Alex Epstein-Gudai
A new generation at a historic downtown hotel
An El Cortez board member and executive who helped renew the property while preserving its downtown identity. She died in February 2026, aged 41.
Her own operating story
VEGAS INC interviewed Alex Epstein in 2011 as the El Cortez’s executive manager. The profile describes her investment in the hotel’s renewal and downtown before several of the area’s better-known redevelopment announcements. Her work included the property’s design direction. [1]
Preservation and continuity
In 2013, the Sun quoted her as executive vice president when the El Cortez joined the National Register of Historic Places. The Review-Journal’s 2021 anniversary story returned to her emphasis on continuity among owners, employees and customers. [2] [3]
Remembering Alex
Her family’s obituary records her death on February 1, 2026, at 41, and identifies her as an El Cortez board member and executive vice president. In August 2026, the Review-Journal reported plans for Alex Prime, a steakhouse named in her memory. [4] [5]
Key dates
- August 22, 2011
VEGAS INC profiles her work at El Cortez. [1]
- February 25, 2013
The Sun reports the hotel’s National Register recognition. [2]
- 2021
Discusses the hotel’s continuity in an 80th-anniversary report. [3]
- February 1, 2026
Dies at age 41. [4]
- August 6, 2026
The planned Alex Prime tribute is reported. [5]
People in the same story
Kenny Epstein
Her father and the owner with whom she worked at El Cortez. [1]
Read the profileIn the archive
1 matching entries in the saved collection.
The Interview: Alex Epstein, executive manager of downtown's El Cortez
Publisher-page access is unconfirmed. Access check: Oct 4, 2026. Search for this source (search results)
Go deeper into the record.
Sources for this profile and starting points for further research. Access notes mark links we could not open directly during the October 3–4, 2026 checks. Historical accounts describe their own period; they do not necessarily describe current operations.
- 1
The Interview: Alex Epstein, executive manager of downtown’s El Cortez
Publisher-page access is unconfirmed. Access check: Oct 4, 2026. Search for this source (search results)
- 2
El Cortez joins National Register of Historic Places
Subscription or access restrictions may apply. Access check: Oct 4, 2026. Search for this source (search results)
- 3
80 years after opening, El Cortez going strong in downtown Las Vegas
Subscription may be required.
Subscription or access restrictions may apply. Access check: Oct 4, 2026. Search for this source (search results)
- 4
Alexandra Epstein-Gudai — family obituary
Confirms her El Cortez board and executive roles and her death on February 1, 2026, aged 41.
- 5
Steakhouse replaces classic café at downtown Las Vegas casino
Reports the planned Alex Prime steakhouse tribute; an announcement is not proof of a completed opening.
Publisher-page access is unconfirmed. Access check: Oct 4, 2026. Search for this source (search results)