Oyo Hotel & Casino
Corporate brand
UnclaimedOyo Hotel & Casino is a casino resort east of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, formerly known as Hooters Casino Hotel.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Oyo Hotel & Casino is a casino hotel located on Tropicana Avenue in Paradise, Nevada, immediately east of the Las Vegas Strip and beside the former Tropicana resort site. The property combines a hotel, casino, restaurants, entertainment venues, and other resort amenities. Its casino is operated by Paragon Gaming, while the property is owned by a partnership involving Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes. The resort contains the original ten-story hotel tower and an additional eighteen-story tower completed in 1991. The property currently has approximately 696 guest rooms and a casino floor of about 30,000 square feet. The site opened on July 26, 1973, as a Howard Johnson's motor lodge. It initially contained 332 rooms in a ten-story tower and bungalow units, and received authorization to operate 150 slot machines later that year. Financial difficulties soon led to foreclosure, after which the property passed through several owners and names. It became the Paradise Hotel in 1975, the 20th Century in 1977, the Treasury Hotel later in the 1970s, the Pacifica Hotel in 1985, and the Polynesian Hotel later that same year. Several of these periods were marked by casino closures, bankruptcy proceedings, or unsuccessful repositioning plans. In 1989, Japanese industrialist and hotelier Sukeaki Izumi acquired the property and renovated it with an Italian Riviera theme, reopening it as the Hotel San Remo. The resort became known as a relatively inexpensive Las Vegas option. An eighteen-story hotel tower was completed in 1991, raising the room inventory to more than 700 and expanding the workforce to roughly 600 employees. During the San Remo era, the property hosted budget-oriented shows and other entertainment, including Showgirls of Magic, Broadway Cabaret, and Night Madness. The next major transformation came through a partnership involving Hooters of America. In 2004, a group of Hooters investors acquired a controlling interest in the property and announced plans to convert it into a Hooters-themed casino resort. A nine-month renovation costing approximately $130 million began in 2005. The renamed Hooters Casino Hotel opened on February 2, 2006, with a Hooters restaurant, casino gaming, restaurants, entertainment, and a staff that included more than 200 Hooters-branded servers, bartenders, cocktail servers, and dealers. Hooters promoted the resort through its restaurant network, but the property's branding appealed primarily to a younger and predominantly male audience and was less attractive to some female gamblers, affluent visitors, and business travelers. The Hooters property reached profitability in 2007 after cost reductions and changes to its gaming and marketing strategy, but it remained vulnerable to declining revenue and the broader effects of the Great Recession. A proposed 2007 sale and rebranding collapsed in 2008. Loan defaults followed in 2009, and the ownership group entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2011. After a bankruptcy sale, Canyon Capital took control and Navegante Group managed casino operations. Trinity Hotel Investors acquired the property in 2015 and ultimately retained the Hooters name, while Paragon Gaming replaced Navegante as operator in 2016. In 2019, Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes acquired the resort and began changing its identity to Oyo Hotel & Casino. The rebranding started in September 2019 and was accompanied by planned property and restaurant improvements. The Hooters restaurant was retained during the transition. The resort has continued to operate as a value-oriented, independent casino hotel rather than as a conventional luxury Strip resort, with gaming, casual dining, live entertainment, and access to the Las Vegas tourism corridor as its principal commercial propositions.
