(HE)ART OF PALM(S) A SENSE OF DISCOVERY
Where else can you mix high-rollers with Hirst… wheel-spinners with Warhol… or bet makers with Basquiat? Turns out in an unlikely place: the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. By Stacey Gualandi
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ho says Sin City lacks culture? Now, all you need to get your art game on is to spend some time exploring what’s become the (he)art of Palms. Known since its opening in 2001 for spacious rooms, themed suites and innovative vibe, Station Casino owners and avid art collectors Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta bought Palms in 2016—and then promptly brought in renowned British contemporary artist Damien Hirst (a favorite of the brothers) as an official collaborator—with a goal of hooking Palms’ next-gen devotees on an art-infused aesthetic incomparable to anything on (or off) the Strip. In 2018, the resort revealed a one-of-a-kind, property-wide art program as part of its massive (nearly) $700 million “From Dust to Gold” renovation…and it was Creative Director Tal Cooperman who was called on to curate the contemporary collection.