Weak Demand Prompts Vegas Hotels to Close Rooms, Shutter Offerings

The Sahara hotel-casino recently joined Binion’s in closing hotel rooms in Las Vegas to combat against weak demand.

The 1,720-room Sahara, which sits on the cusp of downtown and the Strip, closed rooms in two of its towers for the winter, leaving only the main tower (Tangiers) open. In mid-December, Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel closed its 365 rooms and cut 100 jobs.

In addition, the Artisan Hotel and Spa, a 64-room non-gaming property a half-mile west of the Strip, filed for bankruptcy, although its owners have said in published reports that the move was designed to break his current room reservations contract and not for financial reasons.