Top 10 Las Vegas Casino Demolitions
- Top 10 Las Vegas Casino Demolitions
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- Top 10 Las Vegas Casino Demolitions
Top 10 Demolitions GONE WRONG!Demolitions are planned and executed so no one gets hurt but some demolitions just flat out fail and well you can't predict tha. The Landmark hotel was built in 1963, but didn't open until 1969. It stood tall and proud to be Howard Hughes' vision come true. The Jetsons-esque architecture was both loved and hated in the community. In 1995 it became the second major property in Las Vegas to be imploded.
New Frontier implosion
When: Hotel closed midnight, July 15, 2007. Imploded Nov. 13, 2007. With thundering crash, the New Frontier came down on Nov. 13, 2007, closing the door on the second oldest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. While the New Frontier never had the romantic Rat Pack era associations that other imploded hotels (Sands, Dunes) had, it did have its share of historic Vegas moments. This was the hotel that Elvis Presley made his Vegas debut at in 1956. (Presley received a cool reception and was panned by Vegas entertainment critics.) The New Frontier was also the starting place for Vegas headliners, Siegfried & Roy. The hotel was, until its implosion, the last operating hotel that was once owned by Howard Hughes and was also the site of one of the longest-running labor strikes in U.S. history (six years and four months). Plans for The New Frontier land are currently on hold. Read more about the New Frontier's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Stardust implosion
When:Hotel closed Oct. 31, 2006. Imploded March 13, 2007. With its explosive implosion on March 13, 2007, the final chapter of the iconic Stardust resort was written. Boyd Gaming closed the doors on the 48-year-old casino and hotel Nov. 1, 2006 in anticipation of the implosion that cleared the way for Echelon Place, Boyd's planned complex of resort hotels and convention facilities. The implosion of the Stardust was one of the more emotional for locals and long-time visitors alike. Its colorful past, most notably its mob ties, was a major source for the movie 'Casino.' Though there have been a number of significant implosions over the last decade, the Stardust's erasure was the largest since the Sands disappeared into a cloud of dust in 1996. Read more about the Stardust's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Boardwalk implosion
| When: May 9, 2006 Replaced by: MGM Mirage CityCenter project (under construction) It would be an understatement to say that the Boardwalk hotel was an anomaly on the south end of the Strip. Its faux-Ferris wheel façade, replete with dummy passengers, was looking more than just out-of-place surrounded by such newer neighbors as the MGM Grand, New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts. So when MGM Grand acquired it in 2000, its death certificate was effectively signed. The aging and inefficient Boardwalk provided more entertainment value in its explosion than perhaps at any point during its operation. At least its clearing was not in vain. Its footprint is a key part of MGM Mirage's $7 billion CityCenter project, a mixed-use resort and entertainment complex combining gaming, shopping, state-of-the-art architecture, upscale hotels and hi-rise condominiums. Read more about the Boardwalk's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Bourbon Street
| When: February 14, 2006 Replaced by: Nothing at this time (property owned by Harrah's). The Shendandoah, as it was first known, opened in 1980 with several owners including Wayne Newton. After just four years, the property filed for bankruptcy. This without the casino ever opening. In 1985 a Canadian based company would become the first foreign company to obtain a license to operate a casino in Nevada as they reopened the property with the New Orleans theme of Bourbon Street. In March 2005, Harrah's purchased the property and several surrounding properties to acquire an 8 acre land parcel just off the strip and adjacent to the Las Vegas Monorail. The casino was closed in October of 2005 with demolition work beginning on the property the following January. |
Castaways
| When: January 11, 2006 Replaced by: Nothing at this time (property owned by Station Casinos). The property originally opened as the Showboat in 1954, taking advantage of a Mississippi riverboat theme. Originally built by the ownership of the Desert Inn, the Showboat received numerous upgrades over the years, including bowling lanes in 1959 and several hotel towers that eventually amounted to 500 rooms. The bowling center became so popular that it grew to 106 lanes in the 1980s and held a number of professional televised events. The sports pavilion also achieved notoriety by showcasing boxing, wrestling and roller derby. Harrah's Entertainment bought the property in 1998 and opened other Showboat properties in Atlantic City, New Orleans, Illinois and Australia. Harrah's only ran the casino for two years before selling it to a group of investors. It was after this sale that the Showboat was renamed the Castaways and rebranded in a tropical island feel. Three years later the property was in bankruptcy, finally closing in January 2004. Station Casinos bought the site late in 2004. |
Desert Inn implosion
