Now that we have all had some time to digest that Fitzgerald’s will really be named the D, it is now time to dissect it a bit. Also, now that we have seen the logo, the Longbar, and the renderings of the exterior and rooms, there is a full picture of what the hotel and casino is trying to accomplish.
The D stands for Downtown. And Derek (Stevens). And Detroit (Where Derek Stevens is from). But any Las Vegas property is more than a name, and we have certainly seen our fair share of weird ones lately. Anything from Vdara, to LVH, to Elara, and now the D. So what does it all mean?
Well they have announced a completely remodeled casino and hotel. To start this means that the first level casino will be remodeled with new carpet, felt, tables, machines and a Fremont St facing bar. The second level casino will have a Vintage Vegas theme (complete with Sigma Derby) and its own patio bar overlooking Fremont St.
But you probably already knew most of that. What excites me about this is that it brings relevance to a property that for a long time hasn’t really had any. The property opened as the Sundance in 1980, was renamed Fitzgerald’s in 1987 and now has been renamed the D. If the renderings are any indication, the D will have an extremely modern exterior feel.
This is in sharp contrast to most of downtown, which is all about feeling vintage. I love neon, but I was no fan of Fitzgerald’s neon exterior. The LED lights and modern atmosphere will definitely stand out on Fremont Street. But the owners of the D haven’t completely abandoned Vegas history.
With the Vintage Vegas casino on the second floor, patrons will be able to play coin machines and other vintage Las Vegas machines. Derek Stevens even said that the escalator ride up will be set up to make you feel like you are going back in time.
You have to hand it to the Stevens brothers. They are thinking outside the box with the remodel of the D. I love both the concept of injecting new life into properties and preserving Vegas history. Since there isn’t much history with the Fitzgerald’s brand, the new name and image makes a lot of sense. Adding the Vintage casino will be a big draw to people who like Downtown Las Vegas. I’m excited to visit the completely remodeled property, and I continue to be glad about all of the new life being breathed into downtown.
