On any given night, wine bars, restaurants and other entertainment outlets along Water Street in Henderson are teeming with customers. 

That's one reason why operators of the Emerald Island and Rainbow Club casinos are acquiring the neighboring The Pass Casino.

"We view this as a way to bring more people to Water Street," Tim Brooks, the general manager ECL Water Street, said in an interview. He said that businesses in the area work in conjunction with each other to draw customers.

"I can walk right across the street to The Pass. It's a cornerstone for the community," Brooks said. He added the casino will close Aug. 1 for remodeling. The company is still considering its plans for the casino. 

"Our development team is already taking a look at the property and we're coming up with ideas," Brooks said. "We should have some good direction here in the next few months on what we want to do with the property."

ECL Water Street, which is controlled by gaming executives Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone, announced last week that it was purchasing The Pass from DeSimone Gaming for an undisclosed price. ECL's businesses include more than 45 small casinos and three dozen tavern-style properties across three states. The company operates Jackpot Joanie's, Winchell's Pubs and Golden West properties in Southern Nevada and Bully's Sports Bars in Northern Nevada.  

In 2023, ECL spent $64.5 million to buy the Emerald Island and Rainbow Club casinos, which competed with The Pass. 

It comes as Henderson's casinos have enjoyed robust business despite warning signs in other state gaming markets. In 2025, Henderson casinos collected a combined $996 million, a 3.8 percent jump from 2024 and the market's all-time highest single-year revenue figure. Through April, the market's gaming revenue is up almost 2.8 percent over the same four months of 2025, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Henderson has seen a gaming expansion over the past year. Boyd closed Joker's Wild earlier this year and replaced the aging casino with Cadence Crossing. Red Rock Resorts oversaw extensive remodels of its Sunset Station and Green Valley Ranch casinos.

Another factor that sparked ECL Water Street's interest in expanding? Brooks said he is anticipating an announcement from the City of Henderson soon about a development partner for the former Fiesta Henderson site on Lake Mead Boulevard that has been closed since 2020. Red Rock Resorts demolished the hotel and casino but left the parking garage standing.

Brooks said his company's casinos and the Water Street District could see business from any mixed use development on the Fiesta site, which could include a non-gaming hotel. The site is 2 miles from Emerald Island.

He said he hopes additional visitors could arrive through the Watermark, a seven-story, 151-unit apartment complex completed last year that is 70 percent leased. The operators of the property north of Henderson's government complex are expected to add amenities for residents and non-residents, including a gym and food and bars. 

DeSimone looks elsewhere

The Pass, formerly known as the Eldorado, was acquired by DeSimone Gaming President Joe DeSimone from Boyd Gaming in 2020. It opened in 1961 and was the first casino operated by the Boyd family. DeSimone's company also owns the Railroad Pass Casino off U.S. 95/Interstate 11 near Boulder City.

DeSimone will now focus his efforts on two casinos he's in the process of acquiring: the Bighorn Casino in North Las Vegas and the Longhorn Casino in Henderson. The purchase agreement for both casinos was announced last July and was recommended for licensing by the Nevada Gaming Control Board last week.

"I believe they're poised to bring more profitability and that's better for the team members and customers," DeSimone said about ECL Water Street. "They have a critical mass of customers in that submarket." 

Brooks expects that most employees of The Pass will follow DeSimone to the two properties he's acquiring.  

"We're hoping to pick up some good employees from The Pass," said Brooks, who added that renovations may take a year and the property's name will be changed. He also said plans to expand Emerald Island were put on hold when The Pass deal came across the table. 

DeSimone built and opened a 90-room Atwell Suites next to The Pass that he will continue to operate. 

"We're not familiar with the hotel business, so we're happy to let Joe operate the hotel," Brooks said.