| When: Oct. 23, 2001 Replaced by:Wynn Las Vegas The implosion of the Desert Inn might be somewhat of an anomaly. The famous resort was purchased in 2000 by visionary developer Steve Wynn, who closed it several months later with plans to build a mega-resort. But the D.I. - as referred to affectionately by locals - was not aging, in disrepair or suffering great losses. Opening as Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn in 1950, the D.I. was the fifth resort to appear on what would become the Las Vegas Strip. The popular resort - which featured an 18-hole golf course and a showroom that hosted the biggest names in entertainment, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Tina Turner and more - was purchased by billionaire Howard Hughes in 1967 after the hotel's management unsuccessfully tried to eject him from their penthouse suites. It changed owners throughout the next 30 years, but in 1997, the D.I. underwent major renovations, giving it a completely fresh, upscale appearance more in line with the cosmopolitan direction of newer mega-resorts. Nonetheless, Wynn had a vision and that vision required the leveling of the resort's Augusta Tower in 2001. The remaining smaller towers of the D.I. were used as offices for Wynn Resorts and housed Wynn's art collection before finally being imploded with little fanfare on an early autumn morning in 2004. Wynn Las Vegas, a $2.7 billion mega-resort centered around a gleaming, amber, 60-story tower, opened on April 28, 2005. The footprint of the towers from the second implosion yielded Encore, an adjacent resort, which opened in late 2008. Read more about the Desert Inn's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
El Rancho implosion
| When: Oct. 3, 2000 Replaced by: Fontainebleau Las Vegas (under construction). Though it cribbed its name from the first major hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, the El Rancho hotel and casino just couldn't find its place in an ever-changing Vegas. It started life as the Thunderbird in 1948 (not to be confused with the hotel of the same name a mile north on the Strip), was sold and renamed as the Silverbird in 1976, and then in 1982, former Aladdin owner Ed Torres re-imagined the property as the Western-themed El Rancho. The property enjoyed a successful re-opening, but never really caught on. After 10 years of financial struggles, Torres shut down the El Rancho, and it sat empty, like a towering ghost town, for eight years before its 13-story tower was imploded by new owners Turnberry Associates, who wanted to ensure a clear view for owners of their adjacent hi-rise condominium project, Turnberry Place. Read more about the El Rancho's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Aladdin implosion
| When: April 27, 1998 Replaced by:Aladdin The Aladdin hotel and casino may be the most perplexing of Vegas' infamous implosions, even more so than the replacing of the unique Landmark casino with a parking lot. Instead of simply remodeling or upgrading facilities in waves, the Aladdin started over completely. Itself a reinvention of a property formerly known as King's Resort (and before that, the Tally-Ho), the Aladdin opened in 1966, eventually encompassing 36 acres, with a 17-story tower, 1,100 rooms and a checkered past full of financial troubles, legal problems and mob involvement. Not even Wayne Newton's early-1980s co-ownership could fully save this seemingly-cursed resort. The only part of the resort to remain standing after the implosion was the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, which became a centerpiece of the new Aladdin that opened in August 2000, a $1.4 billion, '1001 Arabian Nights'-themed resort featuring 2,600 rooms, Desert Passage, a 500,000-square-foot shopping center, a 100,000-square-foot casino, 21 restaurants and 75,000 square feet of meeting rooms. The hotel eventually went on to become Planet Hollywood, sans implosion. Read more about the Aladdin's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Hacienda implosion
| When: Dec. 31, 1996 - Jan. 1, 1997 Replaced by:Mandalay Bay Before the 40-year-old Hacienda was taken down on New Year's 1997, its planned replacement was a secret project known only as 'Project Paradise.' Nearly 10 years later, that South Strip property is home to one of Las Vegas' most successful resorts, Mandalay Bay, which also comprises THEhotel and a Four Seasons within its expansive acreage. The Hacienda started as a 256-room motor lodge on the outskirts of town and grew to a 1,200-room resort. It was among the first properties to offer family-friendly recreation, including a miniature golf course and a go-kart track. In its later years, the resort succumbed to age and a loss in traffic to the new, gleaming mega-resorts popping up further north on the Strip. Read more about the Hacienda's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Sands implosion
| When: Nov. 26, 1996 Replaced by:Venetian When you think of classic Las Vegas, it's possible you conjure the iconic image of 'The Rat Pack' - Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, Dean Martin and Peter Lawford - standing in front of the Sands marquee, the wide-open blue sky of Vegas spread out behind them. There's a good reason: The Sands' Copa Room was the birthplace of this creative collaboration in 1960. Sadly, those glory days of the circular Sands hotel-casino were 30 years past when owner Sheldon Adelson imploded the 44-year-old resort in 1996 to clear space for the Venetian resort, the $1.8 billion hotel-casino which - with its reproduction of Venice's canals and streets - now occupies most of the former Sands' property. An adjacent Adelson property, The Palazzo, opened in 2007. The Sands lives on, however, both visually in the original 'Ocean's Eleven' film and on musical albums recorded live at the hotel by the likes of Sinatra, Davis, Jr. and others. Read more about the Sands' implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Landmark implosion
