Caesars Entertainment makes a $200M bet on Lake Tahoe

Caesars Entertainment has made a $200 million investment to remake the former Harvey’s casino into Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, a move that reflects a broader effort to shift the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe from gaming‑centric operations to luxury, destination tourism. The renovation, which took roughly two years, was completed in time for the summer season and unveiled a refreshed pool, casino floor, dining outlets and entertainment venues. On Monday, July 27, 2026 at 2 a.m., the scene at the newly opened High Dive Pool and Lounge was vivid: yellow and achromatic umbrellas shaded rows of chaise lounges, sunbathers glistened with tanning oil, swimmers lingered in the heated pool, and a woman performed a handstand underwater while waitresses in red bikinis delivered cocktails. A playlist of popular hits, classic rock and electronic music played as a breeze rustled the conifer trees beyond the deck. “It was a sunny day in the middle of the week, and everyone was in vacation‑mode,” the article notes. The author described sitting on a green daybed, ordering an Aperol mango spritz and observing the setting, which felt “precise, chic, colorful and timeless”—reminiscent of the iconic Slim Aarons photograph from 1959 that hangs in the lounge by the bar. Aarons, a celebrated mid‑century photographer, captured a vibe of outdoor leisure that Caesars aims to echo. Originally known as Harvey’s, the property was rebranded Caesars Republic as part of the $200 million overhaul that transformed Tahoe’s longest‑running and largest casino. Karie Hall, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s and Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, said the renovations spanned about two years. “Gone is the old, acheronian and drink‑stained casino carpet of Harvey’s. Like taking a spin beforehand of the reflector in a dapper new suit, Caesars rolled out the new carpet, a bright, mesmerizing swirl of geometric patterns and psychedelic flowers,” she explained. The 88,000‑square‑foot casino floor now features new slot machines, tables and chairs, plus high‑stakes rooms for poker and slots where a single spin on a slot machine costs between $100 and $2,500, according to Hall. She added that the High Limit Room was the spot for celebrities and professional athletes during South Lake Tahoe’s annual celebrity poker tournament, which occurred a week before the author’s visit. The High Dive Pool and Lounge opened just days before the author arrived and was dubbed “the newest of the new” by Hall. The author took a dip, perched at the shallow end where legs dangled in the water, and chatted with Linda, a visitor from Canada who praised the Dragon Link slot machine for earning her complimentary room upgrades and show tickets. Linda noted she could receive the same perks in Reno but prefers Tahoe; that night she secured tickets to see Eric Church at the outdoor amphitheater adjacent to Caesars. Caesars acknowledges that visitors choose Tahoe over Las Vegas for the outdoors—water, trees and fresh air. In winter, guests plan trips around major snowstorms and ski at Heavenly Mountain Resort; in summer, they hike or head to the lake with families. After sunset, neon lights in Stateline, Nevada, flicker on and Caesars delivers gaming and entertainment into the night. The article traces the property’s humble beginnings to 1944, when Harvey Gross opened the Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall in a one‑room shack steps from the California‑Nevada border on Highway 50. Gross, a butcher living in South Lake Tahoe with his wife Llewellyn, launched the casino with three slot machines, two card tables and the sole 24‑hour gas pump between Placerville and Carson City. Llewellyn served homemade lunches, and a wagon wheel was nailed above the front door. Historian David Antonucci, author of “Environmental History of Lake Tahoe,” describes Gross and his rival William F. Harrah as “larger‑than‑life visionaries” who believed large, risky bets would not deter drive‑up gamblers despite adverse weather and distance from urban centers. Their intuition paid off: between 1960 and 1990, gaming revenues on the South Shore rose from $25.7 million to $352.7 million, Antonucci wrote. Gross eventually took over the entire city block, built an 11‑story high‑rise with 197 rooms in the 1960s and renamed the property Harvey’s Resort Hotel and Casino. After roughly four decades of success, Harvey’s suffered an unprecedented twist on Aug. 26, 1980, when workers in white jumpsuits delivered an IBM copy machine to the casino lobby—a ruse. The men had actually rolled a bomb‑filled device into the lobby. The 1980 bombing at Harvey’s remains one of the FBI’s most unusual cases; the device contained roughly 1,000 pounds of dynamite and at least eight triggering mechanisms. The FBI called it “one of the most unusual improvised explosive devices (IEDs) the Bureau has ever encountered,” dispatched its top experts, but even the nation’s leading specialists could not disarm the explosive. Officials evacuated the casinos in Stateline, and the following afternoon the device was remotely detonated, creating a five‑story crater in the hotel. Today, no trace of the infamous Harvey’s bomb remains, though the lobby has reopened by design. The bombing marked a physical and possibly psychological shift for the casino. For decades, gaming dominated Tahoe casinos; patrons drove to Stateline solely to gamble, Antonucci said in a telephone interview, until competition emerged from tribal casinos and online platforms. This prompted Tahoe’s casinos to diversify into other forms of