Aliante Station Hotel and Casino in North Las Vegas was formally inaugurated last night with a series of celebrations that included fireworks and a live performance by the pop celebrity Sheryl Crow. The $662 million hotel-casino officially opened its doors about 30 minutes before the time programmed (11:00 pm), thousands of guests and customers attended the pre-opening party, including high executives from other Las Vegas hotels and casinos such as the Palms owner George Maloof, MGM Mirage Chairman and CEO Terry Lanni and representatives from Boyd Gaming Corp., Cannery Casino Resorts and Golden Gaming.

Aliante Station will be opening in a middle of an uncertain economic panorama, on top of that, the new hotel will be competing with several other hotels and casinos, including three properties owned and operated by Station Casinos. The Texas Station, Fiesta Rancho and Santa Fe Station are all located within eight miles from the Alliante Station. The Aliante Station’s debut came only a day after Station Casinos reported a 10.5% drop in its third-quarter revenues, the company reported a net loss of $23.4 million for the third quarter ended Sept. 30^th. The company said that the main two reasons behind the loss are the lower revenues reported and the increased interest expenses on its debt load. Station Casinos Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Kelly, said the company is facing tough times, but made clear that such complicated financial situation is not exclusive of the company he represents.

"Everybody's revenues are down. We have to roll with the times and slug through It." said Kevin Kelly during the inaugural acts.

The Aliante Station Hotel and Casino features a total of 202 rooms, 2,554 slot machines, 40 table games, a high-limit area and an exclusive poker room. Station Casinos owns 4,250 hotel rooms at 11 properties around the Las Vegas area, including the Red Rock Valley Resort and Casino, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Palace Station Hotel & Casino, Sunset Station Hotel & Casino, Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel, Fiesta Rancho and Santa Fe Station.

Alliante Station is the first major hotel-casino to open in North Las Vegas in more than five years, will employ 1,400. The last hotel to open in North Las Vegas was the Cannery Hotel and Casino, which opened in January, 2003.