Last Updated on July 31, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Palms Casino Resort has changed hands several times since the Maloof family opened it in 2001. Those ownership changes can be confusing because the Maloofs, private-equity firms, Station Casinos, Red Rock Resorts, and San Manuel have all been connected to the property at different times. Today, however, the answer is clear.
Quick Answer
Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas is owned and operated by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, a governmental instrumentality of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. San Manuel acquired the resort from Red Rock Resorts for $650 million in December 2021.
Key Takeaways
- The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, or SMGHA, currently owns and operates Palms Casino Resort.
- SMGHA is a governmental instrumentality of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, which was formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
- The Maloof family developed the Palms and opened the resort in 2001, but lost controlling ownership through a 2011 restructuring.
- Station Casinos acquired the Palms in 2016 for $312.5 million.
- The widely reported $690 million event in 2019 was a Red Rock redevelopment, not a Maloof family buyback.
- Red Rock Resorts sold the Palms to San Manuel for $650 million in December 2021.
- The resort reopened on April 27, 2022, as the first Las Vegas casino resort fully owned and operated by a Native American tribe.
Palms Ownership Timeline at a Glance
Ownership at a Glance
| Year | Ownership Event |
| 2001 | The Maloof family opens Palms Casino Resort, with George Maloof Jr. overseeing the project and resort. |
| 2011 | Private-equity creditors TPG and Leonard Green & Partners obtain a controlling stake through a debt restructuring. The Maloof family retains only a small minority interest. |
| 2016 | Station Casinos, under Red Rock Resorts, acquires the Palms ownership entities for $312.5 million. |
| 2019 | Red Rock completes a $690 million redevelopment. No ownership transfer to the Maloof family occurs. |
| 2021 | San Manuel acquires the Palms from Red Rock Resorts for $650 million. The sale closes in December. |
| 2022 | Palms reopens on April 27 under San Manuel ownership. |
| Today | The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority owns and operates Palms Casino Resort. |
The Original Owners of Palms Casino Resort
The Maloof family developed Palms Casino Resort, with George Maloof Jr. taking the leading role in creating and operating the property. The resort opened in 2001 just west of the Las Vegas Strip.
The original vision was different from that of many traditional Las Vegas resorts. The Palms blended a locals casino with upscale rooms, nightlife, restaurants, art, live entertainment, and a strong celebrity-focused image. Its appearance on television and its high-profile parties helped turn it into a major pop-culture destination during the early 2000s.
The Maloofs were closely associated with the resort’s public identity. However, being the original developers does not mean that the family has remained the owner throughout the Palms’ history.
How the Maloofs Lost Control in 2011
The Palms faced financial pressure following the economic downturn and accumulated substantial secured debt. In 2011, the Maloof family reached a recapitalization agreement with creditors connected to TPG and Leonard Green & Partners.
Under the restructuring, the creditors exchanged secured debt for a controlling ownership position in the resort. The Maloof family’s stake was reduced to a small minority interest, although George Maloof continued to have an operating role for a period.
This step is essential to understanding the later ownership history. When Station Casinos acquired the Palms in 2016, it was not simply purchasing the property directly from the Maloof family. It was acquiring the entities that controlled and operated the resort after the private-equity restructuring.
Station Casinos Purchased the Palms in 2016
In May 2016, Red Rock Resorts announced that its Station Casinos subsidiary had agreed to acquire Palms Casino Resort for $312.5 million. The acquisition was completed later that year.
Red Rock Resorts is the parent organization associated with Station Casinos. As a result, reports from this ownership period may refer to either Station Casinos or Red Rock Resorts. Both names describe connected parts of the same corporate ownership structure.
Note: Station Casinos operated the property, while Red Rock Resorts was the publicly traded parent company. That is why historical sources may identify either company as the owner.
After the acquisition, Red Rock began an extensive redevelopment intended to refresh the hotel, casino, restaurants, entertainment spaces, guest rooms, meeting facilities, and exterior appearance.
The 2019 Renovation Was Not a Maloof Buyback
A common error in accounts of the Palms’ history is the claim that the Maloof family bought the property back in 2019 for $650 million. That transaction did not happen.
Red Rock Resorts still owned the Palms in 2019. According to its regulatory filing, the company completed a $690 million redevelopment in September of that year. The project included a renovated and expanded casino floor, remodeled rooms and suites, new dining and nightlife venues, meeting-space improvements, digital signage, and exterior upgrades.
The similarity between the $690 million renovation figure and the later $650 million sale price may have contributed to confusion. The first amount represented redevelopment spending under Red Rock ownership. The second represented the price San Manuel agreed to pay for the resort in 2021.
Warning: Articles that say the Maloof family reacquired the Palms in 2019 are incorrect. No Maloof buyback occurred that year.
