Sunland Park Casino gets a new look

Sunland Park Casino is entering a new chapter following a $2 million renovation that has transformed its gaming floor and brought new attractions to the longtime entertainment destination. 

The improvements include updated interiors, a redesigned layout, and hundreds of new games. The changes follow the property's purchase in October 2025 by Grant Lincoln, who took ownership after the Fulton family put the property up for sale. During a media tour Friday, Oct. 30, operations manager Frank Heinrich walked reporters through the improvements, which began in March and took approximately four months to complete. 

"We needed to be refreshed," Heinrich said. 

The renovations transformed the casino's approximately 23,000-square-foot gaming floor, where crews replaced carpeting, repainted walls and rearranged machines to create a more spacious layout. A wall separating the former high-limit gaming room was also removed, opening an area that had previously been enclosed. 

Rather than closing the casino for the project, employees divided the floor into 10 sections and renovated them individually over 10 consecutive weeks. Each section took approximately four days to complete.  

"Most of that work was done by our team right here," Heinrich said, praising the employees who helped complete the project. 

The redesign also changed how many machines occupy the floor. Gaming positions decreased from 798 to approximately 680, allowing for wider aisles and additional room between machines. Heinrich said the decision was intended to create a more comfortable setting while introducing newer gaming options. 

Since the ownership change, the casino has added approximately 300 new games, including Dragon Link, Lightning Link and Phoenix Link machines. 

Among the additions is an electronic gaming area known as the Stadium, which Heinrich said is one of only two in the country equipped with its particular graphics package. The system allows customers to play blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps while seated together, offering a different experience from traditional slot machines. 

The changes have already drawn reactions from returning visitors. Heinrich recalled one customer who entered during the renovations and initially questioned whether he was in the right place. Once the customer recognized the casino, he complimented the improvements. 

The improvements extend beyond gaming. The property is also preparing to open Legends — a new restaurant and bar connected directly to the casino floor. The venue will be operated by Josh Gibson and his wife, Chanel, who have taken over the property's food and beverage operations. 

The restaurant will feature smoked meats, burgers, sandwiches, and other menu items, with offerings expected to change periodically. Heinrich said Legends is scheduled to open to the public Sunday, Nov. 8, following an unveiling two days earlier. 

The investment marks another chapter for a property whose history dates to 1959, when Sunland Park opened as a horse racetrack. Casino gaming was introduced in 1999, and the property remained under the Fulton family's ownership until its sale last year. 

For Heinrich, the renovation has also meant balancing the changes with the preferences of longtime customers, some of whom worried about losing the slot machines they had grown accustomed to playing. He said staff members worked to reassure regular visitors that their favorite games might simply be relocated rather than removed. 

"We may move it, though, so if you don't find it in the same spot, just let us know, and we'll help you find it," Heinrich said. 

For returning customers, the familiar machines may be in different places, but the casino's latest investment is intended to give them more room to enjoy the games they know while discovering something new.