Jump to content

Harrah's Las Vegas

Coordinates: 36°7′10″N 115°10′15″W / 36.11944°N 115.17083°W / 36.11944; -115.17083
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by WikiCleanerBot (talk | contribs) at 16:04, 23 April 2022 (v2.04b - Bot T19 CW#25 - Fix errors for CW project (Heading hierarchy)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Harrah's Las Vegas
Harrah's Las Vegas in 2006
Harrah's Las Vegas is located in Las Vegas Strip
Harrah's Las Vegas
Harrah's Las Vegas is located in Nevada
Harrah's Las Vegas
Location Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Address 3475 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Opening dateJuly 2, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-07-02)
ThemeCarnival
Mardi Gras
No. of rooms2,542
Total gaming space90,637 sq ft (8,420.5 m2)
Permanent showsMenopause The Musical
Mac King
Tenors of Rock
X Country
Signature attractionsCarnaval Court
Notable restaurantsBen & Jerry's
Flavors, The Buffet
Fulton Street Food Hall
Oyster Bar
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Starbucks
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerVici Properties
Operating license holderCaesars Entertainment
Previous namesHoliday Casino (1973–1992)
Renovated in1982, 1992, 1997, 2020–21
Coordinates36°7′10″N 115°10′15″W / 36.11944°N 115.17083°W / 36.11944; -115.17083
Websitecaesars.com/harrahs-las-vegas

Harrah's Las Vegas (formerly Holiday Casino) is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment.

The hotel offers 2,542 rooms,[1] with an attached casino providing 90,637 sq ft (8,420.5 m2) of space.[2] The hotel consists of two towers, Mountain and Valley Towers (formerly named the Mardi Gras and Carnival Towers respectively), the taller of which, Valley, has 35 stories.[citation needed] The Valley Tower includes 1,622 rooms.[3]

There is a Las Vegas Monorail stop, the Harrah's & The Linq station, at the rear of the property. A shuttle service to the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino was discontinued in late 2017.

History

The resort was built on property once occupied by the Tumbleweed motel, built in 1946;[4] and the Pyramids motel, built in 1952. The Pyramids, a 20-unit motel, was the first project for Las Vegas real estate developer Irwin Molasky.[5][6][7] The Tumbleweed would later become the Sand Dunes,[8] and was destroyed in a 1968 fire.[9]

Holiday Inn and Holiday Casino (1973–1992)

In March 1969, plans were announced for a riverboat-themed casino to be built on the property. It would be developed by Holiday Queen Land Corporation, and the project would include a hotel in partnership with Holiday Inn.[10] The casino would be owned by Holiday Queen, while Holiday Inn would operate the hotel under its eponymous brand.[11] Groundbreaking took place on April 2, 1970.[12] The 520-room hotel opened on February 1, 1972, as the Holiday Inn Center Strip,[13] named for its location at the center of the Las Vegas Strip.[14] It consisted of a 14-story tower.[15] The adjacent Pyramids motel was purchased later that year for $750,000, and was demolished to provide additional parking space.[16]

During construction, the gaming portion was known as the River Queen Casino.[17] It opened as the Holiday Casino on July 2, 1973. It included 320 slot machines and 20 table games,[18][19] and catered to a middle-class clientele.[20] The casino's primary investors included Shelby Williams and Norman Jenson.[18][21] Williams served as the casino's president and board chairman.[20][22] He and his wife Claudine Williams had previously owned the Silver Slipper casino in the 1960s.[23]

Both the Holiday Inn and Holiday Casino were designed by architect Homer Rissman. Under the direction of the Holiday Inn company, Rissman designed the hotel portion as a plain, white-colored building, differentiating it from the separately operated casino.[24][25] The casino's exterior design was inspired by the Robert E. Lee steamboat, while the interior was replicated from the grand saloon onboard the Grand Republic riverboat.[26] Additional casino space was added in 1975, with its exterior resembling an old-fashioned excursion boat. The addition was attached to the original riverboat-themed casino building.[27][28]

Shelby Williams died in 1977, at the age of 66, after a lengthy illness.[20] Claudine Williams took over operations, a rarity in the Nevada gaming industry, which generally consisted of men.[29][30] In 1979, Holiday Inn bought a 40 percent share of the casino's parent company, Riverboat, Inc.[31][32] Claudine Williams retained the other 60 percent.[33]

