The first time I went to Las Vegas, NV was in August of 1988. In fact it was the 28th of August in ’88. How do I remember that? Well it’s because I got married in a lovely little chapel at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. We were not impressed with Circus Circus, because it caters to families and had a lot of children running around. We spent most of our time at the Stardust, The Sands and The Dunes, two of which are no longer there. Since then I have been a dozen or more times always amazed at the new, bigger and better casinos that pop up along the strip. I’ve seen Las Vegas hotels come and go. In fact, I saw the Hacienda implode on New Year’s Eve day 1996. I’ve always been curious about the history of the Las Vegas casinos.
It all started in 1829 when the valley was discovered by Spanish travelers. Rafael Rivera was the first non-native American that came to the Las Vegas Valley. The Las Vegas Valley became well known for its spring water and many people on their way to California would stop through there heading west.
In 1905 the town of Las Vegas was established and later it became the largest city (incorporated in 1911) in the US after 1900. By 1909 Clark County was formed which included the Las Vegas Strip. The Hoover Dam construction started in 1931 which brought money and jobs into the area. Because gambling was well known in Nevada, it was legalized in 1931.
In the 1940’s four hotels were built. El Rancho Vegas opened in 1941 and was the first Las Vegas hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The Last Frontier was 1942, The Flamingo in 1946 and The Thunderbird in 1948. We all know from the movie “Bugsy” that The Flamingo was built by mobster Bugsy Segal a member of the Meyer Lansky crime organization.
1960's Flamingo Las Vegas
2009 Flamingo Hilton Las Vegas
By the 1950’s hotels in Las Vegas were being built almost every year and it was becoming a well known vacation spot. In 1950 the Desert Inn opened and in 1952 the Sahara and the Sands. 1955 the Royal Nevada opened but it eventually became a part of the Stardust when it opened in 1958. The Dunes and the Riviera also opened in 1955. The Riviera was the first high rise with nine stories and its third floor hosted a lounge with a panoramic view of the valley where people could have cocktails and dance. At the south end of the strip the Hacienda opened in 1956 and lasted until 1996 when I saw it imploded to make way for the Mandalay Bay.
1957 the Tropicana opened and in 1959 the Las Vegas Convention Center. Today the Las Vegas Convention Center is a 1.6-million-square-foot facility of which 1.3 million square feet is exhibit space. It is currently one of the largest single-level facilities in the world.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, supported mainly by room tax revenues, today is a major player in attracting more than 28.2 million visitors to Las Vegas in 1994, including more than 2 million convention delegates. In 1941 the El Rancho Vegas was the only hotel that had entertainment and unfortunately burnt down in 1960. The Sands was the first hotel to have a topless show. The 1950’s and 1960’s brought many well known entertainers including the beloved Rat Pack. The 1960’s also brought Howard Hughes and in 1966 the Caesars Palace and Aladdin opened.
In the 70’s the slot machines changed from coin slots to video machines. Computerized slot machines now feature poker, keno, blackjack, bingo and craps. Some slot machines accept credit-card style gambling. Casinos continue their evolution toward high-tech wagering with every applicable breakthrough in modern technology.
In 1972 Circus Circus opens bringing a family venue to the Las Vegas Strip. Other hotels built in the 70’s were Bally’s and the Imperial Palace.
Tony Spilotoro a mob boss in Las Vegas was found murdered in an Indiana cornfield in 1986 and the organized crime influence in Las Vegas seemed to have died with him. His partner Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal is banned from all casinos forever as of 1988.
Steve Wynn arrives in Las Vegas with big dreams and in 1989 builds the Mirage an elaborate hotel/casino with a white tiger display, dolphin pool and man-made volcano that spews fire, changing the future of the casino forever. Without the influence of the crime organization the modern day megaresorts began to grow, buy, implode, and rebuild bigger and better casinos. By 1990, the Excalibur opened and the Luxor in 1993, which were owned by the Circus Circus Entertainment Inc.
In 1993 we also saw Steve Wynn by the Dunes and implode it along with the famous Dunes Hotel sign destroyed amid a shower of fireworks never before equaled west of the Mississippi. More than 200,000 people came to see the show. The Dunes land including its golf course became the home to the Bellagio, Monte Carlo, New York New York and the new City Center that will be finished winter 2009.
That wasn’t all for the year 1993, Treasure Island and the ever so green MGM Grand opened. 1996 the Sands closed and was later imploded. Stratosphere Tower opened as well as the Monte Carlo. In a star studded grand opening on New Year’s Day in 1997 New York New York made everyone take notice with its New York City exterior and roller coaster ride. But nothing could be more spectacular as when the Bellagio opened in 1998 with it fountains.
1999 MGM Grand buys Mirage and New York New York as Mandalay Bay, Venetian and Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino opened. Las Vegas solidifies its standing as a place to “be” for New Years Eve.
MGM/Mirage Inc. continue to keep buying or merging with casinos in the 2000’s among them is the Mandalay Bay Group which includes Luxor and Excalibur. Harrah’s Entertainment group purchases Caesars Entertainment Group in 2004. In 2003 Planet Hollywood bought The Aladdin Casino did a complete overhaul and opened in 2007 with a Mediterranean theme and the Miracle Mile Shopping Mall.
2008 Las Vegas Strip
With the money from selling the Mirage, Steve Wynn opens the Wynn in 2005. 2007 brought two implosions one being the Stardust making the way for the new Echelon Place and the other the Frontier for The Plaza Hotel. In 2008, the Palazzo opened, an addition to its sister property the Venetian. I stayed there in March and was quite impressed with its grand entrance and lavish pools that connect to the famous Venetian hotel and pools. Steve Wynn also opened the Encore in 2007 a clone to his Wynn casino.
I know I will continue to go to Las Vegas not just for the gaming but to see the new casinos and enjoy the luxury that’s Las Vegas. It’s my kind of town.
2008 Riviera Las Vegas Tango Nights
TIP…I know it can be a bit confusing on who owns what property. I recommend that you get a players card and on the back of the players card it should show which hotel belong to which hotel conglomerate. I will have an article about how the player’s card works. I will also have articles to help you find Las Vegas hotel deals including Las Vegas packages for golf, weddings or just fun. Let’s not forget all the fun things to do in Las Vegas; Las Vegas Events, Las Vegas Shopping, Las Vegas Shows, Las Vegas Restaurants, Las Vegas Attractions, Las Vegas Tours and Las Vegas Nightlife. Enjoy!
Tootles,
Kitty