Las Vegas company surprises nearly 10,000 workers with more than $70 million in stock; each gets $1,000 for every year they have worked there

Las Vegas company surprises nearly 10,000 workers with more than $70 million in stock (Image Credit: Red Rock Resorts)

Nearly 10,000 employees of Las Vegas-based Station Casinos received an unexpected financial reward as the company marked its 50th anniversary. According to a September 9 announcement from Red Rock Resorts, the parent company of Station Casinos, eligible full and part-time employees received more than $70 million worth of Red Rock Resorts Class A stock, calculated at $1,000 for every year of service. The announcement was made during a surprise celebration at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, where company executives revealed the award to employees. The stock grants recognise workers across the company, with some long-serving employees receiving tens of thousands of dollars in shares.

Nearly 10,000 employees receive stock

The stock award covered nearly 10,000 Station Casinos team members, most of whom are based in Southern Nevada. Employees who were working for the company as of September 9, 2026, were eligible for the award. Rather than providing the same amount to every employee, Station Casinos based the value of each grant on the individual’s length of service. Under the programme, workers received $1,000 in Red Rock Resorts Class A stock for every year they had worked for the company. Altogether, the grants were valued at more than $70 million.The announcement came during an event at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, where Red Rock Resorts Chairman and CEO Frank Fertitta III and Vice Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta revealed the surprise to employees gathered for the company’s anniversary celebration.

Long-serving employees receive tens of thousands of dollars

Because the award was tied directly to years of service, some of Station Casinos’ longest-serving employees received particularly large stock grants. One of them is Ida Johnson, who began working for the company in 1977. Based on the $1,000-per-year formula, Johnson received $49,000 worth of Red Rock Resorts stock.The company said seven team members who started working in the 1970s at what was then Bingo Palace and remain with the company today each received more than $45,000 in equity. The awards therefore vary considerably depending on an employee’s tenure. A worker with 10 years of service, for example, would receive $10,000 worth of stock under the announced formula, while someone with several decades at the company could receive many times that amount.

The stock award covered nearly 10,000 Station Casinos team members, most of whom are based in Southern Nevada (Image Credit: Red Rock Resorts)

Surprise announcement marks 50 years in Las Vegas

The stock distribution formed the centrepiece of Station Casinos’ 50th anniversary celebrations. The company’s anniversary programme began on July 1 at Palace Station, the property where its story began. The opening celebration included a fireworks and drone show, along with the launch of a new brand identity and the campaign “From Vegas, For Vegas, Always Vegas.”Events continued throughout the summer across the Las Vegas Valley. According to Red Rock Resorts, the anniversary programme included live entertainment, commemorative gaming and food-and-beverage offerings, vintage photo booths, employee appreciation events and community volunteer initiatives. The September 9 gathering brought the anniversary programme to a close, while also paying tribute to company founder Frank Fertitta Jr., Station Casinos’ history in Las Vegas and employees who have worked for the company over the past five decades.

Company says award reflects employee contribution

Speaking at the surprise anniversary ceremony at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Frank Fertitta III, Chairman and CEO of Red Rock Resorts, said the company’s founding principles included serving the local community, providing value and taking care of its employees. He described the stock award as a recognition of the people who had helped build Station Casinos over its first 50 years. Lorenzo Fertitta similarly described the award as an investment in the company’s nearly 10,000 team members and highlighted their role in building relationships with guests and the Las Vegas community.The surprise element added another dimension to the celebration. Employees arrived at the September 9 event without knowing that the company was preparing to distribute such a large stock award. The announcement meant that the anniversary celebration was not only about marking Station Casinos’ history but also about providing employees with Red Rock Resorts stock tied to their years of service.

From local casino to five decades of operations

Station Casinos has grown into a major gaming and entertainment operator serving the Las Vegas Valley. Its properties include Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa Casino, Durango Casino & Resort, Palace Station, Boulder Station, Sunset Station and several Wildfire properties. The company said the 50th anniversary celebration was intended to recognise both its development in Las Vegas and the employees who contributed to that history.With more than $70 million in Red Rock Resorts Class A stock distributed, the anniversary has also become a milestone for thousands of current employees. For workers who have spent decades with Station Casinos, the value of the award is directly tied to the length of time they have remained with the company, making the 50th anniversary celebration a recognition of their years of service as well as the company’s history.