Double Eagle Hotel & Casino opened in September 1996 as the first Vegas-style casino in Colorado, built right into the historic heart of Cripple Creek at 442 E Bennett Ave. Named after the classic Double Eagle gold coin, the property brought high arched ceilings, stained glass, and a full slot floor to a former gold-rush town. In September 2026, we turn 30.
What this post covers:
- When the Double Eagle opened and why 1996 mattered
- The gold-rush history that made Cripple Creek a gaming town
- What "first Vegas-style casino in Colorado" actually means
- The story behind the Double Eagle name
- What 30 years has looked like from the inside
- How to celebrate the 30th birthday with us on September 26
When Did the Double Eagle Open?
The Double Eagle opened in September 1996. That makes 2026 our 30th year on Bennett Avenue, and it makes us one of the longtime anchors of the Cripple Creek gaming district.
When we opened, we set out to do something no one else in Colorado had done: bring the feel of a Las Vegas floor to a mountain mining town at 9,494 feet. Three decades later, the property has grown into 158 hotel rooms, more than 400 slot games, Lombard's Restaurant, Prospector's Perk Coffee House, and a reintroduced events center. What has not changed is the building's place in the historic district or the reason people keep coming back.
Why Is There a Casino in Cripple Creek at All?
Cripple Creek is a casino town because of gold, and because of a 1990 statewide vote. To understand the Double Eagle, you have to understand the ground it sits on.
In October 1890, rancher and prospector Bob Womack struck gold ore in Poverty Gulch, on the western flank of Pikes Peak. That discovery marked the beginning of the last great gold rush in Colorado. Within a few years the district exploded. Winfield Scott Stratton staked his Independence claim on July 4, 1891, and became the first Cripple Creek millionaire. By 1894, Cripple Creek was a full city with railroads and electric lights.
The scale is hard to overstate. Over 500 mines in the Cripple Creek Mining District produced 21 million ounces of gold, surpassing the production of the California and Alaska gold rushes combined. A fire leveled much of the town in 1896, which is why so much of downtown was rebuilt in the brick and stone you still walk past today.
Then the gold ran thin, and the town declined for decades. The turnaround came in 1990, when Colorado voters approved an amendment that allowed Cripple Creek to build casinos. Limited-stakes gaming arrived in 1991, and a former ghost-town-in-waiting became a destination again. You can read more about the town's arc on the City of Cripple Creek history page. The Double Eagle opened five years into that new chapter.
What Makes It the First Vegas-Style Casino in Colorado?
The Double Eagle was the first casino in Colorado built to feel like Las Vegas, not just a storefront with slot machines. That was the whole idea.
When limited gaming first came to Cripple Creek, most casinos slotted machines into existing historic buildings. The Double Eagle was designed as a purpose-built Vegas-style floor: high arched ceilings, stained glass, colored lights, and an open, dazzling gaming room. It was also built under strict historic-preservation standards so it would strengthen the historic district rather than clash with it.
Our General Manager, Amy Witt, has been part of the property for 22 years and puts it plainly:
"In the beginning, the Double Eagle was the first Vegas-style casino that Colorado had ever seen. And I think that that's apparent in our arch ceilings, in our stained glass tiles, just in the atmosphere that you see as soon as you walk in. If you've been to Vegas, then you know."
That staircase inside the front doors has become part of the property's story in its own right. As Amy notes, "We've had people get married on that staircase."
Where Does the Name Double Eagle Come From?
The property is named after the Double Eagle, the twenty-dollar U.S. gold coin. For a casino built in a town that gold made famous, the name did double duty: it tied the property to Cripple Creek's mining roots and it signaled the idea of doubling the fun, the value, and the experience for guests. In a district where nearly every claim, mine, and building carries a piece of gold-rush history, naming the casino after a gold coin kept the property rooted in the place it calls home.
What Do 30 Years Look Like From the Inside?
Thirty years in one building means generations of guests, not just visitors. That is the part longtime staff talk about most.
Amy has watched it happen firsthand:
"Over that many years, you've seen families develop. You now know their kids are coming here, and you've seen people come and sadly go, but then the next generation will come in, and that's been really fun to see that process."
That continuity is the thing a new property cannot manufacture. People spend holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries here. As Amy puts it:
"We have people who come here, they spend Christmas with us, they spend the holidays, they spend birthdays, all of those special moments in your life. So we don't take that for granted."
The property has kept evolving across those decades. The hotel's 158 rooms were recently refreshed with new furniture and beds. The gaming floor stays current with more than 400 games, and the events center has been reintroduced for weddings, company meetings, and live events. Thirty years in, the mix of history and forward motion is the whole point.
Is the Double Eagle Still Worth Visiting After 30 Years?
Yes, and the anniversary is a good reason to come see why. The Double Eagle sits at the center of a genuine historic destination, about an hour from Colorado Springs on a scenic mountain drive. You get the gaming floor, the hotel, dining at Lombard's, and a walkable historic district full of gold-rush character right outside the doors. The historic Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad is a short walk away for anyone making a day of it.
A quick, honest note for first-time visitors: the gaming floor is 21+, but the town of Cripple Creek has plenty for all ages, from the narrow gauge railroad to mining history sites. And at 9,494 feet, the elevation is real, so drink water and take it easy your first few hours if you are coming up from lower ground.
Celebrate 30 Years With Us
We are marking three decades on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with a 30th Birthday Celebration on the floor. Come be part of the next chapter of a property that has been part of Cripple Creek since 1996.
Planning a visit? Book your stay at Double Eagle Hotel & Casino in historic Cripple Creek. Call us at 719-689-5000 or reserve online at decasino.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Double Eagle Hotel & Casino open?
The Double Eagle opened in September 1996 in the historic district of Cripple Creek, Colorado, at 442 E Bennett Ave. It was the first Vegas-style casino in the state. In September 2026, the property marks its 30th anniversary, making it one of the longest-running anchor properties in the Cripple Creek gaming district.
Was the Double Eagle really the first Vegas-style casino in Colorado?
Yes. When it opened in 1996, the Double Eagle was the first casino in Colorado purpose-built to deliver a Las Vegas atmosphere, with high arched ceilings, stained glass, and an open gaming floor, rather than fitting machines into an existing storefront. It was constructed under strict historic-preservation standards to fit the Cripple Creek Historic District.
Why is there gambling in Cripple Creek?
Cripple Creek was one of Colorado's greatest gold-rush towns after gold was discovered in Poverty Gulch in 1890. As mining declined, the town struggled for decades. In 1990, Colorado voters approved limited-stakes gaming for Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City, and casinos began operating in 1991, revitalizing the local economy and historic district.
How did the Double Eagle get its name?
The casino is named after the Double Eagle, the twenty-dollar U.S. gold coin. The name ties the property to Cripple Creek's gold-mining history and reflects the founding idea of doubling the fun and value for guests in a town built on gold.
How far is the Double Eagle from Colorado Springs?
The Double Eagle is roughly 45 miles west of Colorado Springs, about a one-hour drive along Highway 24 through the Ute Pass corridor. The route is scenic and well-maintained year-round, though winter conditions can occasionally affect travel time. From Denver, add about another 90 minutes.
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