CasaBlanca Resort and Casino announced a $6 million renovation project as CEO cannot wait to see finished product
By Breven Honda
From the words of new Chief Executive Officer at Mesquite Gaming Justin Moore, it is an “exciting” time to be part of the CasaBlanca Resort and Casino, no matter what niche a person has at one of the main resort-casino’s in town. 
In addition to Moore’s hiring on Jan. 18, more news dropped during this first quarter of 2024 as an announcement was made earlier this week regarding new renovations that has made the emotions from Moore and employees reach a high that has not been accomplished in a long while.
On March 4, the CasaBlanca Resort and Casino announced it will be making upgrades to its sports bar, gaming floor and showroom.
“This is something that when I was first pitched the idea, I thought it was a phenomenal idea,” Moore said Tuesday. “Getting the announcement out is really exciting not only for the city of Mesquite, but especially for our awesome employees and guests here at Mesquite Gaming and the CasaBlanca.
“They’ve really been looking forward to the day when we can reinvest into these buildings and provide them with brand new assets.”
The project, which is expected to go from May until the fall of this year, includes the addition of more than 200 new slots, new chandeliers and the expansion of its main bar as it is expected to cost nearly $6 million.
The new showroom will nearly double its original space and the sound will be improved with fabric walls as the ceilings will have special acoustics.
Between the new center bar, sports bar and upgraded showroom, Moore envisions how much livelier the CasaBlanca Resort and Casino will be with these new changes.
“I’m excited to see the brand-new bar plus the showroom and how it adds energy to the casino floor,” he said. “The brand new bar is going to be in a location of the casino that has always been a little quiet and maybe less traveled. The new showroom is a great way for us to enhance the free entertainment experience that we currently give.”
“If you love music and free entertainment, that’s where you’re going to want to be. So, I’m really excited to see how our guests react to that whole new side of the casino.”
The group leading the construction project in Steelman Partners, a Las Vegas-based international architecture and interior design firm that has experience with hospitality and gaming upgrades, including at Harrah’s, Wynn and Caesars Entertainment hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
As a result of the construction months, Moore said there will be some obstacles the hotel will face, especially in terms of their usual day-to-day and week-to-week events.
“There’s going to be challenges of not having all of our assets like we’re used to, for example, not having the stage with entertainment in the center of the casino and probably moving a lot of slot machines around,” said Moore, who also oversees the Virgin River Hotel and Casino. “(We’re) trying to accommodate as we’re moving the puzzle pieces around inside the casinos. So, we’ll have to be patient for a few months, but we’ll get through it together.”
Once summer moves into fall, the CasaBlanca Resort and Casino will complete its necessary changes. However, the product at the conclusion of the project is what gives Moore and his fellow employees the belief and that optimism.
The first employees to hear about the repairs were the beverage team. From there, Moore got the word out to all of his co-workers with positive reactions.
“They were the first to find out. That news was very well received,” Moore said of the beverage team. “I’m really excited for all of the employees here because it’s a sign of progress, it’s a sign of a new direction that we’re taking the company.”
Moore added a lot of his co-workers have been with the company a lot longer than the seven weeks he has been the CEO.
“Our employees that work here, most of them are very tenured people,” he said. “They’ve worked here for a long time, and these are going to be the largest projects that they’ve seen during the time that they’ve worked here. So pretty impressive to hear the comments that the team has been sharing with me and I’m really excited for them.”
The hotel is expected to remain open during construction for tourists and guests as the business has continued to remain high as work is about to begin in two months.
Does this mean they will finally remove the carpet, wallpaper and upgrade their awful ventilation system?
I love the Casablanca great pool area fabulous spa great food and entertainment. The ventilation is the only thing that’s is very unpleasant. I would be there all the time if that was improved.
They should add a pub style bar and restaurant lose the hot dogs and pizza maybe add bollards and chess and backgammon tables for fellas with gambling spouses add a finger food menu ✔️
Great article maybe people will stop with the negative about remodeling and see the whole picture.im excited as a employee and customer.
I think a buffett would be a great addition. Virgin Rivers buffett seems to do very well!