Oyo Las Vegas Hooters Closes Permanently Amid Modernization Efforts

As part of a broader modernization effort, Hooters has officially closed its location at Oyo Las Vegas, a hotel situated just east of the Strip on Tropicana Avenue. The closure follows the bankruptcy filing of Hooter’s parent company earlier this year, which led to the shutdown of dozens of locations nationwide in June.

Hooters at Oyo Las Vegas Closes

In an earlier version of this article, we said that the reasons for the closure were unknown at the time of writing. However, Oyo Las Vegas kindly reached out to us to explain that the restaurant closed its doors as part of a larger modernization of the hotel and casino.

While Hooters of America’s own national bankruptcy proceedings have resulted in multiple closures across the US, our actions here are driven by a deliberate investment in upgrades.

Oyo statement

Oyo Las Vegas was formerly known as Hooters Hotel & Casino and was once popular for its $1 minimum blackjack tables. After the property was rebranded in 2019, the Hooters restaurant remained open; however, according to Vital Vegas, its revenue was cut nearly in half in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Despite selling its Las Vegas casino for $135 million in 2019 and shuttering around 40 underperforming locations last year, the chain still struggled to manage its $300 million debt load. According to Bloomberg, Hooters even had to work with a law firm to prepare a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The company’s downturn has been attributed to declining customer traffic and ongoing financial difficulties. 

Patrons Comment on the Closure

Hooters’ Las Vegas venue’s closure still came as a surprise to many, as Sal Melilli, chief executive of Hooters of America, stated that the company’s renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay. This caught a lot of patrons and regulars off guard, many of whom went on to online forums to express their surprise.

“Loved the wings…..and the atmosphere too,” one customer wrote when reading the news about the restaurant’s closure. “Well. That’s some deflating news,” wrote another.

With the closure of the venue, many people started asking how this would affect Oyo’s Las Vegas property. According to many, the hotel will likely see a large decline in visitors, because Hooters was one of the main attractions of the venue. “How many people do you think went out of their way to go to OYO because of Hooters?” one commenter wrote. “Is there a good Oyo property anywhere in the world?” another criticized the hotel now that it no longer offers Hooters as an option for guests.

“Closing the walkways to it gave that place a death sentence,” one commenter reflected on the reasons why the restaurant was closed. Meanwhile, another stated that they wouldn’t be surprised if Oyo closes and gets bulldozed for employee parking for other upcoming Las Vegas projects and venues.

Oyo to Reveal a Huge Modernization and Makeover

While the closure came as a surprise to many patrons, this is all part of Oyo Las Vegas’ plans for a large refurbishment. Efforts are currently in progress to modernize all three guest elevators, with a primary goal of substantially increasing their speed, a key enhancement designed to address one of the most frequent guest concerns.

Additionally, the hotel has initiated upgrades to its central air conditioning system to improve overall comfort across the property, with room renovations planned as the next phase. The swimming pools have also been significantly enlarged, providing guests with a more spacious and enjoyable setting. Meanwhile, the former Hooters space is being reimagined as a brand-new dining venue.

“The closure of Hooters at OYO Hotel & Casino Las Vegas gives us the opportunity to introduce an exciting new restaurant concept, which will bring fresh dining experiences to our guests,” said Nikhil Heda, head of development, OYO US. “Our goal is to reimagine the property, so it continues to stand out as a top choice for visitors to the Las Vegas Strip.”