Eastside Cannery prepares for opening

Jenna Dosch/VIEWWork progresses on the interior of the Eastside Cannery, 5255 Boulder Highway. The hotel?s opening is set for the end of August. Jenna Dosch/VIEWThe exterior of the new Eastside Cannery resembles the existing Cannery in North Las Vegas. Advertisement

When the Eastside Cannery opens at the end of August, patrons will be able to enjoy 65,000 square feet of gaming space and all the amenities that come with it.

"Everything we've heard as far as feedback is positive. People just can't wait to get it open," said James Mahnesmith, director of slot operations.

The new casino on Boulder Highway is being built on the site of the former Nevada Palace.

"As far as having a casino in the neighborhood, pretty much everybody down there was used to it," Mahnesmith said. "For the last 30 years, the Nevada Palace stood on that site -- it's not like we were building something they were opposed to or not ready for."

When finished, the new hotel casino will have more than 2,000 slot machines, more than 20 varieties of table games, a bingo hall, a race and sports book, live keno and six restaurants.

The 16-story hotel tower, the first of its kind for Cannery Resorts, will have 307 guest rooms and suites touted as having stunning views of the landscape, such as nearby Sunrise Mountain. On the top floor, there will be an ultralounge with a panoramic view of the valley.

While other casinos are sweating declining revenues -- gaming revenue dropped 15 percent in May -- Cannery believes now is the right time and the east side is the right location.

"There are a lot of companies that are cutting back," Mahnesmith said. "We're not a company that's doing that. We even kept all of the people from Nevada Palace."

When the Nevada Palace closed Feb. 29, more than 300 employees still were on the payroll. The company kept a majority of them, and as many as 260 are coming back to work at the new property, which plans to compete aggressively with nearby Sam's Town and Boulder Station. Eastside Cannery will employ about 1,200 employees.

"We're a company that is growing. We're being aggressive though it's a slow market. We're building, we're creating jobs," Mahnesmith said. "That can't be said for every company in town, and we're pretty proud of that fact."

In keeping with the theme of a 1940s canning factory, the Eastside Cannery's interior and exterior are both influenced by an industrial aesthetic.

Klai Juba Architects and Yates-Silverman Inc. have created a "vertical industrial" look for the hotel tower, which will be bronze in color and will have a saw-tooth roof structure meant to stand out against the skyline.

Brick and steel touches make appearances throughout.

Not everything will be ready on opening day -- there will, for instance, be only three food outlets to choose from, including the Race and Sports Book deli. One place many are looking forward to is the opening of Sweet Lucy's, a new, family-style dining concept. It's like a buffet but with a menu -- whatever you order is all-you-can-eat.

For now, slots still are being loaded into the property at a rate of about 200 to 300 a day.

"It takes a pretty monumental effort from a real qualified group of individuals. I'm pretty lucky," Mahnesmith said. "(There's) an excellent team of people opening this place. It's actually going pretty smooth."

Job seekers interested in applying to work at the Eastside Cannery can apply online at www.eastsidecannery.com or by visiting the employment office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday at 5436 Boulder Highway, Suite I-1.