A Brief History of Nevada Gambling |
| Nevada wasn’t always the gambling hub that it is today. In 1910, the state passed a forceful anti-gambling law. How forceful? Even flipping a coin for a drink was illegal!
It wasn't long before underground gambling began cropping up. By 1931, gambling was permissible by law with the idea was that the legalized gambling would raise taxes for public schools in need. However, it wasn’t until 1941 that the first hotel/casino -- Tommy Hull’s El Rancho Vegas -- was built.
By this point, large buildings were needed to house all of the new gambling games that were popping up. By the late 1940s, the first hotel/casinos were built along Las Vegas' major two-lane highway, thus, the Las Vegas Strip was born! The first hotel/casinos were The Last Frontier (later changed to The New Frontier), Thunderbird (now the Aruba Hotel & Spa), and Club Bingo. |
Big Caesars |
"In 1962, motel mogul Jay Sarno bought up land in Vegas to build a huge hotel/casino he intended to call the "Cabana Palace." It later became "Desert Palace," and today it is
"Caesars Palace."
In 1966, the 14-story, 700-room hotel opened its doors for the first time. Additions and improvements have been made to the colossal megaplex over the decades. In 2003 they opened a 4,000-seat showroom called The Colosseum, where Celine Dion performed nightly with Sir Elton John taking over during her holiday breaks, and where Cher is now the star of a spectacular production.
Today, Caesars Palace is quintessential Las Vegas. The hotel has over 2,400 deluxe rooms and 120,000 feet of gaming space in three casinos! " |
Chains of Plenty |
| Here's a bit of Las Vegas hotel and casino trivia that you may not know: Many of the resorts are owned by the same company!
For example, the company that owns The Mirage is also the proud owner of The MGM Grand, the Bellagio, New York-New York, Treasure Island and Circus Circus. But wait, there's more!
The Mandalay Resort Group, which was once known as Circus Circus Enterprises is also part of the MGM/Mirage Group with Excalibur, Mandalay Bay and the Luxor Hotel.
It seems Las Vegas is a small world after all! |
Fremont Street Experience |
You haven’t seen Las Vegas until you’ve visited historic Fremont Street for the Fremont Street Experience. Fremont Street is the home of numerous Las Vegas firsts, such as:
- 1925: Las Vegas' first paved street was Fremont Street
- 1932: The first traffic light and first elevator (at the Apache Hotel)
- 1956: The first high-rise (at the Fremont Hotel)
Another Fremont Street historical nugget was The Golden Nugget -- the first structure designed with the purpose of becoming a casino. Be sure to take time out during your stay to stroll along the mall and check out the LED display “canopy.” It's an awe-inspiring 90-feet-tall and reaches 1,400 feet along the FSE promenade from Main Street to Fourth Street forming an amazing foyer for the existing hotels and resorts.
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The Fabulous Flamingo |
| Quite a few Las Vegas hotel rooms have a colorful history and The Flamingo hotel and casino is no exception. The land was first purchased in 1945 in a partnership between Billy Wilkerson, owner of the Hollywood Reporter, Benjamin Siegel and Frank Costello. Although it lost over $300,000 in its opening week (due to Los Angeles celebrities who had booked, but couldn't travel because of bad weather), The Fabulous Flamingo, as it was then known, regained footing as one of the most popular hotels and casinos on the strip. In fact, its name comes from Seigel's fiery-haired girlfriend Virginia Hill, who was nicknamed "The Flamingo" during her dancing days in Mexico.
The Flamingo has been host to countless performers over the years, from Phyllis Diller to Foreigner. Judy Garland introduced her 11 year-old daughter here in 1957 when she called her up on stage to perform with her!
Today, The Flamingo is a successful complex with gaming, health spas, shops, concert venues, rent-a-car facilities, excellent restaurants, and 3,638 hotel rooms! |
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