Category: The Strip

The Famous Glass Pool Inn Sign in Las Vegas Goes Missing.

June 9, 2012

Some time on Thursday June 7, 2012 the Neon Museum and Boneyard posted a photo on their Facebook with the words “Have you seen this sign?” Apparently, the old Las Vegas sign was in the process of being removed from its historic site on the south end of Las Vegas Blvd to be relocated to the museum. The sign was removed from its towering signposts, carefully laid on the ground in a locked fenced in area awaiting to be moved. The sign was to be transported to the Bone Yard at a later date and that is when the mystery begins. Like many fortunes in Las Vegas, this one too disappeared in one night and that it might of been picked up and hauled off as scrap metal.

The Glass Pool Inn sign has disappeared (photo Oct. 2011)

Photo 1999- Glass Pool Inn (click to view larger photo)

What made this sign famous, was not the sign itself, but the 1950’s style motel with 7 large glass portals looking in to the elevated swimming pool where it stood. The Motel and pool was demolished in 2004, and only the sign remained up until last Thursday. Note: The Motel was renamed in 1988 from “The Mirage” when Steve Wynn’s Mirage Hotel Open. Rumor has it that Steve Wynn paid a cool million for the now famous “Mirage” name.

See a 360 panoramic view of the famous motel from 1999.

Photos by LasVegas360.com

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MGM wants to demolish the Harmon Tower

October 18, 2011

Never used Harmon Tower on the short fuse for demolition

In the heart of City Center, lies the Harmon Tower. Orginally planned to have 400 rooms and 207 condominium on 49 floors, but was halted after 28 stories due to improper installation of critical rebar. On July 11, 2011 a report was released that indicated that the building was likely to collapse in a major earthquake and that a determination of possible repairs would take at least a year. On August 15, 2011 MGM Resorts announced plans to implode the building instead of repairing it. The current fate of tower is still held up in the courts.

Photo by: LasVegas360.com
Photo date: 10/15/2011

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GOP Presidential Debate Comes to Las Vegas

October 15, 2011

The Venetian Resort will be the stage for the Western Republican Debate

Las Vegas takes center stage for the GOP Presidential Primary Debate at the Venetian Resort on October 18, 2011. Tuesday night at 5:00pm PDT. Anderson Cooper of CNN will be Moderating this event. Nevada has been choosen by the Republican National Committee to be one of the first states to vote in the Republican presidential primary Jan. 19, 2012.

Nevada’s caucus will now be held sometime after New Hampshire’s primary, traditionally the first in the nation. New Hampshire has not yet set its voting date. Nevada’s Republican Party has decided to move the state’s caucus to January so that it keeps its traditional early-voting spot. The original date for the caucus had been February 18.

Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum are expected at the Tuesday’s debate.

Update- Jon Huntsman will skip Tuesday’s presidential debate in Nevada and instead hold a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, his campaign announced.

Photo by: LasVegas360.com
Photo taken: 10/15/2011

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Locals, The Strip, Vegas

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Luv-It Frozen Custard

July 26, 2011

Luv-it Frozen Custard

Every town has a favorite ice cream shop. I left behind my favorite custard stand, Glen’s Frozen Custard, when we moved from our small town of Springdale, Pennsylvania to Las Vegas in the early 1970s. Lucky for me that same year, 1973, Luv-It Frozen Custard, opened in Las Vegas and has been serving up delicious, frozen custard from the same location to loyal locals for nearly four decades.

Luv-It is located just off of the Las Vegas Strip, next to Olympic Gardens Gentlemen’s Club, it’s not in the best neighborhood, but that only seems to add to its authenticity. The small building serves frozen custard through a small walk up window and has survived mainly on word-of-mouth advertising for 38 years.

Luv-It Frozen Custard specializes in sundaes, cones, shakes, malts, and floats. Root beer floats, whips, luv sticks and chocolate covered frozen bananas are also favorites. They have basic sundaes banana splits etc… but are known for their own creations. Their top seller is the Western, which is vanilla custard topped with hot fudge, caramel and salted pecans. But my personal favorite is the Scotch Jimmie, vanilla custard, butterscotch, bananas and chocolate jimmies or sprinkles. You can get a regular size (3 scoops) or a junior size (2 scoops). Pints, quarts and half gallons are available as packaged to go products.

Like many long-time Las Vegans, I have had a long love affair with Luv-It Frozen Custard, beginning in my early childhood when I would beg my parents to take me there as often as possible and through my teenage years where I drove past the store to and from high school (and usually stopped on my way home from school). As a young adult living near-by, I would stop by to get a late night treat and now I proudly take my children there so they can enjoy what has been a favorite of mine for so many years.

Luv-It Frozen Custard is located…

Just off The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd. just one building away)

505 E. Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104

(702)384-6452

Located within WALKING DISTANCE from the Stratosphere (one light) between Sahara Ave. and Charleston Blvd.

