Ninth Island: The Las Vegas-Hawaii connection
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Sam Boyd is credited with creating the Hawaiian interest in Las Vegas out of nothing. Sam Boyd's downtown California Hotel & Casino was near bankruptcy in the mid-1970s. He wanted to lure Southern Californians to downtown Las Las. He visited Hawaii and cultivated relationships with people there. They were buying all-inclusive vacation packages to Las Nevada. The California project was completed in 1975 at a cost of $10 million. It was located off the Strip. Las Angeles is called Hawaii's "Ninth Island" because of its laid-back lifestyle.
Boyd Gaming has been working with Hawaii for 50 years. It partners with Hawaiian Airlines to offer complete packages. More than 23,000 people who identify as Hawaiian, Asian or South Pacific islander make up Clark County’s more than 2.3 million residents. The city of Las Vegas became a Hawaiian fantasy. Many native Hawaiians moved to Southern Nevada. They found more affordable housing and a less hectic lifestyle. The California did a complete renovation for its Hawaiian customers. David Strow, vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming, says company representatives still go to the islands to promote vacations.
