Historic Las Vegas
The Casinos That Built the Strip (1941-2024)
Before the mega-resorts, there was a dusty desert highway lined with neon dreams. From El Rancho Vegas — the first casino on the Strip in 1941 — to the implosion of the Tropicana in 2024, explore the legendary hotels, mob hangouts, Rat Pack showrooms, and wedding chapels that made Las Vegas the Entertainment Capital of the World.
Old Las Vegas in the archive
- 47 places
- 107 businesses on record
- on record since 1906
- 30 buildings standing
When It Was tracks 47 Las Vegas addresses and the 107 businesses that occupied them, from the Golden Gate Hotel at 1 Fremont Street, open since 1906, to Resorts World, which opened in 2021 on the old Stardust site. 17 of those original buildings have been demolished, so the archive keeps a record of what stood on each lot before the implosions.
El Rancho Vegas, the first casino-resort on the Strip, burned to the ground in 1960. The Sands (1952–1996) was the Rat Pack's playground before it came down for The Venetian, and the Stardust (1958–2006) had a 188-foot sign, the largest electric sign in the world, with a back room that counted mob money for decades. The Moulin Rouge, America's first integrated hotel-casino, lasted only six months in 1955 but changed the city.
The mob story runs through the list too: the Mob Museum occupies the courthouse where the 1950 Kefauver hearings exposed organized crime in Las Vegas, and the Tony Roma's parking lot on East Sahara is where Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal survived a car bomb thanks to a metal plate under his seat. Every address is listed below.
The Rise and Fall of Old Las Vegas
Las Vegas as we know it began on April 3, 1941, when Thomas Hull opened El Rancho Vegas on a barren stretch of Highway 91 south of town. The idea was simple but revolutionary: build a resort hotel with a pool and casino where Los Angeles tourists could stop on their way to Hoover Dam. Within two decades, the Strip would become the most famous stretch of road in America.
The mob built Vegas. Bugsy Siegel's Flamingo Hotel (1946), the Sands (1952), the Stardust (1958) — all were funded with dirty money laundered through legitimate-looking casino operations. The Rat Pack turned the Sands into the coolest place on Earth in the early 1960s, and Howard Hughes began buying up casinos in 1966, ushering in the corporate era that would eventually push the mob out.
Demolished Casinos of the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas is a city that constantly reinvents itself, and that means tearing down the old to build the new. Some of the most iconic casinos in history no longer exist:
El Rancho Vegas (1941-1960)
The first casino on the Strip burned to the ground in a suspicious fire that was never solved. The lot sat empty for decades before becoming the Hilton Grand Vacations development.
The Sands Hotel & Casino (1952-1996)
Headquarters of the Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. made the Copa Room the hottest ticket in entertainment. They filmed Ocean's 11 here during the day while performing shows at night. The Sands was imploded in 1996 and replaced by The Venetian — but one piece survived: the Sands Expo & Convention Center (1990), built structurally separate, outlasted the implosion and still operates today as the Venetian Expo.
The Stardust (1958-2006)
Featured the longest sign on the Strip and was the setting for the real-life events depicted in the film Casino. Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal ran the casino for the mob while Tony Spilotro enforced their interests with violence. The Stardust was imploded in 2007 and its site became Resorts World Las Vegas.
The Desert Inn (1950-2000)
When the Desert Inn's management asked Howard Hughes to check out of his penthouse in 1966, he bought the entire hotel instead. This began Hughes's buying spree that would transform Las Vegas from a mob town to a corporate one. The site is now Wynn Las Vegas.
Deep Dives: The Stories Behind the Strip
Long-form histories of the casinos, landmarks, and characters that built Las Vegas
The Sands Hotel & Copa Room
Where the Rat Pack was born and Ocean's 11 was filmed between shows.
1952–1996 | DemolishedStardust Resort & Casino
The real-life "Casino" hotel where the mob skimmed millions.
1958–2006 | DemolishedFlamingo Hotel (Bugsy Siegel)
Bugsy's $6 million gamble launched the modern Strip — and cost him his life.
