Bay 101 is Moving Forward With a New Cardroom

Ever since Bay 101 purchased the San Jose Airport Garden Hotel on North First Street years ago, we knew it was just a matter of time before they would move ahead with a new project closer to M8trix. That time is apparently now, demolition of the 512 room hotel is going to begin by the end of the year. Bay 101 is going to construct a new casino and hotel worth around $100 million on that site.

The new card club will be two stories, 67,836 SQFT, and the same number of card tables as the current location (49). The layout will be more spread out and they are planning to do a high-end restaurant as an added attraction. The hotel would be seven stories and 174 room, which is actually much smaller than the hotel is replacing. It is too bad they are not planning to go larger with the first phase, because we really could use the extra hotel rooms.

There is a second phase being planned with a 10 story hotel tower and 150 rooms. In an area that could easily accommodate a 30 story hotel building (which would draw extra attention to the cardroom), this scale is very disappointing to me.

The parking lot east of the card room could also be developed into a 250,000 SQFT office building with 12 stories, but that would be in a far later phase. Bay 101's new home should be ready for gaming by Fall 2017.

Source: SVBJ

Bay 101 Planning New Complex Closer to M8trix

M8trix was a dramatic improvement over Garden City Casino, bringing with it a tiny bit of Vegas to San Jose and a colorful new tower. Now it looks like Bay 101 is looking to not only looking to do a similar remodel but move much closer to their gaming neighbor. They purchased a 20-acre hotel at 1740 N. First and are planning a 87,000 SQFT card club with two attached hotels with a combined 470 rooms, retail space, an upscale restaurant, and a six-story parking structure. Note that while the card club would be 12,000 SQFT larger than their current home, the number of gambling tables would be the same since the limit is set by San Jose voters. The skyline would also benefit from the two modest hotel towers as one would be 9 stories and the other would be 10, and both would be visible from Highway 101 and probably 880.

The new plans will happen in phases (much like M8trix which is also planning a hotel tower and celebrity-chef restaurant) with the card room happening first, followed by the hotels and the parking structure. The location is really ideal for them: no residential neighbors, close to 101, close to the airport, and next to techies along North First. It also would open a development opportunity on the site of the old casino. Looks like a nice project!

Source: SVBJ

M8trix Updates

M8trix is a new card room that is being built near Bay 101 and will be replacing Garden City Casino on Saratoga. Last week there was a Merc article with some additional tidbits on this $100 million project:

• Technology will be featured throughout the casino, including a 15ft LED chandelier and indoor lighting that can by changed on the fly.
• High-stakes card games will take place on the penthouse floor of the tower, with panoramic views of the South Bay.
• There will be a new bar in the gaming area, Asian noodle eatery, and a sports bar & grill. In total there will be 210 LCD TVs.
• The second phase of the project with an estimated completion in 2014 will cost over $120 million and feature a 220 foot high luxury hotel with up to 600 rooms and a four star restaurant.

That last tidbit has me particularly excited. San Jose is long overdue for a W or Westin Hotel, which the Merc mentioned. I remember there also being talks of a celebrity chef restaurant on top of the Phase 2 tower, but it was not mentioned in the article. Click here for more.

"A taste of Vegas in Silicon Valley?"

DLO from SJ21 found a great article in the Merc about a major casino development where Garden City would move to a new location less than a mile away from Bay 101. However, the new building would be much more than a casino (or card-club technically). It would be a $100m+ project featuring a 600-room upscale hotel, a theater for live acts, and several restaurants including one tied to a celebrity chef crowning a 15-story glass tower. Definitely an interesting read. Click here for the full article!