In 1980, construction began on a 23-story tower addition with 494 rooms. It was finished the following year, and the hotel became the world's largest Holiday Inn,[34][35][36] with 991 rooms.[37] The project also increased the size of the casino.[34] Holiday Inn bought out Williams' remaining 60-percent interest in 1983.[38][39][40] She remained as chairwoman of the property for years after the sale.[29]

Three-story addition, seen in 1989

In 1986, a three-story casino addition began construction in front of the resort.[41][42][43] During the groundbreaking ceremony, outdated gaming chips from the Holiday Casino – totaling $380,000 – were dumped into the addition's cement foundation by executives. A spokeswoman said the chips would add "color and history" to the new structure, which was built by Marnell Corrao Associates. Aside from adding casino space, the addition also included a new showroom. A renovation of the hotel rooms also took place.[43] In 1988, it became the first Nevada casino to introduce computerized bingo.[44]

A one-year, $100 million renovation and expansion began in 1989, in an effort to compete with newer resorts.[45][46] The project included the addition of a 35-story tower with 734 rooms, for a total of 1,725, retaining the hotel's title as largest Holiday Inn.[47] The casino was also expanded by 12,500 sq ft (1,160 m2), for a total of 74,000 sq ft (6,900 m2).[48] A parking garage was added as well.[45]

The riverboat façade was also revamped and expanded, now consisting of a 450-foot-long Mississippi-style riverboat with an 80-foot paddlewheel and two 85-foot-tall smokestacks. It stretched along the Las Vegas Strip.[37][46][48] Built at a cost of $30 million,[47] casino executives hoped that the new façade would become a popular tourist attraction.[46] In addition, the Holiday Casino added an outdoor shopping plaza, named and themed after Jackson Square in New Orleans.[46][49]

Harrah's Las Vegas (1992–present)

Holiday Inn had previously purchased Harrah's, Inc. in 1980.[50] Ten years later, Holiday Inn's eponymous hotel brand was sold to Bass PLC. A corporate spinoff, The Promus Companies, was created by Holiday Inn to oversee several brands not included in the sale to Bass PLC, including Harrah's. In October 1991, Promus announced that it would end its franchise agreement with Holiday Inn and rename the Las Vegas property under its Harrah's brand.[51][52][53] The name change was finalized in April 1992.[54][55][56]

An early morning robbery occurred in April 1994, when four young men entered Harrah's and robbed the casino cage at gunpoint.[57] A fifth man operated the getaway vehicle for the group, which consisted of Los Angeles gang members. They were apprehended after a 20-minute police chase,[58][59][60] and were sentenced to prison. Two other men who planned out the robbery were also sentenced.[61][62][63] The stolen money, approximately $100,000, was never recovered.[57][62] It was apparently handed off to another vehicle prior to the police chase.[57]

The enlarged riverboat façade, seen following the 1992 Harrah's rebranding

Promus was renamed Harrah's Entertainment in 1995.[53] A year later, the company began a $200 million renovation and expansion of the Las Vegas property with Henry Conversano as designer.[64][65][66] The project removed the riverboat façade and added a Mardi Gras/Carnaval theme.[67][68] A 30-by-90-foot mural was added to the new façade,[69] along with several jester statues, covered in gold leaf and weighing 22,000 lb (10,000 kg) each.[70][71]

The casino was also expanded by 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2),[66][72] and an addition to the 35-story tower was made.[68] An outdoor retail and entertainment area, known as Carnaval Court, was also built.[66] It includes a bar and is host to live music.[73][74][75] The additions were officially unveiled with an opening ceremony in October 1997,[76] while final touches were concluded later that year.[66][77][68]

The casino floor includes a humorous statue depicting a wealthy couple, Buck and Winnie Greenback, and their poodle Chip, surrounded by money. It is a popular photo spot.[71][78][79][75]

Harrah's Las Vegas sign in 2010

On November 29, 2017, Caesars announced it is selling the property to Vici Properties while Caesars continues operating it.[80] The sale was completed the following month.[81]

A remodeling of the hotel rooms was finished in 2020, as part of a $200 million renovation, which concluded in 2021.[3] The project included renovations on the casino floor, and new neon signage on the resort's exterior.[1] A sky bridge was also built to connect Harrah's to the Caesars Forum convention facility.[82]