1946–present | Active (rebuilt)Desert Inn & Howard Hughes
When they asked Hughes to check out, he bought the entire hotel.
1950–2000 | DemolishedEl Rancho Vegas
The first casino on the Strip. Burned in a suspicious fire never solved.
1941–1960 | DemolishedDunes Hotel & Casino
The Arabian-themed casino imploded on live TV. Now the Bellagio stands here.
1955–1993 | DemolishedCaesars Palace
No apostrophe by design. Nearly 60 years later, still the king of the Strip.
1966–present | ActiveTropicana Las Vegas
The last original Strip casino fell in 2024 for a baseball stadium.
1957–2024 | DemolishedRiviera Hotel & Casino
The first high-rise on the Strip. Imploded for a convention center parking lot.
1955–2015 | DemolishedBinion's Horseshoe
A convicted murderer from Texas invented the World Series of Poker here.
1951–present | ActiveEl Cortez Hotel & Casino
The only casino where Bugsy Siegel's original structure still stands.
1941–present | ActiveNew Frontier (Elvis's Debut)
A 21-year-old Elvis bombed here in 1956. He conquered Vegas 13 years later.
1942–2007 | DemolishedLittle Church of the West
Built in 1942, moved three times, still marrying couples. The Strip's oldest building.
1942–present | ActiveThe Mob Museum
The courthouse where Kefauver grilled the mob is now a world-class museum.
1933–present | MuseumAtomic Las Vegas
When nuclear bombs 65 miles away became the city's hottest tourist attraction.
1951–1963 | HistoricA Little White Wedding Chapel
Britney's 55-hour marriage, Sinatra & Mia Farrow, and Michael Jordan all said "I do" here.
1951–present | ActiveGraceland Wedding Chapel
The chapel that invented the Elvis-impersonator wedding. Jon Bon Jovi married here.
1939–present | ActiveAladdin Hotel (Elvis's Wedding)
Elvis married Priscilla in an 8-minute ceremony in Suite 246. Now it's Planet Hollywood.
1966–1998 | DemolishedGolden Gate Hotel & Casino
The oldest hotel in Las Vegas. Open since 1906 — 35 years before the Strip existed.
1906–present | ActiveGolden Nugget Las Vegas
Steve Wynn's first casino. The 61-pound gold nugget. The shark tank pool slide.
1946–present | ActiveFour Queens Hotel & Casino
Named after the owner's four daughters. Hugo's Cellar still gives roses to every woman.
1966–present | ActiveSiegfried & Roy at The Mirage
The most profitable show in Vegas history ended when a tiger grabbed Roy on his birthday.
1989–2003 | ClosedBattista's Hole in the Wall
50 years of unlimited free wine with dinner. The anti-Vegas Italian restaurant behind the Flamingo.
1970–2021 | ClosedSahara Hotel & Casbar Lounge
The Beatles played two shows here in 1964. The Rat Pack drank at the Casbar Lounge.
1952–2011 | Reopened 2014Fremont Hotel & Casino
The tallest building in Nevada when it opened in 1956. Where Wayne Newton got his start.
1956–present | ActiveDoom Town (Nuclear Test Site)
The government built a fake suburb with mannequin families, then nuked it on live TV.
1955 | Ruins remainThe Black Mailbox (Area 51)
A rancher's mailbox received 100 letters a day addressed to aliens. The world's most famous UFO stakeout.
1950–2015 | RemovedBacchanal at Caesars Palace
Toga-clad wine goddesses fed you grapes while you reclined like a Roman emperor.
1966–1998 | ClosedThe Copa Room at the Sands
The 400-seat showroom where the Rat Pack performed and Kennedy sat in the audience.
1952–1996 | DemolishedAku Aku at the Stardust
Peak tiki culture in the desert. Flaming Pu Pu platters and rum cocktails for 48 years.
1958–2006 | DemolishedLas Vegas Strip Timeline
El Rancho Vegas Opens
First casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Burned down 1960.
DemolishedFlamingo Hotel Opens
Bugsy Siegel's vision. The mob's first major Strip investment.
