‘Amazing project’: Boyd Gaming begins construction of Henderson casino

Boyd Gaming Corp. executives, joined by Henderson’s City Council and leadership from the nearby 12,000-home master-planned Cadence development, broke ground Thursday on Cadence Crossing, a casino that will replace the 33-year-old Jokers Wild on Boulder Highway.

Flanked by construction equipment, dignitaries took turns with the ceremonial shoveling of dirt at the event.

Due to open in mid-2026, Cadence Crossing will have 450 slot machines and several as-yet-unidentified food and beverage outlets.

Boyd Executive Vice President of Operations Steve Schutte, who addressed the crowd of about 60 people, said Jokers Wild would continue to operate until the new casino is ready to open. It then will be demolished to make room for parking for the new facility.

Cadence Crossing is being built in phases that will match the development pace of the subdivision west of the casino, which Boyd said is the fastest-growing master-planned community in the country.

Eventually, the company plans to attach a hotel with an unspecified number of rooms to the casino.

“As we celebrate Boyd’s 50th year in business, we are excited to begin development of our newest entertainment destination in the Las Vegas Valley,” Schutte said in his presentation. “Cadence Crossing will allow us to better serve the rapidly growing master-planned community of Cadence — and to further expand our presence in Henderson as the Cadence community continues to grow in the years ahead.”

The 50,000-square-foot project with a 10,000-square-foot casino is Boyd’s first development in 20 years. The company unveiled plans for the project in its second-quarter earnings call in July. The project and other renovations at an out-of-state property are expected to be covered in a $100 million capital expenditure allocation on the company’s balance sheet.

Every member of the Henderson City Council attended and participated in the groundbreaking, and Mayor Michelle Romero explained how Cadence Crossing will accent the major overhaul being undertaken on South Boulder Highway.

“I’m so pleased to be here today in such good company to join you on the groundbreaking for this amazing project, and to give you an idea of how long I’ve been here, I remember when that was built,” Romero said, pointing to Jokers Wild. “Last fall, we began work on the reimagined Boulder Highway project, and the $170 million investment on these 7½ miles will have a positive impact across many facets of our community.”

Boyd dominates the Boulder Highway area, also owning Sam’s Town about six miles to the northwest and the shuttered Eastside Cannery.

“In a few years, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Boulder Highway, and it will be completely transformed from a dusty stretch that once carried Model T’s to a roadway for the 21st century with new amenities and we are thrilled that they (Boyd) are one of the first to make a significant investment in the future of Boulder Highway,” Romero said.

More jobs coming

It’s unclear how many new jobs would be created once Cadence Crossing opens.

“We typically don’t give out specific team member count detail for our properties, but there will be significantly more team members in the new facility than there are in the existing one,” Schutte said after the ceremony.

There also was no indication how many construction jobs would be provided.

The LandWell Co., based in Henderson, has built 5,000 homes in its Cadence community.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.