Zona de Azar USA – NLV Establishment Addresses Gaming Gap by Catering to Latino Population

USA.- April 24th 2023 www.zonadeazar.com Though the Ojos Locos Sports Cantina y Casino opened its doors a few months ago, the venue — the first of its kind in Southern Nevada dedicated to the Latino community — is the fulfillment of a more than decade-old dream.

Fifth Street Gaming CEO Seth Schorr said that when he and his business partner acquired the North Las Vegas property that would become Ojos Locos in 2007 — rebranding it at the time to be the Lucky Club Hotel and Casino — the pair immediately recognized that the local Latino population was underserved.

“We’ve been catering to this community for a very long time,” Schorr said, noting the loyal customer base of Latinos that the Lucky Club drew. “The big leap took place two years ago when we said, ‘All right, we’ve been doing a great job with this audience. Now it’s finally time that we build a brand just for the Latino community — that we completely redo the place and go all in.’ ”

As it began exploring ways to do that, Schorr said, Fifth Street Gaming “serendipitously” encountered the Texas-based Ojos Locos — a sports bar chain headquartered in Dallas that caters primarily to the Latino community.

The two companies partnered to replace the Lucky Club with the Ojos Locos Sports Cantina y Casino, which would function as a unique location with a sports bar, sports betting and gambling, Schorr said. The 10,000-square-foot casino on Civic Center Drive is marketed to the Latino community, with Latino music and entertainment, and Spanish-first customer service, he said.

“And so the ownership of Ojos Locos, they shared that vision — they were excited about it,” Schorr said, sitting at a table near the casino’s video-poker bar. “And of course, we’ve landed, and fast-forward to February this year and here we are.”

The location is also attached to Hotel Jefe, another Fifth Street Gaming property that makes Ojos Locos the first U.S. hotel-casino dedicated to the Latino community, he said. About two-thirds of the hotel’s 90 rooms have been renovated so far, and Schorr said its existing customer base is largely made up of Latino community members.

More than 60 million Americans identify as Latino, Schorr said, and it’s important to not only market to them but also to do it in a way that is gracious and authentic.

“It’s a very, very large segment of our population,” he said. “And I would argue it’s underserved, pretty much in all areas of our business and entertainment.”

It’s a bold move for a gaming company to prioritize the Latino community the way Fifth Street Gaming and Ojos Locos have, and they’ve done it in a very sincere way, said Peter Guzman, president and CEO of the Latin Chamber of Commerce in Nevada.

The move could spur other businesses in the area to follow suit and market to the Latino community as well, Guzman said.

“For me, it just makes sense,” he said. “It creates jobs — creates opportunities. So, I think it’s a good thing.”

The casino has received exactly the reaction from patrons that it was hoping for, Schorr said, with customers enjoying the wide selection of food on Ojos Locos’ menu, an array of slot machines and more.

The hotel is expected to complete its renovation by the end of the year, and Schorr said he expects the casino to expand in the future — including with an outdoor tequila garden to host live entertainment.

Additionally, there are soccer matches seemingly always on the screens on a wall of televisions. The bar serves margaritas and Mexican-specialty mixed drinks.

“It’s been a very, very smooth opening,” Schorr said. “And I couldn’t ask for anything different. And it’s only gonna get better. We’re gonna continue to add to the property.”

Visiting the property for the first time, patron David Joaceus said he was already thinking about coming back.

Ojos Locos is friendly, aesthetic and seems different from other places in the area, Joaceus said, sitting at a booth in the restaurant and surrounded by screens — including one at his table — featuring different sports broadcasts.

“All in all, it’s definitely a fun experience,” he said.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com