History
The property now known as Oyo Hotel & Casino began as a Howard Johnson's motor lodge developed by Paul Oesterle and local business partners. Construction started in September 1972 on Tropicana Avenue, east of the Las Vegas Strip and next to the Tropicana resort. The 332-room hotel opened on July 26, 1973. Its accommodation was divided between a ten-story tower and two-story bungalows. A gaming license later permitted 150 slot machines. Expansion plans were proposed, but the development company became unable to meet its obligations, and the mortgage holder foreclosed in March 1975. The resort then went through a succession of owners and identities. Bernard Nemerov acquired it in 1975 and renamed it the Paradise Hotel. The casino reopened on New Year's Day 1976, but a credit scam associated with organized-crime figures left the casino without sufficient operating cash, leading to closure and bankruptcy. In 1977, a group led by Andrew DeLillo acquired the property and renamed it the 20th Century. Herb Pastor later purchased it and changed the name to the Treasury Hotel, which adopted a country-western theme. Former football player Gerry Philbin bought the Treasury in 1982, but the casino closed after he failed to obtain a gaming license, and the hotel entered Chapter 11 proceedings by the end of that year. The DeLillo family regained the property through foreclosure in 1985, first calling it the Pacifica Hotel and then the Polynesian Hotel. A proposed marketing strategy aimed at gay travelers generated controversy and was abandoned. Sukeaki Izumi acquired the hotel in 1989. He invested in a renovation inspired by the Italian Riviera and renamed the property Hotel San Remo. During its early years under Izumi, the hotel was associated with Ramada and developed a reputation as a lower-priced alternative near the Strip. An eighteen-story second tower was completed in 1991, increasing the room count to 711 and expanding employment to approximately 600 people. The San Remo also developed a modest entertainment program. Showgirls of Magic ran in the property's Parisian Cabaret from 1996 through 2005, with a temporary name change to Les Trix in 1999. Other offerings during the 1990s included Broadway Cabaret and Night Madness. In the early 2000s, Izumi's company sought ways to benefit from increased development around the Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection. Hooters approached with a redevelopment concept, and a group of Hooters of America partners acquired a two-thirds interest through 155 East Tropicana, LLC. Plans announced in 2004 called for the San Remo to become a Hooters-branded casino hotel. Hooters of America, which owned the trademark, was to receive royalty payments tied to revenue. A nine-month, approximately $130 million renovation began in 2005. The room inventory was reduced to 696 as some units were converted to suites. Hooters Casino Hotel opened on February 2, 2006, during the weekend of Super Bowl XL. The resort included the Hooters restaurant, casino gaming, Dan Marino's Fine Food and Spirits, entertainment, and more than 200 employees associated with the Hooters Girls concept. The chain promoted the property at more than 100 restaurant locations. The Hooters identity produced a distinct customer profile: the clientele was reported to be roughly 80 percent male and younger than the typical Las Vegas casino customer. Management later added slot machines and marketed more actively to older visitors. Cost reductions helped the casino become profitable in 2007, although the branding was viewed as less attractive to some female gamblers, high-income tourists, and business travelers. The resort's financial and ownership problems continued. A proposed 2007 sale to Hedwigs Las Vegas Top Tier, which intended to create a boutique, lifestyle-focused casino hotel, collapsed in 2008 after a required payment was not made. Revenue weakened further during the Great Recession. Loan defaults began in 2009, and the owners filed for Chapter 11 protection in August 2011, reporting substantially greater liabilities than assets. No outside bidder emerged at a 2012 auction, and Canyon Capital acquired the property through a credit bid. Navegante Group initially managed casino operations, while Canyon sought a new hotel partner. Trinity Hotel Investors purchased the casino from Canyon Capital in May 2015. Although a Holiday Inn affiliation and a name change were considered, Trinity retained the Hooters identity. Paragon Gaming took over casino operations in 2016. The property continued to modify its entertainment and food-and-beverage mix: the Joystixx video-game lounge was replaced by the Saloon, live entertainment returned in several forms, and a large Steak 'n Shake location opened in 2018. An additional renovation program in 2017 updated casino areas and guest rooms. In August 2019, Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes acquired the property and announced its renaming as Oyo Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The transition began in September and included planned upgrades to the restaurants and broader property. The Hooters restaurant remained in place. Under the Oyo identity, the resort continued to operate as a casino hotel with approximately 696 rooms and a 30,000-square-foot casino. Reference material also describes a later controversy concerning allegedly fabricated or heavily edited imagery used in connection with purported Palette and Collection O properties at the resort's address; that allegation requires independent verification before being treated as an established historical fact.
- 2019
Oyo rebranding begins
[1]Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes acquire the resort and begin transitioning it to Oyo Hotel & Casino.
- 2015
Trinity Hotel Investors acquires the property
[1]Trinity Hotel Investors purchases the casino and ultimately elects to retain the Hooters branding.
- 2011
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
[1]The ownership group files for bankruptcy protection amid loan defaults and an attempted foreclosure.
- 2006
Hooters Casino Hotel opens
[1]A major renovation culminates in the February opening of Hooters Casino Hotel.
- 2004
Hooters redevelopment plan announced
[1]Hooters investors acquire a controlling interest and announce plans to convert the San Remo into a Hooters-branded casino hotel.
- 1991
Second hotel tower completed
[1]An eighteen-story addition expands the resort and raises its room inventory to more than 700.
- 1989
Hotel San Remo era begins
[1]Sukeaki Izumi acquires and renovates the property, introducing the Hotel San Remo name and an Italian Riviera theme.
- 1982
Casino closes under Treasury ownership
[1]The casino closes after the new owner fails to obtain a gaming license, and the hotel later enters Chapter 11 proceedings.
- 1975
First foreclosure and ownership transition
[1]The original developer's financial problems lead to foreclosure, after which Bernard Nemerov acquires and renames the property Paradise Hotel.