| When: Nov. 7, 1995 Replaced by: Parking lot Few things are more cinematic than Vegas hotel implosions, and the Landmark Hotel and Casino's explosive demolition will forever be immortalized as the Martian-destroyed Galaxy Hotel in Tim Burton's 'Mars Attacks!' Before being cleared away to accommodate 2,000 new parking spaces for the neighboring Las Vegas Convention Center, the Landmark - with its unique, flying saucer-shaped tower - lived up to its name. The futuristic-themed hotel, which opened Fourth of July weekend in 1969 with Danny Thomas playing the showroom, was built by Frank Carroll but purchased by eccentric developer Howard Hughes in 1968. In its heyday, the Landmark played host to other celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. The hotel starred in a few other movies prior to its implosion, most notably 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 'Casino.' Read more about the Landmark's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
Dunes implosion
| When: Oct. 22, 1993 Replaced by:Bellagio If there is such a thing as an 'implosion craze' in Las Vegas, then the demolition of the Dunes was the hotel ending that started the trend. One of Vegas' most classic establishments, the Dunes opened in 1955, heralded by a 35-foot-tall sultan that straddled its main entrance. By the time of its closing in 1993, the sultan was long gone, as were the glory days of the Dunes, its significance dwindling as new mega-resorts like the Mirage and Treasure Island opened. The implosion of the Dunes demarcated the end of an era as much as the opening of its replacement, the $1.6 billion Bellagio resort, at its time the world's costliest hotel. Bellagio opened with more than 3,000 rooms on an 11-acre site, featuring a 22-million-gallon lake, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art and a spectacular Cirque du Soleil production show, 'O.' Read more about the Dune's implosion in the Las Vegas Sun. |
The area that would become Las Vegas was first settled in 1905 and from the start gambling was part of the city’s fabric. Unfortunately, gambling was outlawed for several decades and the oldest casino on this list had to stop their gaming activities for a time.
Many of the other casinos on this list have also not been in continuous operation as they’ve undergone major renovations and ownership changes. However, these are still technically the oldest casinos in Las Vegas.
11. Harrah’s Las Vegas
Harrah’s Las Vegas was originally called the Holiday Casino when it opened in 1973 until 1992. The Holiday Casino was small, had a riverboat theme, and was built in front of the Holiday Inn Las Vegas Center Strip. Following years of renovations after a change in ownership, Harrah’s Las Vegas reopened with a Mardi Gras and Carnival theme. It is the Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment) flagship property as there are many other Harrah’s hotels around the country.
Did You Know?
Harrah’s Las Vegas has a fairly large gaming space at 91,833 sq ft (8,531.6 m²) and contains over 1,200 slot machines.
10. The LINQ Hotel & Casino
The LINQ Hotel & Casino was opened as the Flamingo Capri motel in 1959. The motel was named after the larger Flamingo Hotel and Casino and the Flamingo Capri was technically part of the original Flamingo’s property. The casino was not added until 1972 and a few years later, the property was turned into the Asian-themed Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino. In 2012, the Imperial Palace was turned into The Quad Resort and Casino. It was renamed again two years later to the LINQ Hotel & Casino.
Did You Know?
The LINQ Hotel & Casino is home to the 550-foot-tall High Roller, The World’s Tallest Observation Wheel.
9. Circus Circus Las Vegas
Unlike most of the other casinos on this list, which didn’t add gambling spaces until later, Circus Circus was only a casino before a hotel was added. While this was a unique idea, Circus Circus faced financial problems from the beginning because there were no rooms available to attract high rollers.
A hotel was eventually added to the the casino, but Circus Circus owner Jay Sarno borrowed the money from the Teamsters Pension Fund. This led the government to investigate Circus Circus and Sarno ended up selling the casino a few years later.
Did You Know?
Circus Circus is the largest permanent big top (circus tent) in the world.
8. Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace was established in 1966 by Jay Sarno, who sought to create an opulent facility that gave guests a sense of life during the Roman Empire. It is one of the largest and most recognized landmark in Las Vegas. The actual casino portion of Caesars Palace is significantly larger than most other casinos, clocking in at a massive 24,181 square feet (11,536.8 square meters). From the very beginning, Caesars Palace has attracted high rollers from around the world.
Did You Know?
The reason Caesars Palace doesn’t have an apostrophe in its name is because the purpose of the of the palace was to ensure an atmosphere in which everybody staying at the hotel would feel like a “Caesar.”
