Executives from major downtown Las Vegas casinos said business remains solid and are cautiously optimistic about the future, even as uncertainty looms over shifting travel patterns, a widening “K-shaped economy,” and the city’s rising prices.
At a forum on Wednesday hosted by the Downtown Vegas Alliance, executives from Plaza, Circa, El Cortez, and the Fremont Street Experience discussed downtown gaming trends, visitor behavior, and economic pressures, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Cliff Atkinson, the newly appointed CEO of the Fremont Street Experience and former President of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, acknowledged that downtown Las Vegas is facing challenges and economic headwinds.
“But I believe in the resilience of this city. You look at what’s coming on the books in 2027 and 2028, we’re reinventing ourselves, and I think that’s what this city is most known for,” he noted.
Throughout much of 2025, declining tourism and complaints about rising costs, especially on the Strip, dominated headlines. Joe Woody, Chair of the Downtown Vegas Alliance and CFO of El Cortez, said that the event aimed to address those perceptions.
“There’s a lot of social media, there’s a lot of news media that we thought was overreporting the overcharging and prices and affordability of Las Vegas in general, and we didn’t like that message,” he said.
Jonathan Jossel, CEO of Plaza, cautioned that post-pandemic record growth may distort the perception of current trends: “I think the challenge that a lot of [casino operators] face is when you compare to 2022, 2023, and you had record growth in the city. It’s hard to compare.”
“There’s an expression that trees don’t grow to the sky,” he added. “And so, while things may not be as good as they were 12 to 24 months ago, it’s still pretty good.”
He emphasized that overall visitation and gaming spending remain strong, echoing recent statements from larger Strip operators about the health of the Las Vegas market.
Jeff Victor, Vice President of Operations for Circa Hospitality Group, which operates Circa, The D, and Golden Gate casinos downtown, highlighted the effect of the city’s emerging “K-shaped economy”—where wealthier visitors thrive while lower-income guests feel the pinch.
‘We’ve been watching this for several years now, where the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer,” he said. “Circa has done quite well. Those customers are not feeling it like some folks who are below the 9 percent line. The D has definitely felt it, and the Golden Gate has felt it quite a bit.”
Woody described the last six months at El Cortez as “remarkable,” attributing the success to a $20 million expansion and renovation. He noted the property is attracting both long-time patrons and new, higher-end visitors from the Strip and beyond.
Executives credited downtown’s enduring popularity to its mix of experiences, including lower minimum bets, shorter walking distances, and more personal interactions with staff.
“The thing that we have downtown that I hear a lot is the relationships that people feel like you developed,” Jossel said. “Whether it’s meeting Kenny [Epstein at El Cortez] or Derek [Stevens at Circa], people love coming downtown, meeting the individuals, talking to them, and feeling like they have a relationship.”
Jossel added that downtown casinos can “take care of a customer in a much more meaningful way” than many Strip resorts, creating a repeatable, personalized guest experience.
Despite economic and tourism challenges, panelists expressed confidence in downtown’s resilience. Atkinson said the area offers an irreplaceable authenticity. “It’s an authentic experience,” he said. “You can’t recreate the history (of downtown Las Vegas).”
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/03/20/118179-downtown-las-vegas-casinos-remain-optimistic-despite-economic-headwinds
