Ah, the artist *cough* I mean building formerly known as the Lady Luck.
I know it as the place my aunt worked at when she first moved to Vegas way back in the 80s. I remember wandering around it quite a few times as a young one (as a teen I wandered around Fremont St. in general really). It was a garish and smoky monstrosity on the inside with pink tube lighting and mirrored walls and ceilings. And yet on the outside it basically just looked like a big ol' office building. It still had a strange charm to it though.
Then it closed. And sat. Idle. For almost 10 years. In 2013, it FINALLY reopened as the Downtown Grand.
It's nice that this corner is no longer dark and idle. It's also nice to have an active 3rd Street Corridor leading from Fremont to Stewart where The Mob Museum is. And I LOVE the exterior. I just adore the Gilded Age/Roaring Twenties influence they were going for.
And yet, upon walking in, my expectations fell kinda flat. I was definitely expecting something akin to the exterior, a 20s sort of vibe, and yet it felt very sterile. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something just seemed to be missing from the place.
I would be open to returning (it's probably inevitable either way since I spend quite a few friday nights just wandering from place to place in and around Fremont anyway). The rooms look fantastic, I've heard lot's of good things about The Mob Bar and I enjoy the little Downtown 3rd area that's popped up, but beyond that, eh.
The Final Verdict
Pros:
Enticing exterior
Helping to rejuvenate the vicinity
Appealing rooms and lounges
Cons:
The fun exterior just doesn't translate well to the interior.
Return Factor: 7/10