7. Planet Hollywood Las Vegas
Although Planet Hollywood Las Vegas opened in 2000, its on the site of the previous Aladdin hotel and casino, which traces its history to 1962. Initially, the Aladdin was only a hotel called the Tallyho, which tried to add a casino in 1963. However, there were a lot of issues with licensing and a casino was not opened on the property until Milton Prell bought the hotel in 1966. The building was heavily renovated and received an Arabian Nights theme.
The Aladdin closed in 1997 and was demolished to make room for the new Aladdin. The name of the hotel and casino was changed to Planet Hollywood in 2007.
Did You Know?
The first skill-based gambling machines, from Gamblit Gaming, in Las Vegas were installed at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in March 2017.
6. Tropicana Las Vegas
Tropicana Las Vegas was built in 1957 by Ben Jaffe, an executive of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Jaffe set out to build the finest hotel in Las Vegas and settled on a Cuban-inspired theme for his new resort. In the late 1970s, the Tropicana was the unfortunate target of a mob skimming operation. The Kansas City crime family, aka the Civella crime family, siphoned money from the cashier cage through Joe Agosto, the owner of the Tropicana’s Folies Bergere show.
Did You Know?
The Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection, has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and pedestrians are not allowed to cross at street level. Instead, the Tropicana is linked by overhead pedestrian bridges to its neighboring casinos.
5. Sahara Las Vegas
Although the Sahara Las Vegas was opened over 67 years ago, the casino and hotel has not been in continuous operation. The Sahara was closed in 2011 after it became unprofitable and was not re-opened until 2004. The building was completely renovated and all of the Sahara’s original Moroccan themed décor was removed.
The hotel and casino was also renamed to SLS Las Vegas as part of SBE’s chain of SLS hotels. However, after the the Meruelo Group purchased the SLS Las Vegas, they decided to change the name back to Sahara Las Vegas. While the new Sahara has a modern look, it does make minor references to the old Moroccan theme.
Did You Know?
The Sahara Las Vegas has been home to many notable performers, including Marlene Dietrich, Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Johnny Carson, Liberace, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, and many more.
4. Flamingo Las Vegas
Flamingo Las Vegas was opened as The Fabulous Flamingo in 1946. The hotel and casino was the third resort built on the Las Vegas Strip and is now the oldest remaining establishment on the Strip. Like many old Vegas casinos, the Flamingo has ties to the American mafia. Famous mobster Bugsy Bugsy Siegel and his partners took over the final phases of construction of the Flamingo and invested a significant amount of money to open the hotel and casino.
After Siegel’s death, Moe Sedway and Gus Greenbaum, magnates of the nearby El Cortez Hotel, took possession of the Flamingo. Ownership of the Flamingo has changed many times since then.
Did You Know?
Allegedly, Bugsy Siegel named The Flamingo after after his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, who loved to gamble and was nicknamed “Flamingo” because of her long, skinny legs.
3. Golden Nugget Las Vegas
Golden Nugget Las Vegas, commonly called by its original name The Golden Nugget, has been in operation since 1946. The hotel and casino is an iconic part of Las Vegas’ Fremont Street Experience. Over the years, various prominent Las Vegas hotel/casino owners have had part ownership in the Golden Nugget, such as Jackie Gaughan (long-time owner of the El Cortez) and Steve Wynn early on in his career.
Top 10 Las Vegas Casino Demolitions
Did You Know?
Fox television series, The Casino, is based on Poster Financial Group, who purchased Golden Nugget Las Vegas in 2003 and upgraded the gambling operation by installing new cashless slot machines and by increasing the maximum bet available at table games to $15,000.
2. El Cortez
Opened since 1941 as both a hotel and casino, the El Cortez is the oldest continuously existing casino in Las Vegas. El Cortez was built by Marion Hicks and J.C. Grayson as the first major resort in downtown Las Vegas. The casino has been in continuous operation for over 77 years and is one of the only casinos to have never changed its exterior façade; the original ranch-themed architecture remained even when the signage was modernized in 1952.
Did You Know?
Although many people thought that the El Cortez was too far from the main downtown area, but the casino became so profitable that it was purchased by famous mobsters Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Gus Greenbaum, and Moe Sedway for $600,000.
1. Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas Casino Demolition
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photo source: Wikimedia Commons via ToohoolThere is some argument over whether or not the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is older than the El Cortez and many people do cite Golden Gate as older. This is because the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino was built in 1906 and despite some misinformation, the hotel did operate a casino for its first few years. However, gambling did become illegal in Las Vegas in 1909, so the Golden Gate ceased casino operations. After gambling was reinstated in 1931, Golden Gate resumed gambling activities, making the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino the oldest casino in Las Vegas.
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Did You Know?
As the oldest hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino set many firsts, including being the first lodging establishment in the city to receive plumbing and having the first telephone/number in Las Vegas.