The site of the proposed Harlem Nights resort project located on the Historic Westside of Las Vegas was impacted by fire recently. The venue, which used to be the home of Tokyo Casino and the New Town Tavern before that, caught fire on Sunday, as announced by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, citing details from the Las Vegas Fire Department. Although the site wasn’t registered as a historic location, it has seen recent interest from a developer called Harlem Nights.
Reportedly, the former Tokyo Casino caught fire after 6 PM on Sunday. Firefighters were quickly dispatched to the location that is on the corner of Jackson Avenue and F Street. The firefighters were able to extinguish the fire by 8 PM. Sadly, the venue had already suffered extensive damage. According to the Las Vegas Fire Department, the building was a “total loss.” This otherwise means that redevelopment won’t be possible and the burnt down building would likely need to be demolished.
Discussions on the Proposed Project Continue
Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, Harlem Nights’ project consultant, revealed that the company intended to remove the existing building in light of its proposed project. The aforementioned project initially featured a 60-story tower, something that was changed to a 34-level structure after the company was notified by the Federal Aviation Administration that anything taller may impact aviation in the region.
Yet, while Harlem Nights considered removing the building, it planned to execute this plan with more decency, considering its historic heritage. Speaking about the recent fire, Mayo-DeRiso said that the company is disappointed with the irreversible damage it caused. Moreover, she said that Harlem Nights asked for a full investigation into the matter.
So far, the city’s Fire Department hasn’t identified what caused the fire at the former Tokyo Casino nor confirmed when additional details on the matter can be released. It is currently unclear whether the fire started by accident, or it was intentional.
Reportedly, community discussions about the Harlem Nights project are planned for next week. According to Mayo-DeRiso, the project will also undergo debate on November 14, 2023, with the Las Vegas City Planning Commission.
Elsewhere in Las Vegas, tensions between casino operators and employees remain high with picket lines set up recently. The protest of the workers comes amid an increase in the cost of living and inflation along with “no real movement” in the negotiations between the workers’ unions and the operators of casino resorts.