For most out-of-towners, the Strip is the main attraction in Las Vegas. Those who live here, however, often shy away from the bustling tourist corridor.
It’s those people — along with regional visitors from Southern California — who are actively courted by the M Resort in Henderson.
“We’re taking a harder look at locals and local people doing more things at the M,” said Hussain Mahrous, the resort’s general manager. “I’m starting my fourth year here in Vegas, and I have no desire to go to the Strip — the traffic, the crowds, the prices. It’s good to be off-Strip.”
With its elevated perch at the southern edge of the valley, the resort offers something most off-Strip casinos don’t — picturesque views looking north to the Strip.
The folks who run M Resort can see it, but they don’t want to be it.
For now, the resort, which has been celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, is continuing to focus on expanding its entertainment offerings.
The resort has hosted acts such as pop star Kesha, and country star Gary Allan will play poolside May 4 for an expected crowd of 5,000. It has also beefed up its shows at its more intimate venues.
“There was a time when you would come to the M Resort and, if it wasn’t a Friday or Saturday night in our main lounge, you weren’t getting any type of entertainment,” Mahrous said. “Now, if you come on a Friday or a Saturday night, there’s live entertainment at the Hostile Grape, our wine cellar, and at our central casino bar.”
M Resort, at the corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard South, has nearly 400 hotel rooms and suites, seven restaurants, multiple bars and Spa Mio.
“A lot of people have to make a bit of a drive to get here, so we try to do things differently than everyone else,” said Michael Credico, the resort’s vice president of food and beverage operations. “We try to really make it worth their while. At the Hostile Grape, you can sit down, listen to some acoustic music and try 160 wines one ounce at a time if you want.”
The resort also has a Topgolf swing suite, where visitors can test their golf swing and play virtual games.
Anthony Marnell III designed the property, which is now owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc., a Pennsylvania-based real estate investment trust. It is managed by Penn National Gaming.
Mahrous said expansion in the valley, such as the construction of a new NFL football stadium and the arrival of the Raiders next year, “bodes really well for us as a property ... We’re just excited, because who doesn’t want to be part of this kind of a growth success story?”
But the off-Strip casino market is competitive, he said. The M Resort’s main rivals include Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson, the Silverton and South Point, he said.
“Look at a place like GVR — that’s a gorgeous property and they’ve done a lot of fun stuff on that property, much like we’ve done,” Mahrous said. “I think it’s a fun, healthy competition between us all. We have our legacy Henderson people and we love them, but we have all our new residents, too. That crowd has different expectations.”
Then there’s the regional customer who comes from California or Arizona. “They’ve been to the Strip a hundred times and stayed on the Strip a hundred times,” Mahrous said. “That customer might stop short of the Strip to save on some of the fees and some of the hassle and come here or to one of our competitors.”
“You have to be a jack of all trades,” he said.