Still Open (rebuilt)Sands Hotel Opens
Home of the Rat Pack and the Copa Room. Demolished 1996.
Replaced by The VenetianDunes & Riviera Open
Two iconic casinos that defined the Strip's golden age.
Both demolishedStardust Opens
Longest sign on the Strip. Later the real-life "Casino" hotel.
Replaced by Resorts WorldCaesars Palace Opens
Howard Hughes buys the Desert Inn. Corporate era begins.
Still OpenBellagio Opens
Built on the Dunes site. Ushers in the mega-resort era.
Still OpenTropicana Demolished
One of the last original Strip casinos falls for a baseball stadium.
DemolishedFrequently Asked Questions
What was the first casino on the Las Vegas Strip?
El Rancho Vegas, which opened on April 3, 1941, was the first resort on the Las Vegas Strip. It burned down in a suspicious fire in 1960 that was never solved.
What demolished casinos were the most famous?
The Sands (1952-1996, now The Venetian), the Stardust (1958-2006, now Resorts World), the Desert Inn (1950-2000, now Wynn), and the Dunes (1955-1993, now Bellagio) are among the most famous demolished Las Vegas casinos.
Where did the Rat Pack perform?
The Rat Pack performed at the Copa Room inside the Sands Hotel. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. would perform shows at night while filming Ocean's 11 during the day in 1960.
What replaced the old casinos?
The Dunes became Bellagio (1998), the Sands became The Venetian (1999), the Desert Inn became Wynn (2005), and the Stardust/New Frontier site became Resorts World (2021).
Every place in this collection (47)
Each name opens its archive page: the full timeline of the address, what is there now, connected places and nearby history.
A Little White Wedding Chapel
Las Vegas, NV · 1951–present · Still hereWhere Britney Spears married for 55 hours and the drive-thru wedding was invented.
Aladdin Hotel (Elvis Wedding Site)
Las Vegas, NV · 1966–1998 · DemolishedWhere Elvis married Priscilla in an 8-minute ceremony after flying in on Frank Sinatra's plane.
Atomic Liquors
Las Vegas, NV · 1952–present · Still hereLas Vegas' oldest freestanding bar, where the Rat Pack watched nuclear blasts.
Bertha's Gifts and Home Furnishings
Las Vegas, NV · 1963–1997 · RepurposedThe bungled Fourth of July burglary that brought down Tony Spilotro and ended the Chicago mob's reign over Las Vegas.
Binion's Horseshoe
Las Vegas, NV · 1951–present · Still hereWhere a Texas killer created poker's World Championship.
Boardwalk Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1966–2006 · DemolishedVegas's bargain casino with $2.99 steak dinners—until MGM blew it up as a party.
Caesars Palace
Las Vegas, NV · 1966–present · Still hereLas Vegas' first THEMED resort — where Evel Knievel crashed and The Hangover was filmed.
Chapel of the Flowers
Las Vegas, NV · 1960–present · Still hereWhere Dennis Rodman married Carmen Electra (9 days!) and The Killers drummer shot weddings.
Circus Circus Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · 1968–present · Still hereLas Vegas' first FAMILY casino — trapeze artists swing over slot machines.
Desert Inn Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1950–2000 · DemolishedWhen the Desert Inn asked Howard Hughes to check out, he bought the entire hotel instead.
Dunes Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1955–1993 · DemolishedIntroduced topless showgirls to Vegas and hosted Muhammad Ali's wedding.
El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1941–present · Still hereThe longest continuously operating casino-hotel in Las Vegas — the ONLY active casino on the National Register.
El Rancho Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · 1941–1960 · DemolishedThe very first casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip burned to the ground in 1960.
Flamingo Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1946–present · Still hereWhere Bugsy Siegel's Dream Turned Deadly - the mob's first luxury Strip resort.
Four Queens Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1966–present · Still hereNamed for four daughters: Faith (Hearts), Hope (Diamonds), Benita (Clubs), Michele (Spades).
Frank Rosenthal Residence
Las Vegas, NV · 1974–1983 · RepurposedThe bulletproof fortress where the real-life Casino boss ran four mob casinos while hiding from both the FBI and hitmen.
