LAS VEGAS 6 November 2023 eS Operator USA I LLC, ecoSPIRITS’ licensed operator for the United States, will launch closed loop spirits packaging service in Nevada, starting with Las Vegas, a city known for its high concentration of casinos, hotels and bars. As part of the Nevada launch, a new ecoPLANT, the third in the US market, will be brought online in partnership with 17A Stillery LLC,  a Las Vegas-based distillery. One of city’s largest casinos – South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa – will act as the launch customer in the state, piloting the closed loop spirits technology for high volume casino beverage operations. As part of the launch, ecoSPIRITS has also developed a new technology solution to make its award-winning ecoTOTE™ format compatible with back-of-house systems known as ‘pump rooms’, which are commonplace in the casino industry. The Nevada ecoPLANT will begin deploying spirits in ecoTOTE format from January 2024.

The ecoPLANT host for Nevada, 17A Stillery, produces City Light Shine, which is 100% distilled in Las Vegas from a traditional southern moonshine recipe using a whiskey-style mash to create moonshine in flavors such as blueberry and salted caramel. 17A Stillery was founded by Brendan Gaughan, whose family also owns the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. The Gaughan family has operated and owned casinos in Las Vegas since the late 1940s; Brendan Gaughan is the grandson and son of Vegas gaming pioneers Jackie Gaughan and Michael Gaughan. The South Point casino is one of Las Vegas’s busiest resorts, boasting a 64-lane bowling center, 16-theatre movie complex, 600-seat bingo hall, 11 restaurants and six bars. The South Point is also home to the country’s largest indoor equestrian center with a 4,400-seat arena and more than 1,300 indoor, climate controlled horse stalls. The South Point will be the first hospitality venue in Nevada to take delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format, starting in January 2024, with others set to join shortly after.

17A Stillery, which is famous for producing City Light Shine, is the host company for the Nevada ecoPLANT.

The South Point is situated on Las Vegas Boulevard, just a few miles south of the famous Las Vegas Strip, a stretch of the Boulevard known for its high concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip is home to many of the largest hotel, casino and resort properties in the world, establishing it as one of the most popular and iconic tourist destinations globally and one of the driving forces for Las Vegas’s economy. The hotel casino properties are known for their contemporary architecture, lights and wide variety of attractions and in recent years resorts have trended towards the luxurious high end segment, including high end dining, nightclubs and cocktail bars.

The South Point Hotel, Casino & Resort is one of Las Vegas’s busiest resorts.

Although the Las Vegas Strip has elaborate neon lighting displays, many of the hotel resort properties have made extensive sustainability efforts, including water conservation, recycling, waste reduction and energy efficiency programs. Renewable energy is generated and used on the Strip, while energy efficient buildings are also being implemented and this area has one of the highest concentrations of LEED-certified buildings in the world. The South Point casino is among those with sustainability high up on its agenda and its efforts include a focus on reducing water, waste and energy usage. By taking delivery of spirits in ecoTOTE format, The South Point will help demonstrate the benefits of reducing single use glass waste in Las Vegas on a large commercial scale.

The Las Vegas Strip has elaborate displays but also one of the highest concentrations of LEED-certified buildings in the world.

As part of the new partnership, ecoPLANT No. 30 will be located in a dedicated production and warehouse facility to be operated by 17A Stillery, with distillery production staff trained and supported by ecoSPIRITS’ global Circular Operations team.

The ecoPLANT for Nevada will be located in a production facility operated by 17A Stillery.

To support the casino industry in Nevada, ecoSPIRITS has worked with The South Point to develop a technology extension that makes its ecoTOTE format compatible with casino back-of-house systems for house pour spirits known informally as ‘pump rooms.’ These systems allow high volume beverage operations to efficiently dispense house spirits in ‘draft’ form on the casino floor; however, the high volume of spirits poured make these operations a major source of single use glass waste. By integrating a circular packaging solution into existing casino beverage systems, ecoSPIRITS can help operators eliminate nearly all of the packaging waste generated by their highest volume house pour spirits.

