The Cromwell Las Vegas is a luxury boutique casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. It was originally opened by Michael Gaughan as the Barbary Coast on March 2, 1979. Several nearby resorts were opposed to its construction, partially due to concerns about increased traffic congestion. The property featured Victorian décor and later became part of Gaughan's company, Coast Casinos. The Barbary Coast would go on to add two popular restaurants, and a nightclub by Victor Drai. Boyd Gaming acquired the Barbary Coast in 2004, when it purchased Coast Casinos. Boyd subsequently traded the Barbary Coast to Harrah's Entertainment, in exchange for other property on the Las Vegas Strip. Harrah's finalized its acquisition in February 2007, and briefly closed the Barbary Coast before reopening it on March 1, 2007, as Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon. The property was named after company founder Bill Harrah. Harrah's was later renamed as Caesars Entertainment, and the company announced plans in 2012 to extensively renovate Bill's. The property closed on February 4, 2013, and reopened as The Cromwell on April 21, 2014. The renovated property includes a restaurant by chef Giada De Laurentiis. It also features a rooftop pool and nightclub operated by Drai. In 2020, the Cromwell became an adults-only property. History Barbary Coast (1979–2007) The property was once the site of the Desert Villa motel, which opened in 1958, at the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road. It was later renamed Empey's Desert Villa, after owner Phillip Empey. It was renamed again as the Times Square Motel in 1974, before closing later that year. In 1975, plans were approved for a shopping center to be built on the land, but the project failed to materialize, as the site had inadequate space for parking. By December 1975, Michael Gaughan and others were planning to build the $10 million Barbary Coast hotel-casino on the 1.7-acre site occupied by the Times Square. The project was proposed by Gaughan and his father Jackie, along with partners Kenny Epstein and Frank Toti. However, several nearby casino resorts – Caesars Palace, the Dunes, the Flamingo Hilton, and the MGM Grand – were opposed to the project, stating that it would cause further traffic congestion at the intersection. A Hilton executive also said that the Barbary Coast would "change the entire character of the Strip."