Hundreds of soccer fans packed the Silver Nugget Event Center in North Las Vegas on Wednesday to watch Mexico defeat the Czech Republic 3-0 in a World Cup match. The venue, located on Las Vegas Boulevard just north of Lake Mead Boulevard, remains open for events even as the adjacent casino sits boarded-up.
The watch party, organized by Latino voter engagement group Somos Votantes, featured a jumbo screen broadcasting the game on Telemundo. Several Latino-focused advocacy groups also set up tables inside, including Chispa Nevada, Las Doñas, and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Action Fund.
Angel Lazcano, Nevada program manager for Somos Votantes, said the group expected about 600 attendees. He described choosing the venue as “a no-brainer” because it is centrally located, welcoming to the community, and offers indoor space to escape the heat. Despite the shuttered casino, Lazcano noted that people know how to get to the event center. “There’s still stuff going on here,” he said.
The Silver Nugget, built in the 1960s, features a 24-lane bowling alley, sportsbook, bingo area, and a 14,000-square-foot event center. However, its main entrance was boarded-up by fall 2024, and homeless encampments have been reported on the property. Nevada Gaming Control Board spokeswoman Jennifer Morton said in March that the Silver Nugget remains “operational” because it periodically opens its casino floor and event center.
North Las Vegas Councilman Isaac Barron, whose ward includes the property, acknowledged that the area is often overlooked economically but said there is “a lot of vibrancy here.” He was not surprised the event center still hosts gatherings.
Nancy Nunez, a cocktail server and bartender at the property, said the event center has continued to hold weddings, quinceañeras, and graduation parties. “That has not stopped,” she said.
Attendee Joshua Ramirez, 18, who lives nearby, recalled visiting the Silver Nugget for bowling and concerts. He said he has seen homeless people outside but noted that such sights are common across the Las Vegas Valley. “It’s everywhere in Vegas,” he said. “Where is it not?”
