In a move that has come as a huge, overwhelming surprise to ….. nobody, the Hooters Hotel and Casino has been sold.

About 10 months ago the old San Remo Hotel was turned into the Hooters property at a cost of about $130 Million. And just this week it has been sold to a private California investment group for $225 Million.

This is a actually positive development for the property, because since it has opened, it has actually lost $16 Million.

The Hooters brand is expected to remain in place, although I imagine that if it doesn’t go into the black post-haste, a new theme will be forthcoming.

I predicted trouble for Hooters when I toured the property on opening day. Not because I did not want it to succeed, because I did.

But what I observed on opening day, and subsequent visits, was basically a Pittsburgh Hooters Restaurant, with a some slot machines and gaming tables.

Now I ask you, who is going to fly thousands of miles to stay in a Hotel themed after a restaurant that they can visit in their own hometown?

Apparently the answer is as I predicted back in April … not many.

Hooters Las Vegas had a chance to take “tastefully tacky” to the next level. A level that they could not take the restaurant to in say, Des Moines, Iowa.

This was their chance to really cut loose, get bawdy, dress the girls in real “boingggg” outfits, and show some skin the likes of which Vegas hasn’t seen before.

Instead, they opted to take the standard Hooters uniform (which is actually much less revealing than the uniforms at the old Orleans Hotel), and maintain the status-quo.

Well, nobody comes to Vegas for the status-quo. What would be the point? People stay home for the status-quo. And I really think Hooters management dropped the ball in a big way.

We have the Playboy club which has opened at the Palms, the Pussycat Dolls are on their way to Caesar’s, and over in the corner we have Hooters … the family restaurant with girls in tight shirts.

Sure, that plays in Birmingham, Alabama … but here in Las Vegas, it was met with a collective *yawn*.

If the Hooters brand hopes to bolster any enthusiasm here in town, they need to get rid of the orange jogging shorts, and up top, they need to set those puppies free. Let them bounce, let them jiggle, let them sway, let us rub them for good luck …

Now THAT would be Hooters Las Vegas.

Let’s hope the new owners understand this.

A fast-food casino won’t cut it … we want, no, we DEMAND boobs!

And if you are advertising “Hooters” in this town, then dammit, you better deliver.