Lucky Cola casino owner Derek Stevens isn’t afraid of innovating, launching a new campaign aimed at bringing Canadians back to the city. The move comes as Las Vegas grapples with a sharp decline in Canadian visitation amid broader weakness in international travel.
Las Vegas saw an estimated 24% decline in Canadian visitors in the first 11 months of 2025, according to figures cited by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Derek Stevens, who owns the Circa Las Vegas, D Las Vegas, and Golden Gate Vegas, now has a unique proposition to tempt these people back to Sin City.
In a video he posted to social media on Wednesday, he announced that his three properties will accept Canadian dollars at par with U.S. dollars:
Currently, CA$1 equals US$0.72, so the policy effectively boosts their purchasing power by roughly 39%. Stevens said the idea was inspired by his younger days living in the Detroit metropolitan area near the Canadian border. Then, cross-border currency parity promotions were common.
The businessman went on to reveal that the offer covers hotel rooms, select food and beverage outlets — one bar at each property — and up to CA$500 in gambling money. Stevens added that even if Canadians don’t choose any of his properties, Las Vegas hotels want them to come back just as much as he does.
He ended the video saying:
“I miss Canada. Las Vegas misses Canada. Our team misses Canada.”
Thinking Outside the Box
Derek Stevens is no stranger to being innovative. He made sports betting the centerpiece of Circa Las Vegas, the first ground-up casino development in downtown Las Vegas in decades. It opened in 2020 and now houses the world’s largest retail sportsbook.
Circa’s sportsbook has built a reputation for welcoming high-limit action and sharp bettors. It offers industry-leading limits and odds that appeal to serious players rather than only casual bettors. Stevens designed the resort around the sportsbook, making it the property’s focal point rather than a secondary feature.
Last year, Stevens was in the headlines after Golden Gate Casino, downtown Las Vegas’ oldest operating casino, announced it would replace all its live dealer table games with electronic table games.
Stevens said this decision reflects the preferences and trends of modern players. He cited Circa’s success with the strategy. According to Stevens, after Circa removed live dealer games from its second floor, the property has “exploded in popularity.”
He went on to say that Golden Gate dealers would be reassigned to other company properties to avoid layoffs. After the headlines, critics questioned the loss of human interaction and the shift toward a less social atmosphere. Despite these objections, the Golden Gate went 100% electronic table games in September 2025.
Worrying Declines in Visitor Numbers
While Stevens has consistently tried to innovate to keep people coming to his three properties, visitor numbers to Las Vegas were down 7.4% in the first 11 months of 2025, according to LVCVA. While gaming revenue rose for that same period, the average daily room rate dropped about 5%. Additionally, revenue per available room declined 8.5%.
LVCVA believes a decline in international travel is a significant factor, particularly the drop in Canadian travel. The authority has also raised concerns about a proposed $250 visa integrity fee that could discourage travel from certain countries.
The LVCVA is hopeful of improved fortunes in 2026 due to major events coming to the city. This includes WrestleMania 42 and the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Also, it hopes that he 2026 FIFA World Cup will boost visitation, although Las Vegas is not a host city.
Whether the at-par Canadian dollar offer contributes to a meaningful rebound in visitor numbers remains to be seen. Still, the move underscores Stevens’s willingness to experiment with unconventional strategies as Las Vegas looks to stabilize international tourism.
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