CEO: 'No casino or gaming' at Sunseeker

“I spent 30 years in the casino industry, why would I bring it here?” Richins said.

Richins was an executive with MGM Grand, New York-New York and Luxor.

“I can’t say it enough … there will be zero gaming, not by me or anybody else,” he said. “Please tell 10 people you know that’s not what we are doing.”

He spoke to a crowd of 250 at the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association.

“I promise you there’s no sneaky way we are getting in,” Richins said. “I promise you after 30 years in Vegas, I am not building a casino.”

Richins said the resort will have 785 rooms, including 189 upscale suites with a private entrance.

There also 60,000 square feet of meeting space with indoor-outdoor event space and state-of-the-art technology.

Richins said weddings at Sunseeker will be a big deal, so much so that there’s a bridal suite connecting the spa and salon. There is also a 15,000-square-foot ballroom.

The convention center encompasses the main ballroom, junior ballroom, two executive boardrooms, 12 meeting rooms, and an ideation suite with three separate breakout rooms. There is also a 7,000-square-foot fitness center.

“(Sunseeker will be) as good as anything we’ve ever built in Vegas,” he said.

He said a replica of some suites were built in Las Vegas for perspective guests to see what the Florida location will be like.

“Pools are important,” he said. “The rooftop pool is 110 feet up and is going to be spectacular for guests to watch sunsets. It is the size of a football field. We call it Level Blue. The other is on the ground level overlooking the harbor.”

A resident asked if Sunseeker will pay a living wage to its workers. He said the 1,000 full-time employees will receive a living wage, a benefits package and fly free on Allegiant. Sunseeker Resorts is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Co.

“Do you think we could operate this type of resort without paying a living wage to our employees?” he asked the crowd.

Richins said there will be a 25,000-square-foot food hall open to the public, featuring fish, steak, a scratch bakery, pizza, Mexican, Aisan, gelato and others foods. There’s a wall of wine and a variety of alcoholic beverages. Among the 20 dining outlets are a steakhouse, tiki bar and sports bar with 60 televisions and leather seats. He said 750 staffers will work in the dining areas.

He said there are many things the resort is doing to be environmentally friendly.

Richins said there are 700 parking spaces. Some in the crowd said it didn’t seem like there is enough spaces. Richins said guests can use three Sunseeker shuttles to and from Punta Gorda Airport. Others will use alternative transportation while staying at the hotel.

Richins called the nearly completed 18-hole golf course for hotel guests “phenomenal,” adding the clubhouse is under construction.

Richins said Sunseeker bought an RV park and car lot near the resort.

“We bought that a couple of months ago,” he said. “Who knows what we are going to do with it?”

Richins said if a traffic signal needs to be installed, it will be at Sunseeker’s expense.

“Traffic will continue to be something we address,” he said. “If I said traffic wasn’t an issue, I would be lying to you. Ultimately traffic adds to the growth of the area.”

He said the reason it took so long to build the ground floor is because of anticipated flooding and surge protection issues vetted with all of the permitting agencies.

The target date for opening is “Octoberish,” he said.

To make it fun for potential guests, Sunseeker is offering the chance to win a trip to attend a grand opening weekend event available until May 1 on sunseekerresorts.com.