Golden Phoenix Reno
The new name—Golden Phoenix Reno—was announced in early 2002.The property's hotel reopened on April 2, 2002. It included 604 rooms, a Benihana steakhouse, a coffee shop, and a nightclub.The property's casino area opened in summer 2003, with an official grand opening. Prior to the casino's grand opening, the movie The Cooler was filmed at the Golden Phoenix.
Chicago real estate developer Fernando Leal put a bid in to buy the hotel-casino. Leal won his bid, and announced plans to convert the hotel-casino property into "The Montage" following a $170 million investment that would take the hotel property down to its concrete support columns, and rebuild condominiums based on the original platform. Leal closed the Golden Phoenix on December 6, 2005, and his crews began gutting the hotel building in spring 2006.
Hilton/Flamingo (1981–2001)
In 1981, the Sahara Reno became the Reno Hilton, then was renovated in 1989 and became the Flamingo Hilton Reno.
Flamingo Reno logo
In 2000, Hilton declined to renew its licensing agreement with the Flamingo brand, and the Flamingo Hilton Reno became simply the Flamingo Reno, returning to the original brand formed in the 1940s in Las Vegas.
The 604-room hotel-casino made a profit until its corporate owner Park Place Entertainment, owned by a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels, decided the resort was no longer profitable in a declining gaming market. They decided to close the property on October 23, 2001. It was soon sold to Vista Hospitality LLC of New York, which pledged to renovate and reopen the hotel-casino.
