UPDATE 7 P.M. : Less than two hours after announcing 1,000 free flights to Las Vegas, as the city prepares to reopen, downtown property developer and CEO Derek Stevens' "Keep America Flying" promotion officially booked every flight offered.
"We decided to jump back in and do our own version of a Phase 2 kick start," Stevens said. "If we can get more people to come to Vegas and have some fun, it's good for everyone."
Given the demand and Stevens' intent to fuel Las Vegas tourism and reignite the airline industry, he added nearly 700 new free one-way flights to Vegas - for a total of 1,700 trips altogether.
Flights were offered on a first-come-first-serve basis here.
Stevens says while they've been shut down at the D Casino, they've had a chance to do a lot of maintenance projects inside, and implement new safety standards.
One of them was installing 17 thermal scanners that can get a temperature reading in just over a second.
"The regulation has it that you have to test every hotel guest, but we're going to test every guest as they enter the building," Stevens said.
Despite the pandemic, Stevens is hopeful for the future of downtown Las Vegas.
He says his latest project, Circa hotel-casino, is on track to join the downtown skyline this year.
RELATED: Circa Sports introduces curbside sports betting at Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
"We plan to open December 2020," Stevens said. "They had to mix up the schedule, a few more people working in the middle of the night, a few more people staggered on the weekend."
ORIGINAL STORY
As Las Vegas begins to welcome visitors back to the city, one CEO has found a creative way to help reignite tourism.
Derek Stevens, owner of the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate hotel-casino, will give away 1,000 free flights to Las Vegas from more than 20 major U.S. cities.
Stevens’ “Keep America Flying” promotion is intended to help stimulate the tourism and airline industries while reminding the country of the fun to be had in Las Vegas. Participants can book a seat by signing up here. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“As we begin to reopen our doors across the city, we are proud to help reinvigorate travel to Las Vegas while supporting airlines in America impacted by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Stevens. “We can’t wait to safely bring visitors to the city and remind them why we’ve earned the title of ‘Entertainment Capital of the World.’ And while we’d love for visitors to stop by Downtown Las Vegas, we primarily want to get people back to Las Vegas to experience the attractions and amenities that make it one of the greatest places on Earth.”
The free one-way flights are available through several popular American carriers including Allegiant, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun CountryAirlines. Eligible cities and airports include Appleton, Wisc. (ATW); Austin (AUS); Atlanta (ATL); Boise, Idaho (BOI); Chicago (ORD); Cincinnati (CVG); Dallas (DFW); Denver (DIA); Detroit (DTW); Knoxville, Tenn. (TYS); Louisville (SDF); Memphis, Tenn. (MEM); Milwaukee (MKE); Minneapolis (MSP); Oklahoma City (OKC); Omaha, Neb. (OMA); Phoenix (PHX); Portland, Ore. (PDX); San Diego (SAN); San Francisco (SFO); Seattle (SEA); Sioux Falls, S.D. (FSD); South Bend, Ind. (SBN); and Tulsa, Okla. (TUL). Once registered, guests can choose from several flight options and reservations, which will be arranged through the concierge team at the D.
When they reopen on June 4, guests can look forward to visiting Stevens’ Downtown Las Vegas properties, located on the world-famous Fremont Street Experience:
- the D Las Vegas – A Downtown Las Vegas party hotspot, the D Las Vegas delivers a thrilling energy and attitude synonymous with the surrounding neighborhood. With 629 rooms and suites, as well as a two-story casino, visitors will find that classic Vegas excitement with offerings such as LONGBAR, a sports hub and the longest bar in Nevada; the only Sigma Derby horse racing game in Las Vegas; the recently debuted Circa Sports book; and new hockey-centric bar, BarCanada. Hungry patrons can once again grab a world-famous Coney Dog at American Coney Island, premier steaks and seafood at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse and contemporary fare at D Grill.
- Golden Gate Hotel & Casino – Originally opened in 1906 at One Fremont Street, Golden Gate is Downtown Las Vegas’ most historic hotel. Brimming with stories and artifacts from Las Vegas’ past, visitors can retreat to one of Golden Gate’s “Original 10” rooms - which have been maintained for 114 years - or opt for a swanky suite, located in its luxury tower. Guests can get a drink at the property’s outside watering hole, OneBar, or relive the Rat Pack era with a stop at Bar Prohibition!, which is located in the exact same spot where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. used to drink. Sports fans can bet on their favorite teams with a visit to Golden Gate’s intimate Circa Sports book.
All participants in the “Keep America Flying” promotion must be at least 21 years of age. Flight recipients are responsible for return flights, hotel accommodations and all additional costs associated with their stay, including cancellations and/or rescheduling. For additional information, including terms and conditions, visitwww.theD.com.
For information regarding the D and Golden Gate’s health and safety protocol following the COVID-19 crisis, visitwww.thed.com/health-safety/.
