Tag Archives: On this date

On This Date: February 15, 2008 the Monte Carlo Reopens After Fire

February 15, 2019
Monte Carlo Resort

Monte Carlo Resort and Casino fire broke out on January 25, 2008

On January 25, 2008, at 10:57 AM, a fire broke out on the exterior of the top six floors of the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. The fire was on the exterior of the building burning the foam facade. The ignition of the facade wall was attributed to welding on a catwalk on the roof. The hotel and casino were evacuated with no major injuries or deaths during the fire, which lasted a little more than an hour. The hotel remained closed for 21 days and The hotel & casino reopened to guests on February 15, 2008. MGM Mirage officials put the total losses due to fire damage and loss of business at just under $100 million.

Photo by: wikipedia.org

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On this Date: February 14, 2012, The Mob Museum Opened in Downtown Las Vegas

February 14, 2019
mob museum

The Mob Museum right before is grand opening in 2012

On February 14, 2012, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, or “Mob “Museum located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada opened. The opening date of February 14th, coincides with the historical deadly Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929. It was the murder of seven mob associates as part of a Prohibition-era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capone and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran.Former members of the Egan’s Rats gang were also suspected of having played a significant role in the incident, assisting Capone.

The Museum is housed in the former Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse, built in 1933 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is on Stewart Avenue, two blocks north of Fremont Street, the main artery of the downtown casino district. The Mob Museum is dedicated to the thrilling story of organized crime and law enforcement. It presents an exciting and authentic view of the mob’s impact on Las Vegas history and its unique imprint on the world.

The museum is located at the end of 3rd street at 300 Stewart Avenue near the newly opened “Mob Bar”,  just north of the Fremont Street Experience.  The expected opening is  in February of 2012.

Photo By: LasVegas360.com
Date Taken: December 30, 2011

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On This Date: February 11, 2012 Man Has Heart Attack at the Heart Attack Grill

February 11, 2019
Heart Attack Grill in downtown Las Vegas

Heart Attack Grill in Downtown Las Vegas where you eat free if you are over 350 pounds.

On February 11, 2012, a customer suffered what was reported to be an apparent heart attack while eating a Triple Bypass Burger at the Heart Attack Grill in downtown Las Vegas. The grill prides itself on the high calorie menu items that include: Flat-liner Fries, Butterfat Shakes, Quadruple Bypass Burger and Coronary Dogs. The scantily clad female servers dressed as nurses take orders as prescriptions, and a house policy allows diners weighing over 350 pounds to eat for free.

We will never be sure if this was a staged event or if a real hearth attack actually happen. But according to eye-witnesses the event did occurred. Other regular patrons have actually died from heart attacks, including, the restaurant’s previous 575-pound spokesman, 29-year-old Blair River, died in March 2011 at the age of 29, but not on the premises.

The downtown Las Vegas nighttime construction site security guard,John Alleman, also passed on from a heart attack while standing at a bus stop in front of the restaurant. John visited the Heart Attack Grill so often, they designed a line of clothing featuring a cartoon of Patient Joe.

The owner Jon Basso said that he currently has no plans to alter the Grill’s high calorie menu. The restaurant remains open to date.

Photo By: LasVegas360.com
Date Taken: 1/28/2012

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On This Date: February 6, 2006. Lady Luck Casino in Downtown Las Vegas Closed

February 6, 2019
lady-luck-casino

Lady Luck Hotel Casino – September 2007

The Lady Luck opened in 1964 as Honest Johns. The property is located one street north of the famous “Fremont Street” on Ogden Ave. It was originally a small newsstand/smoke-shop with 20 slot machines and a few pinball machines. This was the Honest John’s located downtown and not the other one located on Las Vegas Blvd. and Sahara Ave. But, in 1968 it was renamed Lady Luck. In 1972, it expanded from its small beginnings to engulf the whole block as a full-fledged casino with restaurants and shops.

honest-john-downtown

Honest John’s Before the Lady Luck

The first hotel tower opened in 1986 and the second tower was added in 1989. Lady Luck had more than 30,000 square feet of gaming space, more than 800 slot and video poker machines and 30 table games, 792 hotel guestrooms, four restaurants and a multi-level parking garage. On February 6, 2006 the Lady was closed. 7 years later, on October 27, 2013, the hotel and casino reopened as the Downtown Grand.

Photo By: Wikipedia.com

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On This Date: February 4, 2013, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon Closed

February 4, 2019
Bills-gamblin-hall

Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon closed on February 4, 2013

Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon closed on February 4, 2013. Originally opened as the Barbary Coast on March 2, 1979.  The casino was built by Michael Gaughan and opened in March at a cost of $11.5 million. Over time, this property, along with others owned by Gaughan would become Coast Casinos Inc. Gaughan shared partnership in the Barbary Coast with Kenny Epstein, Tito Tiberti, Frank Toti and Jerry Herbst.

In July 2005, the Barbary Coast Hotel & Casino was bought by Boyd Gaming. again, in September of 2005, Boyd purchased the 4.3 acres of land under the hotel for $16 million. The hotel had previously been leasing the land.

In 2007, Boyd gave the Barbary Coast to Harrah’s Entertainment in exchange for the 24-acre site of the demolished Westward Ho, to be used for the Echelon Place project. The Barbary Coast closed at 2:00 a.m. on February 27 and reopened on March 1, newly rebranded as Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon, in honor of company founder Bill Harrah.

After nearly six years of continuous operations, Bill’s closed on February 4, 2013 for renovation into a boutique hotel. Plans call for remodeling of the guest rooms and casino floor, a new restaurant, and construction of a 65,000 square foot rooftop pool and dayclub/nightclub and will reopen as the Cromwell.

Photo by: Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0
Date Taken: 2 November 2, 2007

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On This Date: January 31, 1979, 7.4 inches of Snow Fell in Las Vegas

January 31, 2019
UNLV-jan-31-1979

UNLV campus on January 31, 1979

Photo by: UNLV Special Collections

A winter storm dumped 7.4 inches of snow on the valley floor on January 31, 1979. The Clark County School District closed the schools and sent everyone home.

snow house jan 31, 1979

My house in Las Vegas January 31, 1979

Photo by: LasVegas360.com

Another snow event was in 1974 with a 24 hr total of 9 inches on January 4-5, 1974

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