The preliminary design, created by Al- exandr Sheykhet of Obermeier-Sheykhet Architects of Denver, includes a 27-story, 315-foot-tall hotel tower with about 100 luxury suites near the intersection of Law- rence and D Streets. The architect said the size of the hotel tower would be similar to the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in neighboring Black Hawk.
Tower would cut off sunlight
Residents from the nearby Casey Street hillside have protested the proposed hotel tower, saying it would cast shadows on their homes during the winter months.
The residents noted that their wood-frame homes need direct, natural sunlight to aid in heating and to help prevent potentially high fuel bills in winter. They
also frequently complained about the loss of scenic views from the front of their homes—since they would look directly into the hotel tower— during the Central City Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 3.
One of the biggest points of contention will be whether the city’s Land Use Code allows the tower to be built in the Gregory Gulch Gaming District. In other parts of the city, including the Historic Downtown Gaming District along Main and Eureka Streets, the code bans new buildings taller than the historic, four-story Teller House.
Test borings on the property
Sheykhet said there are no other spots on the 12.33-acre site where the hotel could be built. He explained to the Planning Commission that
test borings around the property uncovered underground mine shafts and tunnels – remnants from Central’s gold-mining era – which prevent those areas from being considered as potential hoteltower sites.
Planning commission
The Planning Commission sided with the Casey residents, voting 5-0 to reject the preliminary plans for the resort. The recommendation was forwarded to city council. Fey and aldermen Marcia Enloe, Todd Williams, Zane Plsek and Chuck Spencer are expected to hear comments from pro- and anti-GGGR sympathizers during Tuesday’s meeting. However, city council and the Central City Urban Development Authority – which includes the mayor and aldermen – previously announced the city will consider using eminent domain to help acquire land in the vicinity of the proposed resort.
Meanwhile, the five elected officials are also dealing with declining city revenues during their 2026 budget discussions this month. Without additional revenues, Central may struggle to pay for city services and infrastructure improvements. Members are also considering eliminating $25,000 donations to some of the city’s non-profit organizations, which is also likely to be disputed by residents in the months ahead.
No new recent casinos
The Central leaders are pen with Maverick Gaming’s Grand Z and Dragon Tiger Casinos. Maverick filed for bankruptcy in a federal Texa court on July 14. As part of its ing facility. Century’s parent company, Century Casinos Inc., reported a loss of $20.6 million in its first quarter. In August, the parent company announced that its board of directors authorized a “strategic review process” for the company’s operations, which also include casinos in West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Reno, Nev., Canada, and five casinos in Poland. It’s possible the parent companies
may consider closing some of their lower-revenue locations.
In recent years, Central’s professional real estate firm has been attempting to sell the Big T parking lot and adjoining Quartz Hill property to potential casino developers, although there haven’t been any offers for years.
Sheykhet previously stated that once the city grants preliminary approval for the Planned Unit Development, the final plans will be developed and presented to Central City in early 2026.