The Gold Coast opened in December 1986. It was the first casino built from the ground up by Las Vegas casino mogul Michael Gaughan, who already operated the Barbary Coast on the Las Vegas Strip. Upon opening, the Gold Coast was the first casino to have a first-run movie theater in Las Vegas (the original MGM Grand had a theater screening MGM classics) and was specifically catering to the growing "locals" market of the Las Vegas suburbs. It was the second major resort built on the west side of Interstate 15, ten years after Palace Station.[citation needed] In October 1995, the largest jackpot in the state at the time, $10,918,881.00, was won by an anonymous man on a "Megabucks" slot machine.[1]
The Gold Coast went through major renovations in 2002 that provided additional space for parking, restaurants and gaming. During the renovations, the resort's theme was changed from a dark country western gambling hall to a more modern gaming facility.[citation needed] Several acts such as The Jordanaires and Forever Plaid have taken place at the casino's 490-seat Gold Coast Showroom.[2] Gaughan merged his Coast Casinos brand, which included the Gold Coast, with Boyd Gaming in 2004.
Along with several other local casinos, Gold Coast closed its poker rooms in 2011 due to financial reasons.[3]
In August 2016, Gold Coast opened a new steakhouse, Cornerstone, in the space formerly occupied by the Cortez Room.
