Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas
On May 31, 2000, the Golden Nugget (and all of Steve Wynn’s other properties) was sold to Kirk Kerkorian; the consolidated corporation was known as MGM Mirage and has been the largest casino corporation in Las Vegas since that date.
The Mirage
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Photos By: LasVegas360.com,
Clément Bardot (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Moulin Rouge Neon Sign in West Las Vegas
The Moulin Rouge opened on May 24, 1955, built at a cost of $3.5 million. It was the first integrated hotel casino in the United States. Until that time almost all of the casinos on the Strip were totally segregated—off limits to blacks unless they were the entertainment or labor force.
The hotel was located in West Las Vegas, where the black population was forced to live. West Las Vegas was bounded by Washington Avenue on the north, Bonanza Road on the south, H Street on the west, and A Street on the east. The establishment was a model of eye-catching, 110 rooms, a gorgeous showroom, swimming pool, restaurant/coffee shop, dress-shop, and bar which was constructed of highly polished and expensive hardwoods. When it opened, the Moulin Rouge was fully integrated top to bottom, from employees to patrons to entertainers.
The hotel made the June 20, 1955, cover of Life magazine, with a photo of two showgirls. A veritable “A” list of performers regularly showed to party until dawn. Great black singers and musicians such as Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey, and Count Basie would perform often. These artists were banned from gambling or staying at the hotels on the Strip.[1] In addition, white performers, including George Burns, Jeanette MacDonald, Tallulah Bankhead, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Frankie Laine, Maurice Chevalier, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jack Benny, Sophie Tucker and Frank Sinatra, would drop in after their shows to gamble and perform. Eventually management added a 2:30am “Third Show” to accommodate the crowds.
In November 1955 the Moulin Rouge closed its doors, and by December 1955, the casino had declared bankruptcy. Nevertheless, to maintain its gaming license, the Moulin Rouge (like many closed properties) operates on a temporary basis for a state-mandated minimum of eight hours every two years, most recently on June 19, 2012.
On May 29, 2003, a fire ripped through the buildings, almost entirely gutting the complex.
After 2003 fire, what was left of abandoned hotel, burned down on May 6, 2009.
Photo by: Wikipedia
Silverton Casino & Lodge
On this date May 27, 1994 “Boomtown”, now known as the Silverton Las Vegas, opened near I-15 and Blue Diamond Road. Boomtown (Silverton) is a 300-room hotel and casino in near the southern end of the Las Vegas Valley. Located on an 80-acre site, the hotel’s market is California tourists and locals. The 64,701-square-foot casino is set on a rustic lodge and water motif.
On December 2, 1997 it was renamed as the Silverton. In 2004, a $150-million renovation included the opening of a 145,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shop. The property has been renovated in 2004, 2008 (parking Garage) and 2009. TheSilverton is currently owned and operated by Ed Roski.
Ritchie “The Fixer” with UNLV Basketball players in hot tub
On this date May 26, 1989, Three University of Las Vegas, (UNLV), Mens Basketball players are photographed with convicted felon Ritchie “The Fixer” Perry. Ritche was convicted in 1973 and 1984 for a point shaving scandal.
Richie the Fixer
The man they called the “Fixer” got his nickname because he was twice convicted for taking part in mob-backed sports fixes. In 1973 related to manipulating the outcomes of (horse) harness races in New York and then in 1984 related to the Boston College men’s basketball point-shaving scandal (nine games altered in the 1978-79 season).
UNLV Rebels’ star players: Moses Scurry, Perry, Anderson Hunt and David Butler were part of a team that beat Duke by 30 (103-73) in the 1990 NCAA national title game .
The photos and scrutiny led to Tark’s resignation after 19 seasons, and appeared at a time when Nevada officials were considering black booking Perry, which would have banned him from all casinos.
Perry was convicted in 1997 of bookmaking and tax evasion in a federal case out of New York.
Side note: Perry’s attorney was Oscar Goodman, Oscar later became the Mayor of Las Vegas.
The Dunes was the tenth resort built on the Las Vegas Strip and opened on May 23, 1955. The resort included a 18-hole Championship golf course which ran from Tropicana Ave .to Flamingo Road, it was called the Dunes Miracle Mile. In its early years, the Dunes was known for the 35 ft tall fiberglass sultan that stood above its main entrance. Many top performers, such as Dean Martin, Jayne Mansfield, Liberace, George Burns, Pat Cooper, Judy Garland, Violetta Villas, Phyllis Diller and Frank Sinatra performed at the hotel.
The Dunes Hotel closed it doors on January 26, 1993. It sat where the now famous Bellagio resides on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Road.
Photo By: © 1983 Larry D. Moore (CC-BY-SA)
On This date was May 22, 1943, this first wedding at the Little Church of the West took place.
Captain George N. Calvert of the fourth armored division of the United States army and Miss Helen Gates of Hollywood, California came to Las Vegas for a quiet wedding. Because of gasoline rationing and restrictions on other travel, their friends and family were unable to make the trip here for their ceremony. The Last Frontier Hotel, site of the Little Church Of The West, made all of the arrangements for this landmark wedding, including the guests. There were 100 guests in western and pioneer costumes attending the ceremony. Roy Rogers and radio star Chester Lauck were the ushers.
The Little Church of the West opened its doors in 1942 on what would become The Strip. The chapel was originally built as part of the Hotel Last Frontier complex on the Las Vegas Strip. The chapel was moved from the north side of the hotel to the south side in 1954. In 1979, to make way for the Fashion Show Mall, the chapel was moved onto the grounds of the Hacienda. In 1996, when the Hacienda was closed and demolished, the chapel moved again to its current location on the east side of the strip south of the Mandalay Bay.
The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1992.
Photo By: Larry D. Moore
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