entertainment. In 1992 the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena (now the Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre) opened with a Gipsy Kings concert; it moved to its current location in 2005 and was renovated. Outdoor concerts have since become a long‑running draw, hosting acts such as Bob Dylan, Beyoncé, Stevie Nicks, Elton John, Phish and many more. Even on a Wednesday, the hotel was filling with country‑music fans arriving to see Eric Church at the outdoor arena. Concertgoers wore cowboy boots and hats, mini skirts, fringe jackets and denim, valet‑parked their cars and streamed into the lobby. Caesars enlisted renowned Las Vegas designers and architects—including Marnell Companies, the firm behind Caesars Palace, the Bellagio and the Wynn—to elevate the Lake Tahoe property. The lobby is hardly recognizable compared with its Harvey’s incarnation; escalators have been replaced by an airy, spacious area that serves as a central gathering spot with a retail shop and Cleo’s, a café serving coffee by day and craft cocktails by night. Above, a constellation of blue and silver lights hangs from the ceiling; when viewed from below, the lights form the silhouette of a wolf, the emblem of the Caesars Republic brand inspired by the she‑wolf of Roman mythology who raised Romulus and Remus. The two hotel towers have also been renamed after the twins. Hall noted that ancient Rome plays a large role in the rebranding, as do Lake Tahoe and the mountains; a three‑dimensional mountain scene adorns the artwork behind the front desk. “A lot of people are coming for Lake Tahoe and we are a complement to that,” Hall said. “We give them a great experience, a great entertainment experience, a great dining experience.” Live music, whimsical cocktails and late nights continue to define the venue. From a room on one of the upper floors, the view of Lake Tahoe sparkles; the sun slips behind a white fluffy cloud, and the author traced the shadow formed on the water as a dozen or so boats crossed the lake. Beyond Highway 50, the landscape stretches to Echo Summit, Mount Tallac and the glacier‑carved granite of Desolation Wilderness. The elevator descended to the casino floor, where it was officially 5 p.m.; many patrons had already claimed spots at the bar, sipping cocktails and playing barroom slots. Concertgoers arrived early for drinks and bites before the Eric Church show. A line formed outside Wolf by Vanderpump, the restaurant created by reality‑TV restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump, which brims with intricate details that together tell a gothic‑fairy‑tale story set in the woods, complete with an oversized fireplace and a cozy library. Every element of Wolf is intentionally extravagant, from the chain‑mail motif hanging above the booths and the spinning chandeliers to the fur‑trimmed chairs and moss spilling from lanterns. The author admired the cocktails, which were crafted with “pure, unabashed whimsy”: espresso martinis served with miniature donuts; gin and tonics infused with butterfly pea syrup and lavender bitters, oversized and served in goblets; and the standout Sheep’s Clothing—a jalapeño‑strawberry martini topped with a fabric‑candy garnish sculpted onto the glass like a puffy cloud, meant to capture Tahoe’s alpenglow sunset in a drink. The espresso martini gave the author the needed jolt to head to the outdoor entertainment area, where opener Ernest, a Nashville‑based vocalist with a full band, performed. As the sun slipped behind the mountains and the sky streaked with oranges and pinks, Eric Church took the stage wearing his signature dark sunglasses. Church remarked from the stage, “This is one of my favourite places to play in America.” He added, “I know it’s a Wednesday night. I don’t give a s‑‑‑t. Tonight, we’re going to have a damn good time.” The crowd roared in agreement, and Church performed until just before 11 p.m. The entertainment continued well into the night and early morning, taking a cue from Las Vegas. After the arena emptied, the casino filled with concertgoers seeking the next stop—Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords, a new music venue situated in the heart of the casino. Inspired by Tahoe’s own Loch Ness Monster, Tessie’s is billed as the Tahoe counterpart to some of Las Vegas’ most legendary music venues. Clique Hospitality, the firm behind Caspian’s Cocktails and Caviar at Caesars Palace, gave Tessie’s a decidedly cabin‑y feel: faux wood‑panelled walls, saddle‑height bar stools and a reclaimed historic wood bar delivered from an old barn in Pennsylvania. Hall said Tessie’s aims to let guests “create and get rowdy,” offering a nightly slate of local musicians performing covers and classic rock. Servers encourage patrons to stand on the tables and dance; the couches are built for jumping, though Hall cautioned they are “not wholly stiletto‑proof, but pretty close.” There is no cover charge, and the music was loud and fun. The author, a parent of young children who rarely stays out past 8 p.m., found themselves hooked when the band launched into a Cure cover. Onstage, vocalist Miranda Rae Love performed with a local instrumentalist known as Tahoe Tommy, delivering a midnight‑casino set list that included Tom Petty, Alanis Morissette, Janis Joplin and Nirvana—“good, truly good,” the author noted. Musicians who had played earlier with Ernest wandered into the venue, joining the dancing crowd near the stage. One band member told the author, “She’s truly good.” The group performed Nirvana to an enthusiastic audience that demanded an encore. © 2026 SFGate, San Francisco. Visit https://www.sfgate.com/. Distributed by https://www.tribunecontentagency.com/.