The ecoSPIRITS technology has been upgraded to suit back-of-house casino pump rooms.

Brendan Gaughan, Owner of The South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa and Founder of 17A Stillery

“We are delighted that South Point Casino, Hotel & Spa will be the first venue in Las Vegas to work with ecoSPIRITS and we hope this paves the way for venues across the city to follow suit, so that we can work together to eliminate single use glass waste. We are also excited about 17A Stillery acting as the host facility for ecoSPIRITS’ ecoPLANT in Nevada, we are certain this site will become very busy very soon, as more venues look to make the transition to circular packaging technology for spirits.”

Zdenek Kastanek, Managing Director, ecoSPIRITS USA

“ecoSPIRITS USA is focusing on expanding into high-consumption states where we can make a major difference in reducing single use glass waste. This not only represents our third ecoPLANT activation, but also an important move for the business in being able to tackle the all-important casino segment, following our recent move into the cruise industry. We are delighted to have found the perfect host partner and site in Las Vegas for our Nevada ecoPLANT. 17A Stillery and the Gaughan family bring invaluable expertise and knowledge, not only about the spirits market, but also the casino industry and the Las Vegas hospitality segment. We are looking forward to getting started together!”

For information about opportunities to partner with ecoSPIRITS in North America, please contact Jessica Berry at [email protected]. For media inquiries or general information on ecoSPIRITS, you may contact Sonya Hook, Senior PR Manager at [email protected].

About 17A Stillery

City Light Shine is produced by 17A Stillery. We are the only legal distillery in the history of Las Vegas. Our facility is located in the Southwest area of Las Vegas approximately 3.5 miles west of the South Point Casino. The name of the company is derived from one of our founder’s NASCAR roots. Mike Dolan was a former NASCAR official for over 20 years and his radio designation was ‘17A’, so our name is in honor of his former career and our southern beginnings, which everyone knowns, all the best shines come from the South. The rest of the company is all Vegas! Brendan Gaughan’s family goes all the way back to the 1940s and the Gaughan family name has become synonymous with Las Vegas and is the name that all the locals know and trust.

For more information, visit: www.citylightsshine.com.

About South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa

South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is a resort located in the heart of the premiere southwest Las Vegas valley, just minutes away from the famous Las Vegas Strip. Some of our many amenities include a 16-screen Century Theatre movie complex, 64-lane bowling center and 60 lane tournament bowling plaza and a variety of 11 restaurants that cater to all appetites and tastes. Our Las Vegas casino features a large selection of table games including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Progressive Fortune Pai-Gow Poker, No Commission Baccarat, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em with Progressive and Three Card Poker with Progressive. More than 2,100 of the most popular slot and video poker machines featuring ticket-in, ticket-out technology. Our distinctive hotel features spacious rooms and suites with 50 inch view surface with 4k resolution televisions, Point Plush mattresses and Wireless Fidelity throughout. A unique feature to this property is its Equestrian Center, which is the finest horse facility in the country. South Point also has a fabulous 400-seat showroom that features headliner entertainment and dancing to live bands.

For more information, visit: www.southpointcasino.com.

About ecoSPIRITS

ecoSPIRITS is a circular economy technology company that has developed the world’s first low carbon, low waste distribution technology for premium spirits and wine. Our patent-pending closed loop system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain. By dramatically reducing packaging and transport, ecoSPIRITS provides both a powerful cost advantage and a transformative carbon footprint reduction. Founded in Singapore in 2018, the ecoSPIRITS technology is now available in more than 22 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Nearly 2,000 leading bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers have adopted the technology, including Michelin-starred restaurants, World’s 50 Best and Asia’s 50 Best bars and iconic hotels. ecoSPIRITS is now rapidly building a global network of closed loop service, with coverage to grow to 27 countries worldwide by the end of 2023. Together with our brand partners, importers, distributors, wholesalers, venues, and retailers, we are already making a difference. Each year, ecoSPIRITS and our partners are eliminating hundreds of tons of single use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to change.

For more information, visit: https://ecospirits.global/.