San Manuel Acquired the Palms in 2021
On May 4, 2021, Red Rock Resorts announced an agreement to sell Palms Casino Resort to a subsidiary of the San Manuel gaming and hospitality organization for $650 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments and regulatory approval.
Nevada gaming regulators approved the transaction, and the sale closed in December 2021. Red Rock Resorts later reported the completed $650 million disposition in its annual filing.
The $650 million transaction transferred the Palms from Red Rock Resorts to San Manuel in December 2021—not to the Maloof family in 2019.
San Manuel prepared the resort for a return after it had remained closed during the pandemic period. Palms officially reopened on April 27, 2022, with a Tribal ceremony, entertainment, and a community celebration.
Who Owns the Palms Hotel and Casino Today?
Palms Casino Resort is currently owned and operated by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority. SMGHA is a governmental instrumentality created to own and manage gaming and hospitality businesses outside the San Manuel Reservation.
SMGHA is associated with Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, a federally recognized Native American tribe based near Highland, California. The Nation was formerly known publicly as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, so older transaction records and press releases use that former name.
The Palms describes itself as an independent company under San Manuel ownership. It is not currently owned by Red Rock Resorts, Station Casinos, or the Maloof family.
Under San Manuel ownership, Palms became the first Las Vegas casino resort fully owned and operated by a Native American tribe. The reopened property includes two hotel towers with 766 rooms and suites, a roughly 95,000-square-foot casino, restaurants, bars, the Pearl Theater, meeting and event space, pools, a spa, a movie theater, and access to the neighboring Palms Place development.
What San Manuel Ownership Means for the Palms
The ownership change began a new chapter rather than a complete physical rebuilding of the resort. Red Rock had completed the major redevelopment shortly before the sale, so San Manuel was able to reopen much of the renovated property while restoring selected dining, entertainment, and hospitality experiences.
The current operation emphasizes Tribal hospitality values, community involvement, responsible gaming, live entertainment, dining, and service for both Las Vegas residents and visitors. The official Palms website continues to identify the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority as the organization behind the property.
There is no need to rely on rumors about a Maloof return or continued Station Casinos control. Current ownership information is available directly from Palms and Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
The Legacy of Palms Casino Resort
The Palms has maintained a distinctive place in Las Vegas history because each ownership era shaped the property differently. The Maloof family created its original celebrity-driven identity. Private-equity ownership followed during a period of financial restructuring. Station Casinos and Red Rock Resorts then acquired and extensively redeveloped the property.
San Manuel’s 2021 acquisition added another historic milestone. When Palms reopened in 2022, it became the first Las Vegas casino resort fully owned and operated by a Native American tribe.
Although the resort’s venues and business strategy have changed over time, its combination of gaming, accommodations, restaurants, nightlife, art, and live entertainment remains central to its identity. Its current chapter is defined by San Manuel ownership and the broader hospitality vision of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas?
Palms Casino Resort is owned and operated by the San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority, a governmental instrumentality of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
When did San Manuel acquire Palms Casino Resort?
The acquisition agreement was announced in May 2021, and the $650 million sale closed in December 2021 after regulatory approval.
Did the Maloof family buy the Palms back in 2019?
No. Red Rock Resorts owned the Palms in 2019 and completed a $690 million redevelopment that year. The later $650 million sale was to San Manuel in 2021.
When did Station Casinos acquire the Palms?
Station Casinos, under Red Rock Resorts, acquired the Palms ownership entities in 2016 for $312.5 million.
Is the Palms still part of Station Casinos?
No. Station Casinos and Red Rock Resorts no longer own the Palms. Red Rock sold the resort to San Manuel in December 2021.
What is the ownership history of Palms Casino Resort?
The Maloof family opened the resort in 2001. Private-equity creditors gained control through a 2011 restructuring. Station Casinos acquired it in 2016, and San Manuel acquired it from Red Rock Resorts in 2021.
Why is San Manuel ownership historically significant?
When the resort reopened in April 2022, Palms became the first Las Vegas casino resort fully owned and operated by a Native American tribe.
What amenities does Palms Casino Resort offer?
The resort offers hotel rooms and suites, casino gaming, restaurants, bars, live entertainment, the Pearl Theater, meeting and event facilities, pools, a spa, a movie theater, and other hospitality experiences.
Sources
- Palms Casino Resort Responsible Gaming — current San Manuel ownership and company structure.
- Willkie Farr & Gallagher: 2011 Palms Recapitalization — creditor takeover and reduction of Maloof control.
- Red Rock Resorts 2016 Acquisition Announcement — Station Casinos’ $312.5 million purchase.
- Red Rock Resorts 2020 Form 10-K — the $690 million redevelopment completed in 2019.
- SEC Filing: 2021 Palms Sale Agreement — the $650 million sale to a San Manuel subsidiary.
- Palms Casino Resort Reopening Announcement — April 2022 reopening, Tribal ownership, room count, casino size, and major amenities.
