vpFREE2 Forums

Aquarius' new owners get the keys

#1

From the Jan 28th Tri-State News e-press network-

A blurb about the closing:

GCB Approves Sachs Deal For
Stratosphere, Aquarius
LAUGHLIN, NV - On Thursday, the Nevada Gaming Commission gave its approval
for the purchase of the Stratosphere Casino and Hotel by a fund run by Goldman
Sachs and Company.
The Sachs fund will pay $1.3-billion to a company owned by famed entrepreneur
Carl Icahn in exchange for the Stratosphere, two Arizona Charlie's casinos
and the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin. One Goldman Sachs official noted the
Stratosphere's market positioning as a destination for budget travelers was
key to the attractiveness of the deal.
Over the past couple of years, private equity firms have been turning to Las
Vegas as a solid investment risk in an otherwise rocky financial market.
Goldman Sachs was also a minority part of the $5.4-billion deal to take Station
Casinos private in November and another private equity firm, Texas Pacific Group,
is set to close later this month on the $17.1-billion deal for Harrah's
Entertainment.

···

***
So that makes a whole string of parent companys over what six or seven years-

Goldman Sachs

Carl Icahn (renamed to Aquarius from Flamingo, put in Access Card slot club)

HET (owned Flamingo for about a year, no move to Total Rewards)

Mandalay Resort Group (owned Flamingo for several years, used One Club card)

Flamingo ( lost the Hilton affiliation)

Flamingo Hilton

So will the new guys break-up the Strat, AZ Charlies and Aquarius Access Card
partnership?

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

Boy that is a lot of changes over the years. During the Flamingo
years the place was a Park Place property which was a spinoff of the
Hilton chain.

While we are on the same theme, yesterday Harrah's changed hands. It
is now owned by Hamlet Holdings. These guys and Goldman Sachs are
really not gambling people. They are money people that are looking
for a good return on their holdings. I really don't expect many big
changes in either place with the new owners.

I guess the only place in Laughlin that has not changed hands
multiple times is the Riverside.

Remember when the River Palms was the Gold River? Remember when Steve
Wynn had his hand in the Golden Nugget? How many owners have had the
Edgewater and Colorado Belle? I have lost track.

***
So that makes a whole string of parent companys over what six or

seven years-

Goldman Sachs

Carl Icahn (renamed to Aquarius from Flamingo, put in Access Card

slot club)

HET (owned Flamingo for about a year, no move to Total Rewards)

Mandalay Resort Group (owned Flamingo for several years, used One

Club card)

Flamingo ( lost the Hilton affiliation)

Flamingo Hilton

So will the new guys break-up the Strat, AZ Charlies and Aquarius

Access Card

···

--- In vpFREE_Laughlin@yahoogroups.com, GRAYTLEEGRAY@... wrote:

partnership?

#3

It was Sam's Town Gold River when I was a poker
prop there in 1990.

vpFae

···

On 29 Jan 2008 at 20:53, hamstockman wrote:

Remember when the River Palms was the Gold River?

#4

Thanks for reminding me vpFae. 1990 happened to be the first year we visited Laughlin. My
in-laws spent their winters in Laughlin starting that year. Dang it all I've been hooked on the
place ever since. I agree Chris, so many changes since 1990.

···

--- In vpFREE_Laughlin@yahoogroups.com, "vpFae" <vpFae@...> wrote:

On 29 Jan 2008 at 20:53, hamstockman wrote:

> Remember when the River Palms was the Gold River?

It was Sam's Town Gold River when I was a poker
prop there in 1990.

vpFae