Performers

Performers at Harrah's include: Ray Charles (2 nights) in '95, Burt Bacharach (3 nights) in '98, Little Feat (from L.A.) in '03, Vince Neil (of L.A.'s Mötley Crüe) in '07, Donny & Marie Osmond (from Utah) in '14, the Righteous Brothers (from Orange County, CA) in '16, Fastball in '18, Vertical Horizon in '18, and Sin City Sinners in '18.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b "Harrah's finishes $200M renovation of Vegas Strip flagship". KLAS. Associated Press. June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage". Nevada Gaming Control Board. p. 5. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Shoro, Mike (June 11, 2021). "$200M renovation project completed at Harrah's". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  4. ^ "Clark County Issues Number of Permits for New Construction". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 26, 1946. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Vanderwilt, Dirk (2007). Las Vegas: A Comprehensive Guide to Resorts, Casinos, and Attractions. Channel Lake, Inc. pp. 115–117. ISBN 978-0-9792043-5-7. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  6. ^ "Changing the Face of Nevada". Nevada Business Magazine. March 1, 2001. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  7. ^ Schwartz, David G. (April 23, 2014). "An Interview with Irwin Molasky". University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "Harrah's Las Vegas". Historic Las Vegas Project. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  9. ^ "Strip Motel Fire". Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 10, 1968. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  10. ^ "New Hotel Planned". Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 23, 1969. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Strip to Get Riverboat". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 5, 1970. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "New Strip Extravaganza". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 3, 1970. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "New Inn Opens". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 3, 1972. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  14. ^ "Holiday Inn Center Strip". San Francisco Examiner. January 9, 1972. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Outside Fire Causes Hotel Evacuation". The Chico Enterprise-Record. United Press International. April 18, 1981. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Holiday Queen Casino". Las Vegas Sun. December 17, 1972. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  17. ^ "Montreal group building Vegas casino". The Gazette. June 5, 1971. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b "Holiday Casino In Vegas Wins First Approval". Nevada State Journal. United Press International. June 15, 1973. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Holiday Casino Celebrates 1st Anniversary". Las Vegas Sun. August 2, 1974. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Vegas gaming figure Shelby Williams dies". Reno Evening Gazette. Associated Press. September 27, 1977. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Gaming license approval is given for $7 million Las Vegas casino". Reno Evening Gazette. Associated Press. June 14, 1973. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "New Holiday Queen tabs board chairman". Las Vegas Review-Journal. December 19, 1972. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  23. ^ White, Tricia (July 3, 1990). "Love of gaming". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  24. ^ Al, Stefan (2017). The Strip: Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream. MIT Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-262-33822-6. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  25. ^ Manning, Mary; Koch, Ed (October 4, 2001). "Rissman, architect of Strip hotels, dies of cancer at 74". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  26. ^ "Local Firm Honored". Las Vegas Sun. May 12, 1974. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  27. ^ "Holiday Casino addition gets planners' approval". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  28. ^ "Holiday Casino Addition on Even Keel Despite Stolen Compass". Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 10, 1975. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Schwartz, David G. (June 3, 2014). "My Nevada 5: Exceptional Women in Gaming". University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  30. ^ Moehring, Eugene P. (2016). Resort City In The Sunbelt, Second Edition: Las Vegas, 1930-2000. University of Nevada Press. ISBN 978-0-87417-693-3. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  31. ^ "Holiday Inns buys interest in Vegas site". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 11, 1979. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  32. ^ "Holiday Inns Takes a Gamble on Casinos". Los Angeles Times. September 18, 1979. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Holiday Inns Las Vegas OK". The Fresno Bee. Associated Press. August 17, 1979. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ a b "Holiday Inn groundbreaking". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 9, 1980. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  35. ^ Weiss, Clyde (November 9, 1982). "Holiday Inns reveals plan to buy Holiday Casino". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  36. ^ Moskowitz, Milton (July 20, 1982). "Holiday Inn parlays casinos into cash". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  37. ^ a b "Holiday to open 734-room tower, health facility". Los Angeles Times. December 31, 1989. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ Schwartz, David G. (2007). "7". Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. Penguin. ISBN 9781592403165.
