# Tuscany Suites and Casino

Tuscany Suites and Casino is located east of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The project was conceived by Las Vegas developer Charles Heers, and is owned by his son Brett Heers. The all-suite hotel opened in December 2001, with 716 rooms. The casino, which includes 24,665 sq ft (2,291.5 m$^2$) of gaming space, opened on January 17, 2003.

## History

The Tuscany was conceived by Las Vegas developer Charles Heers, whose family also owned the Vacation Village hotel and casino. The Tuscany is located on Flamingo Road, east of the Las Vegas Strip. In 1988, Heers purchased 17.5 acres (7.1 ha) of the land from the Howard Hughes estate, and later purchased an additional 10 acres (4.0 ha).
For over a decade, a life-sized ship advertised Heers' plan for the Caribbean resort, which never materialized because of high interest rates. As early as 1997, Heers had approached Gary Ellis, owner of the adjacent Ellis Island Casino, about the possibility of managing the Caribbean.
Heers eventually scrapped the Caribbean project, and began construction on the Italian-themed Tuscany hotel in January 2001, after interest rates fell to an acceptable level. The project would eventually include a casino, which was to be managed by the Ellis Island. The all-suite Tuscany hotel opened in December 2001. The casino had a soft opening on January 17, 2003. An official grand opening was planned within two months, after the completion of convention space.
The Tuscany cost $100 million to build, and was owned by Heers and business partner Gaylord Yost, an Arizona contractor.They hoped to attract both tourists and local residents, including resort employees from the Las Vegas Strip. The casino was expected to boost the hotel's occupancy.
Negotiations with Ellis began in January 2004, to combine the operations of Ellis Island and the Tuscany. Three months later, Ellis agreed to invest in the Tuscany for joint ownership and the management of its casino. At that time, the Tuscany's casino had not been attracting its targeted clientele, partially because of competition from Ellis Island. In June 2004, Heers suddenly abandoned the deal before it was finalized and then ceased contact with Ellis. The following month, Ellis filed a lawsuit against Heers, accusing him of breach of contract, fraud and misappropriation of trade practices secrets. According to Heers' lawyer, Ellis changed the conditions of the deal, leading Heers to back out of it upon learning that Ellis planned to sell Ellis Island without combining the two properties into one company.
Brett Heers, the son of Charles, took over operations in 2009, as his father's health was in decline. Charles Heers held 95-percent ownership, while his son held the remainder. Charles died 12 years later, at the age of 94, leaving his son as the owner of the Tuscany.
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation into claims that the Tuscany had been discriminating against non-citizen job applicants for the past five years. In 2012, the DOJ filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Tuscany, which then agreed to pay a $49,000 fine to settle the suit.
A renovation of the hotel rooms took place from 2015 to 2017, costing $5 million. In 2020, the Tuscany entered a deal with Circa Sports, which began operating the casino's sportsbook the following year.
The Tuscany is located near the track for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, an annual racing event that began in 2023. The Tuscany signed a five-year deal to serve as the host hotel for catering and media officials affiliated with the race. In conjunction with this, the property launched a renovation that included new paint, carpeting, and elevators.

## Features

The Tuscany has 716 suites, and a casino with 24,665 sq ft (2,291.5 m$^2$) of gaming space.
The Tuscany is popular among locals and convention-goers, in part for its restaurants. Palazzo Ristorante opened in 2002, followed a year later by Marilyn's, named after Heers' wife. A food court was also added in 2003, along with convention space on the casino building's second floor. Pub 365, which serves food and 365 types of beer, was added in 2016. The property also featured an Italian steakhouse known as Tuscany Gardens, which was renovated and renamed as Bistecca in 2024.
The Tuscany is also popular for its live entertainment. The Piazza Lounge opened in 2003, featuring free performances nightly. The property also includes the Copa Room, which is home to paid entertainment. Originally called the T Spot Lounge, it was renamed in honor of the Copa Room, a Strip venue where the Rat Pack had performed. A tribute show, The Rat Pack Is Back, opened at the Tuscany's Copa Room in 2015, coinciding with the venue's name change. Jew Man Group, featuring a trio of comedians, is also performed at the Tuscany.