- 1973
Howard Johnson's motor lodge opens
[1]The 332-room property opens on Tropicana Avenue as a Howard Johnson's hotel, with gaming authorization following later in the year.
Products and positioning
A value-oriented, entertainment-led casino hotel near the Las Vegas Strip, combining affordable accommodation, casino gaming, casual restaurants, and branded nightlife rather than luxury-resort positioning.
hospitality · 1973
Hotel accommodation
The resort provides approximately 696 guest rooms in the original ten-story tower and the eighteen-story addition completed in 1991. The property has historically competed as a comparatively affordable alternative to larger Las Vegas Strip resorts.
gaming · 1973
Casino
The casino occupies approximately 30,000 square feet and offers slot machines, table games, and other casino services. During the Hooters period, low-minimum blackjack and an effort to broaden the customer base were central parts of the gaming proposition.
food and beverage · 2006
Hooters restaurant
The on-site Hooters restaurant was retained after the 2019 Oyo transition. During the casino's Hooters era, it was described as the chain's most profitable location and served as a major part of the property's brand identity.
food and beverage · 2018
Steak 'n Shake
A large Steak 'n Shake restaurant opened inside the property in 2018, adding a nationally recognized casual-dining concept to the resort's food-and-beverage mix.
entertainment · 1996
Live entertainment
The property has hosted budget-oriented shows, comedy, magic, tribute performances, music, and dance productions across different operating eras. Examples include Showgirls of Magic, Purple Reign, Jarrett & Raja, Gordie Brown, Cons of Comedy, and Cherry Boom Boom.
Controversies
2026
Alleged use of fabricated imagery for purported properties
Reference material alleges that imagery for purported Palette Las Vegas and Collection O Las Vegas properties used AI-generated or heavily edited depictions of facilities that did not exist at the advertised address. The allegation requires independent verification.
1985
Controversial proposed marketing to gay travelers
A plan to market the Pacifica Hotel specifically to gay travelers proved controversial and was abandoned soon after being announced.
1976
Credit scam forces Paradise casino closure
The Paradise casino was targeted by a credit scheme involving individuals associated with the Philadelphia crime family. The resulting cash shortage contributed to the casino's closure and bankruptcy.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Oyo rebranding and renovation program
United States
Oyo Hotels & Homes and Highgate began transitioning the Hooters property to the Oyo Hotel & Casino identity, with planned upgrades to restaurants and other areas.
Outcome. The resort retained the Hooters restaurant while operating under the Oyo name.
- 2006Hooters restaurant-network promotion
United States
The newly opened Hooters Casino Hotel was promoted through more than 100 Hooters restaurant locations, using the restaurant chain's customer network to build awareness for the Las Vegas resort.
Outcome. The resort established a distinctive younger and predominantly male customer base, although the Hooters identity was less successful with some other Las Vegas visitor segments.
Brand decisions
2019
Rebrand as Oyo Hotel & CasinoStrategyBackground
Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes acquired the property after its Hooters-era operating and ownership difficulties.
Action taken
The owners began a new Oyo identity and renovation program while keeping the Hooters restaurant on site.
Aftermath
The resort continued operating as an independent, value-oriented casino hotel under the Oyo name.
Acquisition price. $135 million (2019 acquisition)
2015
Trinity acquires and retains Hooters brandingM&ABackground
Trinity Hotel Investors purchased the casino after Canyon Capital's ownership period.
Action taken
Trinity acquired the property, considered a Holiday Inn affiliation, and decided to continue using the Hooters name.
Aftermath
Paragon Gaming became casino operator in 2016, while the Hooters identity continued until the 2019 Oyo transition.
Acquisition price. $70 million (2015 acquisition)
2012
Credit bid follows failed bankruptcy auctionOtherBackground
Loan defaults and an unsuccessful effort to block foreclosure led the ownership group into Chapter 11 proceedings.
Action taken
After no outside bidder emerged, the bankruptcy court approved Canyon Capital's $60 million credit bid and authorized a new operating arrangement.
Aftermath
Navegante Group managed casino operations while the new owner considered a future hotel rebranding.
Credit bid. $60 million (2012 bankruptcy sale)
2004
Convert Hotel San Remo into a Hooters casino hotelStrategyBackground
The ownership group sought a new identity and redevelopment concept as investment and development increased around the nearby Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection.
Action taken
Hooters investors acquired a controlling interest, announced a branded conversion, and initiated a comprehensive renovation.
Aftermath
The resort reopened as Hooters Casino Hotel in 2006, creating a distinctive but highly gendered and youth-oriented market position.
Renovation cost. $130 million (2005 renovation)
Sources1 sources
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