Las Vegas Weekly

April 15, 2010 · 10:49 AM

The bull is back! Gilley’s reopens on The Strip at T.I. today

By Robin Leach

Gilley's at Treasure Island.

Photo: The Firm PR

One of the biggest changes that new Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin has made to his Strip property is unveiled tonight. The bull is back! Just in time for this weekend’s Professional Bull Riders World Cup, the billionaire is opening his Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall and Bar-B-Q, and it comes with a bullring for the bull-riding bikini beauties.

Ah, those beautiful Gilley’s Girls bring back so many memories. We’ll see for the first time tonight the new mechanical bull and probably wind up giving it a new name! Gilley’s dining room and bar seats 124 with rustic barbecue served seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. But the country western nightclub, bar and lounge takes over at closing time to stay open until 2 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays.

Gilley’s has two bars and a 1,000-square-foot dance floor for line-dancing lessons Wednesdays and Sundays. You’ll find me tonight perched on one of the eight saddle-bar stools before the quieter luxuries of T.I.’s Khotan restaurant for dinner.

It’s a little more than 10 years since Phil’s original Gilley’s country saloon opened in the Frontier, which became the victim of a wrecker’s ball and implosion. He kept the original logo signs as souvenirs, and they will be on display tonight.

Expect to see a slew of PBR cowboy stars attending the festivities. Our contributing photographers will be on hand to capture the gala celebration right out of the chute, and check back here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow for our photo gallery.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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