking. The Barbary Coast had a modest celebration for its 25th anniversary, serving free cake and champagne. The property had seen few renovations up to that time, such as a recent remodeling of its rooms which added new mirrors, paintings, and wallpaper. The small property had retained its success for more than 20 years, and was particularly popular among a regular clientele of repeat tourists. A month after the purchase, Bill Boyd said that the property would be ideal for a high-rise project. He was also open to the idea of selling or trading the Barbary Coast to
Harrah's Entertainment, which owned a multitude of nearby resorts. In mid-2006, the two companies began negotiations about a trade. Harrah's had picked up
options to purchase the former site of the
Westward Ho hotel-casino, which was located on the Strip, adjacent to Boyd's future
Echelon Place project. The two companies eventually agreed to a trade, with the Barbary Coast and its 4.3 acres going to Harrah's, giving the company a contiguous ownership of the center Strip.
Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon (2007–2013) Harrah's acquisition of the Barbary Coast was finalized in February 2007, and the property was placed under the same management team as the
Imperial Palace, a nearby property owned by Harrah's. The company temporarily closed the Barbary Coast's casino portion on February 27, 2007, around 2:00 a.m. New management replaced casino chips and rearranged table games during the closure. A low-key reopening took place at 2:00 p.m. on March 1, 2007, with the entire property renamed as Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon, in honor of company founder
Bill Harrah. Harrah's was renamed as Caesars Entertainment a few years after the opening of Bill's. In October 2012, Caesars announced plans to renovate Bill's and to add a rooftop pool and nightclub, overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.
Victor Drai, who operated a restaurant and nightclub at Bill's, would also operate the new rooftop attraction. Caesars CEO
Gary Loveman said, "Due to some remarkable foresight, the top of this building was built structurally so it can hold something very heavy on top without additional structural work." which would require the closing of Bill's. Prior to its closure, the property had been known for its folksy atmosphere and cheap amenities.
The Cromwell (2014–present) Bill's closed on February 4, 2013, for a year-long renovation. The property would be renamed and converted into a luxury
boutique hotel. A month after the closure, Caesars announced that the property would reopen under the name Gansevoort Las Vegas, through a partnership with the New York-based
Gansevoort Hotel Group. The project would fulfill Gansevoort's long-time goal of entering the Las Vegas market. Caesars would operate the property, and Gansevoort would provide design and marketing help. W.A. Richardson Builders served as the general contractor. A new employee parking garage was constructed on the property just east of the hotel. A spiral ramp on the hotel's east side, leading into the guest parking garage, was demolished. A new ramp was constructed on the property's northern side. Caesars announced in January 2014 that the renovated property would instead open as The Cromwell. The name "Cromwell" is sometimes associated with upper class, However, the resort would also share its name with
Oliver Cromwell, a controversial English ruler during the 17th century. Caesars declined to explain how the name was chosen. The Cromwell had a low-key opening on April 21, 2014; the casino and a bar began operations, and some hotel rooms were available to invited guests. In March 2020, all Las Vegas casinos were ordered closed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada. Even as other casinos were allowed to resume operations, the Cromwell remained closed indefinitely. In August 2020,
CBS reality
dating show Love Island began filming its
second season at the Cromwell, relocated from
Fiji due to the pandemic. The Cromwell reopened on October 29, 2020, as an adults-only property with the exception of its Giada restaurant. The Cromwell was already an adult-oriented property, unlike other Las Vegas resorts that include family entertainment. It was the last resort on the Las Vegas Strip to reopen. In March 2025, Caesars announced a new partnership with television personality
Lisa Vanderpump, who oversees restaurants at several of its properties. Under the partnership, the Cromwell will be renamed
The Vanderpump Hotel, marking her first hotel project. The property will remain open during a renovation that is expected to conclude by early 2026, at which point it will rebrand under the new name. ==Features==