Nightlife

A few thoughts from Stoney’s Rockin’ Country’s grand reopening

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One of the bars is seen at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country’s new location in Town Square Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012.
Photo: Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

After a three and a half mile move down Las Vegas Boulevard and months of renovations, Stoney’s Rockin’ Country opened the doors of its new Town Square location Thursday night.

The Las Vegas Sun reported that owner Stoney Gray chose to move to be closer to the Strip’s tourist clientele, but locals turned out in droves for the grand opening celebration. A Thursday night opening couldn’t have hurt, as the venue’s weekly Ladies’ Night has long been a prominent fixture of the local nightlife scene.

I frequented Stoney’s throughout my college days at UNLV (you really can’t argue with a $15 bottomless draft special) and was excited to check out the new digs, so I put on my straw cowboy hat on two-stepped down to the brand new watering hole. Here are a few early impressions:

Stoney's Rockin' Country New Location

Décor: While the new place certainly bears similarities to its original location, it’s obvious that the aesthetics have improved. Being closer to the Strip, this was expected – the venue is competing with chic Vegas nightclubs now, right? Red letter bulb lights spelling out “Cowboy” above one of the bars and the Texan flag bar tops are just a couple of the upgrades that really make the new venue shine.

Dancefloor: Although the dancefloor was reportedly expanded, it felt just as small as before. It was packed for the majority of my time there, which left me thinking it could have been bigger.

Seating: It appeared that the venue was offering considerably more seating than in the old building. There are a number of bar-height tables placed throughout the venue, and the mechanical bull pen is lined with bar space. All of this is certainly welcome at a nightclub revolving around line dancing.

Arcade games: If you enjoyed playing the games at the old location, you’re going to be disappointed—the new location has none. It definitely classes the joint up and makes it feel more like a Strip nightclub, but this former Stoney’s frequenter misses that playful entertainment. Looks like I’ll have to get my game on at Insert Coin(s) or Hi Scores …

Patrons: Apparently, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. The doors opened to the public at 9 p.m. and the place was packed by 10. It was clear many attendees were either serious line-dance enthusiasts or longtime Stoney’s fans (the former location was open for five years), as almost everyone on the floor knew all the moves to the line dances the DJ threw at them. And just like before, you looked a bit out of place if you weren’t wearing a cowboy hat or cowboy boots.

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