In 2003, Texas-based developer Tracy Suttles made a failed attempt to purchase the Westward Ho for $78 million. According to the Westward Ho, Suttles could not provide funding to close the deal, and escrow was terminated in September 2003. According to the Westward Ho, Suttles tried again to purchase the property in 2004, depositing $1 million but failing to make an additional payment of $2 million, after which escrow was terminated again following multiple extensions. Suttles said that he did have the $2 million, and that the Westward Ho agreed to loan him the shortfall, a claim to which the Westward Ho owners said there was no evidence.
[12]
In June 2005, Suttles filed a lawsuit against Westward Ho Properties LLC, alleging that the owners of the hotel-casino chose not to proceed with his 2003 deal as part of an attempt to get more money for the property, which had increased in value since the time of the initial deal. The Westward Ho responded, "Since the prior deal in 2003 ... Suttles had represented that he had readily available equity and financing to consummate the purchase of the property. Yet it became clear that each of these representations was untrue as he failed to meet all deadlines for depositing funds, other than the initial deposits. Sellers were led to believe that Suttles lacked any credibility whatsoever."
[12]
On September 14, 2005, it was announced that the Westward Ho would close on November 17, 2005, as it was in the process of being sold to Centex Destination Properties, a division of
Centex Corporation.
[13] Centex, along with North Dakota hotel developer Tharaldson Companies, purchased the Westward Ho for $145.5 million,
[14] or $9.5 million per acre.
[15] Under the companies' agreement, Centex would act as the managing partner in a new project that would replace the Westward Ho.
[14] Later that month, Voyager Entertainment International announced an agreement with Centex to build a giant Ferris wheel as part of a master-planned resort to be built on the Westward Ho property. Voyager had unsuccessfully attempted to build
its giant Ferris wheel on several different properties in Las Vegas.
[16]
The Westward Ho closed at 5:00 p.m. on November 17, 2005.
[17][18][19] Centex's plans for the property included the possibility of multiple hotels, as well as a casino and a residential aspect. Centex considered incorporating the shell of the Westward Ho's front building – facing the Las Vegas Strip – into the design of the new project. Plans for the new project were expected to be announced by mid-2006.
[20] The Westward Ho and its 27 buildings were approved for demolition in January 2006.
[21] The demolition debris, known as
riprap, was used by the
Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee to stabilize the
Las Vegas Wash.
[22][23]
In June 2006, Centex ceded a majority of its share in the property to Tharaldson Companies. That month, owner Gary Tharaldson planned to propose a $1.8 billion
mixed-use project with 1,000
condo hotel units, 600 condominium units, 600 hotel rooms, an 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) casino, and 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) of retail space.
[14] By July 2006,
Harrah's Entertainment had picked up
options to purchase the Westward Ho property, and began negotiations to sell the land to
Boyd Gaming – developer of the adjacent
Echelon Place – in exchange for the
Barbary Coast hotel-casino, also on the Las Vegas Strip.
[24][25] The exchange was completed later that year, at which point the Westward Ho land was valued at $101.6 million. Boyd planned to use the former Westward Ho property for a potential future expansion of Echelon Place,
[14] which was later delayed and, as of 2021, reopened under the name of
Resorts World Las Vegas.
[26]
In 2012, the
Las Vegas Sun included the Westward Ho on its list of "extinct casino brands we'd like to see return to the Strip," writing, "For a town still full of cowboys, we sure are short on Western themed casinos."
[27
In November 2004, a new 13,000 sq ft (1,200 m2) business known as The Ho was opened on the rear portion of the Westward Ho's property, at 2920 South Industrial Road. The Ho offered a small casino with five table games, 200 slot machines, and a sports book. Also offered was a convenience store, a gas station, a lounge and a restaurant. The Ho had 130 employees and 300 parking spaces, and was the only gas station on Industrial Road. The
Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that The Ho had "possibly the smallest sports book ever built, with four television screens."
[36]
Management at the Westward Ho hoped to have The Ho become a popular
locals casino, particularly among people who worked in the hundreds of businesses along Industrial Road. Other potential clientele would include people who used Industrial Road to avoid traffic on the nearby Las Vegas Strip. As of January 2005, The Ho's lounge area was used for karaoke contests. Management planned to ultimately introduce live entertainment for five to six nights a week. "The Ho" was a shortened name for the Westward Ho that had been commonly used by customers.
[36] The Ho closed on November 25, 2005.