  39. ^ "Holiday Inns to buy parent company of 2 Vegas clubs". Reno Gazette-Journal. Associated Press. November 9, 1982. Retrieved April 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Holiday Inns Inc". UPI. January 5, 1983. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  41. ^ "Holiday Casino addition approved". Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 21, 1985. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  42. ^ "Holiday Inn unveils $17 million expansion". Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 24, 1986. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  43. ^ a b "Holiday Inn executives kick off $17 million casino expansion". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 4, 1986. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  44. ^ Stutz, Howard (July 13, 1988). "Holiday Casino hopes to alter bingo with new video version". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  45. ^ a b Stutz, Howard (June 9, 1989). "Holiday to change look". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  46. ^ a b c d Stutz, Howard (July 1, 1990). "Holiday Inn to christen addition". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  47. ^ a b "'Ship on the Strip' opens new tower". Daily Press. December 29, 1989. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ a b "Riverboat christening scheduled for July 6". Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 3, 1990. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  49. ^ "Shopping mecca to open on Strip". Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 3, 1990. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  50. ^ Moreno, Richard (November 25, 1984). "Center, Second Streets likely site for Harrah's tower". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ^ "Promus casino in Vegas dropping Holiday name". The Commercial Appeal. October 4, 1991. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. ^ "Holiday Casino to become Harrah's". Las Vegas Review-Journal. October 4, 1991. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  53. ^ a b "Relocation of Harrah's headquarters 'right move at right time'". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 22, 1999. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  54. ^ "Notes Around Town". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 5, 1992. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  55. ^ "Harrah's Casino Hotel Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 10, 1992. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  56. ^ "Promus income improves". Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 21, 1992. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  57. ^ a b c Littlejohn, David (1999). The Real Las Vegas: Life Beyond the Strip. Oxford University Press. pp. 243–244. ISBN 978-0-19-535140-8. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  58. ^ "Five L.A. Gang Members Arrested in Second Casino Heist". Associated Press. April 25, 1994. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  59. ^ "Five arrested after casino holdup". UPI. April 25, 1994. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  60. ^ "3 L.A. Men Held on $100,000 Bond in Vegas Casino Robbery". Los Angeles Times. May 3, 1994. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  61. ^ Levy, Rachael (October 3, 1996). "Judge denies request to close trial in Harrah's robbery case". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  62. ^ a b Levy, Rachael (October 23, 1996). "LA gang member pleads guilty in Harrah's heist". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  63. ^ Levy, Rachael (October 30, 1996). "LA gang leader convicted in robbery at Harrah's". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  64. ^ "Harrah's Las Vegas' New Look Seeks to 'Celebrate the Strip'". Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 23, 1996. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  65. ^ Berns, Dave (September 23, 1996). "Aiming to Strike it Big: Harrah's Hopes its Expansion Project will Make it a Major Player in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  66. ^ a b c d Thompson, Gary (October 22, 1997). "Harrah's to unveil $200 million expansion". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  67. ^ Calkins, Alison (May 17, 1996). "Harrah's joins growth". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  68. ^ a b c Siano, Joseph (November 23, 1997). "Harrah's Outdoes Itself in Las Vegas". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  69. ^ "Harrah's resort adding mural". Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 16, 1997. Archived from the original on September 18, 2000.
  70. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (November 10, 2010). "New cookbook contains recipes from Harrah's properties". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  71. ^ a b Jones, Jay (March 19, 2018). "Harrah's Las Vegas marks 80th year with a $140-million renovation of its guest rooms". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  72. ^ "Harrah's to add tower, casino space". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  73. ^ "From glass-juggling to bottle-throwing, the best flair bars in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Sun. October 4, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  74. ^ Radke, Brock (January 28, 2021). "Harrah's Las Vegas remains focused on live entertainment". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  75. ^ a b Benson, Sara (June 26, 2017). "Harrah's". The Telegraph. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  76. ^ Berns, Dave (October 23, 1997). "Harrah's balancing act". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 18, 2000.
  77. ^ Rivera Brooks, Nancy (October 23, 1997). "Glitz Blitz". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  78. ^ Scott, Jean (November 18, 2014). "Getting to Know the Greenbacks". Las Vegas Advisor. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  79. ^ Strip Cultures: Finding America in Las Vegas. Duke University Press. 2015. ISBN 978-0-8223-7523-4. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  80. ^ Editorial, Reuters. "Caesars to sell Harrah's Las Vegas real estate assets for $1.14..." reuters.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  81. ^ Corporation, Caesars Entertainment. "Caesars Entertainment Announces Completion of Harrah's Las Vegas Sale and Leaseback Transaction and Land Acquisition for New Convention Center in Las Vegas". prnewswire.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  82. ^ Seeman, Matthew (June 11, 2021). "Harrah's Las Vegas completes $200 million in renovations". KSNV. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harrah%27s_Las_Vegas&oldid=1084280420"