Lavishly furnished hotel rooms, spas and outdoor pool decks are dotted throughout cities such as West Hollywood and Santa Monica. But these types of luxury accommodations now can be found in an unlikelier locale: Bell Gardens.
Bicycle Hotel & Casino unveiled its seven-story luxury boutique hotel last week with a celebration that included a grand entrance by tuxedo-clad drivers riding motorcycles and an appearance by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The $50 million project took two years to complete and offers local residents and Angelenos another luxury resort gaming option besides the nearby Commerce Casino and its Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Hashem Minaiy, managing general partner and chief executive of the Bike, as it’s called, said the property is now a prime destination not only for gaming enthusiasts but for anyone looking for a getaway.
“With the addition of the hotel property, the Bicycle Hotel & Casino is now a full-service, multisensory gaming and resort destination for Los Angeles and all of Southern California,” Minaiy said in a statement. “Our vision was to design and build a sophisticated and luxurious hotel property; an urban retreat which welcomes guests locally, nationally and internationally.”
The glitzy hotel could help elevate the Bike and the city of Bell Gardens, an area home to a dearth of luxury properties and a slew of two- and three-star hotels such as Comfort Inn & Suites and Motel 6.
Philip Wagner, city manager of Bell Gardens, said it’s a welcome addition to a city some might not see as an enticing destination.
“I sat in the restaurant with my staff and we had dinner,” Wagner said. “And when we looked at the chandelier and people dressed up, I thought, Who would ever think we’re sitting in Bell Gardens?’ (But) not as disrespect to Bell Gardens. We’re proud of it. There’s no reason this city could not have something like this.”
Breaking ground
The casino announced its plan to build the 118,000-square-foot hotel two years ago with the support of Brown, state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and city officials.
Resort amenities include a full spa, sauna and an outdoor pool deck featuring private cabanas and about 8,000 square feet of multipurpose event and meeting space for conventions and business functions.
Gamblers, hotel guests and visitors also have several new dining options such as quick-serve Asian bistro Phoenix Café and Bike Brewery, the hotel’s sports bar and grill offering 28 craft beers on tap, including an exclusive blonde ale by Glendale’s Golden Road Brewery.
The 99-room hotel offers rooms with king- and queen-size beds ranging from 428 to 490 square feet. Its 29 suites range from 648 square feet to more than 2,000 square feet for its two-bedroom presidential suite.
Minaiy said the Bike wanted to offer a wide range of perks that appeal to more than its mainstay crowd of gamblers.
“We have designed the amenities to be enjoyed by locals, business and leisure travelers as well as our current casino customers,” he said. “It will be an ideal place for businesses to hold meetings and events as well as a new social gathering hub for the local communities that surround us.”
Robert Carter, president of L.A. accounting firm Carter Management Group Inc. and general partner of the Bike, said it will also help grow the business.
“We noticed when we go places, the rooms in a lot of casinos are a little skimpy,” Carter said in a statement. “They don’t want you in the room, they want you on the (casino) floor. We had run into a situation, finally, where we were maxing out with people who were playing and needed to offer something else to have our customers seek us out.”
Wagner, the city manager, also pointed out that the hotel will have a positive impact on Bell Garden’s bank account as well as its image.
The Bike is one of the largest employers in the city, said Wagner, staffing about 1,700 people and providing a major source of tax revenue – a stream that’s set to increase thanks to the hotel.
“Bell Gardens is a relatively small city – 2.4 square miles with 42,000 residents,” he said. “Not only do we generate tax revenue, we will be generating transient occupancy (tax) from the hotel. Without significant industrial manufacturing, we depend heavily on the casino and those funds are used for what the community expects – public safety, police and fire.”