Hours of operation are:

1pm-10pm Sun-THU

1pm-11pm FRI-SAT

CASH ONLY

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Downtown, Food, Locals, The Strip, Vegas

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Virtual Strip Tour: Fashion Show Mall to the Stratosphere c.1999

July 10, 2011

Our tour of Las Vegas in 1999 continues down the Las Vegas Strip past Spring Mt. Road. This portian of the Strip has seen the biggest changes over the last 10 years. Right on this corner, the construction of the Palazzo, and a complete remodel of the Fashion Show Mall. New resorts sprang up Wynn, and Encore, and some removed and imploded. The following hotels were imploded between 1999-2010 The Desert Inn, Frontier, Stardust, and El Rancho.

Some of this change has not all been good. The Fontainebleau 85% complete went bankrupt and sits empty and partially complete. Where the Stardust stood, is the partially built Echelon Place, rusting away in the desert and the Sahara Hotel just recently closed (2011). On the upside, new non-gaming condos sprang up near the Riviera Hotel area and Donald Trump finally got a Hotel/Condo in Vegas but not a coveted gambling establishment.

On the corner of Spring Mountain Road and the Las Vegas “STRIP”.

The Fashion Show Mall (c. 1999)

The Dive Restaurant at the Fashion Show Mall located at Spring Mountain Road and Las Vegas Blvd.

The Fashion Show Mall looking toward the Frontier Hotel and Casino.

The New Frontier Hotel across the street from the Desert Inn

The Desert Inn

The Desert Inn and the Frontier

The Desert Inn

The Stardust Hotel

The Riviera Hotel

The Riviera Hotel & the West Ward Ho

The Riviera Hotel home of the Crazy Girls

The Riviera Hotel & the West Ward Ho, Note: This is a tribute to the Crazy Girls Show ad campaign that was featured on billboards and taxis around Las Vegas, forever immortalized in bronze. (NO “IFs” “Ands” OR…)

The Riviera Hotel across the street from Circus Circus.

Circus Circus

The Algiers across from the Riviera and Circus Circus.

This was the original Thunder Bird Hotel, was renamed to the Silverbird then to the El Rancho (imploded in 2000). Across the street the original El Rancho, the very first hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, opened on April 3, 1941 it was later destroyed by fire in 1960.

This was the Las Vegas’ first water park (Wet and Wild) now closed.

This spot was the where the original El Ranch Hotel & Casino stood. the only thing left here is a few trees- and this photo was taken 40 years after the fire burn it to the ground. The Sahara Hotel, Stratosphere Tower and Wet ‘n Wild stands in the background.

The Sahara Hotel and Casino just closed in 2011 and still looks like this.

Sahara Hotel & Casino

In front of the Sahara Hotel and Casino

On the corner of Sahara and The Strip, Sahara Hotel, Holy Cow Brewery (closed), and the World’s largest Gift Shop (still there)

Up the street, heading north is the base of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino, once own by a character named Bob Stupak who build the first hotel there called Vegas World.

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Virtual Strip Tour: Caesar’s to Treasure Island (Ti) c.1999

July 9, 2011

Our virtual tour of The Strip in 1999 continues. The following photos are from Flamingo Road heading north to Spring Mountain Road. Most of the hotels in the past we set far back from the street and over the years, have slowly been building closer to the street.

Paris, Bally’s on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Road.

Caesars Palace’s Famous Fountain. Note: This fountain has been made famous for motorcycle jumping, attemps include:

Dec. 31, 1967 – Evel Knievel (failed landing) he spent 29 days in a coma.
Sep. 16, 1980 – Motorcyclist Gary Wells (crashed into a wall after landing).
Apr. 15, 1989 – Robbie Knievel -(success)
May 4, 2006 – Mike Metzger set a Guinness World Record with a 125-foot long motorcycle jump that included a back flip(show off) over a fountain at Caesars Palace May 4, 2006

In front of Caesar’s Palace, looking north and south on the Strip. The Flamingo Hilton, Bugsy old hang out,located across the street. This lush landscape has been removed and the sidewalks widened.

Two Gladiators (statues), the most photographed guys in town, beneath Caesars Palace’s sign. (c.1999) long since removed.

Caesars Palace is located across the street from the famous Flamingo Hotel & Casino.

The Imperial Palace and O’Shea’s Entrance, Mirage Hotel and Caesars Palace looking north.

Caesars Palace and the Imperal Palace, Center Strip.

Caesars Palace, with the 360° OmniMax Theater, which has been long removed.

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, opened January 1, 1992. Harrah’s located across the street.

The Flaming volcano at the Mirage with Treasure Island in the background and the Venetian Hotel on the right.

The Mirage Hotel and Casino opened on November 22, 1989. Note: Built by developer Steve Wynn, on the site that was formerly occupied by the Castaways. It cost $630 million in 1989 to build and was financed by the selling of junk bonds by Wall Street’s own Michael Milken. The Mirage was home to the Siegfried & Roy show from 1990-2003.