Just when you thought Station Casinos was taking a nap, it up and surprises you. According to LVA sources, Station has purchased the Palms, bringing it nearer the Strip 
than ever and lending an extra cachet of hipness to the company’s image. Neither Station nor Palms minority owner George Maloof would take LVA’s calls, suggesting that this is a done deal. If so, Station would have succeeded in effacing Maloof from the Las Vegas casino business, having previously bought his Fiesta in North Las Vegas. (The other Fiesta, in Henderson, is a rethemed version of Ameristar Casinos‘ failed The Reserve.) We’ll keep you attuned to details as they emerge.
* Scratch one casino: The Westin Las Vegas is closing The Max Casino, planning to convert the space to a restaurant as the Westin repositions itself for conventioneers. Whether as The Maxim or the Westin Casuarina (under previous owner Columbia Sussex), this has been an ill-starred property and its latest failure as a gaming venue does nothing to change that rap. Remember that The Maxim was the site of the infamous employee memo, “Firings will continue until morale improves.”
