The Plaza Hotel & Casino announces opening of The Sand Dollar Lounge Downtown
The Plaza Hotel & Casino is excited to announce that live music and craft cocktail venue The Sand Dollar Lounge will be rocking the casino floor beginning early May 2022. The iconic local Las Vegas bar will offer free nightly entertainment from local bands and national headliners accompanied by original handcrafted cocktails, pizza, and pool. Official grand opening celebrations will begin Thursday, May 26 and continue throughout Memorial Day Weekend.
The second location for the iconic blues bar, The Sand Dollar Lounge Downtown will remain true to the vibes of the original, but with more room for an estimated 300 guests to rock in 4,000 sq. ft. of space adjacent to the Plaza’s casino floor. The new venue will mirror many of the same elements of the original location, such as the physical layout and vintage décor elements, like shimmering chandeliers and dark stained wainscotting. The additional space of the venue at the Plaza allowed for significant upgrades, including a larger stage area, more dance space, and expanded booth seating.
“The Plaza is known for its vintage Vegas character and The Sand Dollar Lounge Downtown will be a perfect complement to the experience we offer our guests,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “We are very excited to welcome The Sand Dollar Lounge Downtown, which will create a late-night destination for live music and craft cocktails unlike any other in downtown Las Vegas.”
“The Sand Dollar has become known as an unpretentious good time for Vegas locals and industry,” said Sand Dollar co-owner Nathan Grates. “Now we’re excited to be able to bring that vibe to downtown and Las Vegas visitors.”
The Sand Dollar co-owners Nathan Grates and Anthony Jamison worked with the Plaza to create the downtown craft cocktail and music venue that will serve pizza from the Plaza’s nationally recognized and award-winning Pop-Up Pizza. Accessible from the casino floor, the venue will also change the face of the downtown corridor with a second, new glittering entrance on Main Street.
The Sand Dollar Blues Bar opened its doors in 1976, instantly becoming one of Las Vegas’ most iconic bars. Some of the greatest musicians, including Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Mick Jagger, have graced the Sand Dollar stage. The Sand Dollar Blues Bar closed in 2007 but reopened on Spring Mountain in 2009 as The Sand Dollar Lounge, honoring the tradition and history of the Vegas venue. In 2015, Nathan Grates and Anthony Jamison, took over The Sand Dollar Lounge with a vision of bringing back its original luster.
Editor’s Note: High resolution photos from The Sand Dollar (past entertainers and cocktails) available online. Please credit: The Sand Dollar Lounge.
About the Plaza Hotel & Casino
Located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, the Plaza Hotel & Casino combines a vintage Rat Pack attitude with modern styling and personal customer service for the ultimate Vegas experience. First opened in 1971 and built on the site of the original Las Vegas railroad depot, the Plaza has nearly 1,000 modern rooms and suites, a classic Vegas showroom, downtown’s only bingo hall, and 30,000 sq. ft. of refurbished ballroom and meeting space. Larger outdoor events are hosted at the Plaza’s Core Arena, downtown’s only equestrian and multipurpose facility. Guests enjoy a variety of dining options led by the renowned Oscar’s Steakhouse in the hotel’s iconic glass dome overlooking the Fremont Street Experience. A new race & sports book along with hundreds of slot machines and nearly two dozen table games comprise an 80,000-square-foot casino floor. A fully renovated rooftop pool and recreation deck, complete with private cabanas, hot tub, food truck, tennis court and dedicated Pickleball courts, provide a variety of outdoor amenities. For more information on the multiple award-winning Plaza Hotel & Casino, visit www.plazahotelcasino.com. Get updates via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About The Sand Dollar Lounge
Originally opened as a blues bar in 1976, The Sand Dollar quickly became a draw for iconic musicians including Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and even Mick Jagger over its first 30 years. Hit by hard times, The Sand Dollar closed its doors in 2013, but its spirit would not let it rest and within two years the Chinatown-adjacent bar was purchased and reignited by hospitality veterans Anthony Jamison and Nathan Grates. Honoring the tradition and history of the iconic Las Vegas venue, The Sand Dollar Lounge has reclaimed its beloved spot as a premier live music venue with free entertainment nightly, adding rotating craft beer selections, an extensive whiskey collection, seasonal craft cocktails by some of the city’s best bartenders, an amazing pizza kitchen, and table-top gaming in a smoke-free environment. The Sand Dollar has been named “Cocktail Bar of the Year” (KNPR’s Desert Companion) and “Best Dive Bars” (Thrillist), and “one of the city’s top pizza spots” (Las Vegas Weekly). It also won a 2020 Pinnacle award for the Miracle On Spring Mountain pop-up from the Public Relations Society of America. For more information visit: thesanddollarlv.com, and follow on Facebook: @TheSandDollarLV and @TheSandDollarDT and on Instagram: @thesanddollarlv and @TheSandDollarDT.