Oyo to rebrand Las Vegas-based Hooters, bring a 35,000 square-foot casino

Hooters is an American brand of restaurant with casino floors full spectrum of gaming choices and guest rooms and suites

Oyo Hotels & Homes said on Friday that it was going to rebrand Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas as Oyo Hotel & Casino. In partnership with hospitality investment and management company Highgate, it plans to bring a 657-room and 35,000 square-foot casino. 

“Highgate will handle the management of the hotel, and Paragon Gaming will continue to operate the casino,” Oyo said. 

Additional amenities include two signature restaurants, four bars, a fitness centre, and an outdoor pool. The property will undergo an exciting transformation, which will be completed this year. “We are excited to be here as we believe Las Vegas is an exciting city, in which to invest, as the market continues to evolve with projects such as the new Las Vegas Raiders NFL stadium and the $1-billion expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. As we continue to focus on bringing to life our popular concept of ‘comfort design’ and delivering chic hospitality experiences, we are increasingly exploring new ways to connect with our customers, from millennials, to young executives and families, in every city we enter,” said Abhinav Sinha, COO and partner, Oyo Hotels & Homes USA.

Hooters, whose restaurant was famous for its chicken wings, shut shop in May 2017 after nine years of operations at the location. It was originally built as a Howard Johnson Hotel in 1973, and went through at least four more rebranding exercises, before being run as Hooters. 

“We will be undergoing a renovation and will come up with some of the most loved amenities and experiences that are sure to Las Vegas visitors from around the world. We can’t wait to welcome you to our first hotel in Las Vegas,” Sinha said. The announcement is a part of the Oyo’s recent plan to invest $300 million over the next few years in the US. 

Sinha is leading the initiative along with his team across 15 states in US, which plans to expand its presence to cities such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco after already establishing a presence in cities across Dallas, Houston, Augusta, Atlanta and Miami. 

“In June, we announced our plan to invest $300 million in the US. As a new-age hospitality firm, we currently offer great living spaces throughout our 112 plus Oyo Hotels in more than 60 cities and 21 states. With our newest hotel in Las Vegas, we are excited to cater to a completely different audience segment and are certain that this will be the perfect start to Oyo’s journey in Las Vegas,” said Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO, Oyo.

Paragon Gaming is a gaming company based in Enterprise, Nevada that owns and manages casinos in the US, and earlier in Canada. It managed the Hooters casino as well. “We’ve had great success managing the Hooter’s casino and look forward to continuing on as the Casino Manager and partnering with Highgate to introduce OYO’s hotel brand in Las Vegas,” said Diana Bennett, Paragon Gaming Chairwoman.

Highgate is a hospitality investment and management company operating in markets like the US and Europe.