Fremont Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1956–present · Still hereDowntown's first high-rise — where a 15-year-old Wayne Newton launched his career.
Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1906–present · Still hereLas Vegas' FIRST hotel — opened 1906 before the city even existed.
Golden Nugget Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · 1946–present · Still hereWhere Steve Wynn launched his career at age 31 — now features a shark tank water slide.
Golden Steer Steakhouse
Las Vegas, NV · 1958–present · Still hereThe Rat Pack's favorite steakhouse where mob families held neutral-ground meetings in the secret 'Mob Room.'
Graceland Wedding Chapel
Las Vegas, NV · 1939–present · Still hereElvis gave this chapel his blessing in 1967; launched the first Elvis impersonator wedding in 1977.
Herbert Blitzstein Residence
Las Vegas, NV · 1977–1997 · RepurposedThe townhouse where Tony Spilotro's right-hand man was executed in a mob power grab that ended old-school Vegas.
International Hotel Showroom
Las Vegas, NV · 1969–present · DemolishedWhere Elvis conquered Vegas in 1969 — 57 sold-out shows and the birth of the residency.
La Concha Motel
Las Vegas, NV · 1961–2004 · DemolishedPaul Revere Williams' Googie masterpiece — cut into 8 pieces and moved to become the Neon Museum's visitors center.
Landmark Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1969–1990 · DemolishedThe Space Age tower looked like a UFO had landed—its implosion starred in Mars Attacks!
Little Church of the West
Las Vegas, NV · 1942–present · Still hereThe oldest building on the Las Vegas Strip — more celebrity weddings than any chapel in the world.
Mon Bel Ami Wedding Chapel
Las Vegas, NV · 1950–present · Still hereWhere Burt Bacharach married Angie Dickinson and Rodney Dangerfield finally got respect.
Moulin Rouge Hotel
Las Vegas, NV · 1955–1955 · DemolishedAmerica's first integrated hotel-casino lasted just six months but changed Las Vegas forever.
National Atomic Testing Museum - Area 51 Exhibit
Las Vegas, NV · 2005–present · Still hereThe only Smithsonian-affiliated museum where you can explore the secrets of Area 51.
Neon Museum (Neon Boneyard)
Las Vegas, NV · 2012–present · Still hereThe graveyard of Las Vegas's demolished mob casinos preserves the glowing ghosts of Sin City's criminal past.
New Frontier Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1942–2007 · DemolishedElvis made his Vegas debut here in 1956 and bombed—he didn't return for 13 years.
Pioneer Club with Vegas Vic
Las Vegas, NV · 1942–1995 · RepurposedHome of Vegas Vic, the 40-foot waving cowboy who defined 'Glitter Gulch' since 1951.
Plaza Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1971–present · Still hereBuilt where Las Vegas was born — the only train station inside a casino.
Riviera Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1955–2015 · DemolishedThe first high-rise on the Strip and the last mob-built casino standing.
Sahara Hotel - Casbar Lounge
Las Vegas, NV · 1952–2011 · DemolishedWhere Rat Pack members dropped in after Sands shows and Buddy Hackett held court.
Sands Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1952–1996 · DemolishedThe Rat Pack's Playground and the Mob's Money Machine.
Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage
Las Vegas, NV · 1989–2003 · ClosedThe most successful act in Vegas history — ended by a tiger attack in 2003.
Stardust Resort and Casino
Las Vegas, NV · 1958–2006 · DemolishedThe 188-foot sign was the largest electric sign in the world—and its backroom counted mob money for decades.
Ted Binion House
Las Vegas, NV · 1972–present · RepurposedCasino heir Ted Binion was murdered in this mansion by his girlfriend and her lover, who buried him alive using a technique called 'burking.'
The Gables Motel
Las Vegas, NV · 1942–2013 · ClosedSeven decades of Vegas transformation — its 1940s neon sign now restored as a historic landmark.
The Mob Museum (Former U.S. Post Office and Federal Courthouse)
Las Vegas, NV · 1933–present · RepurposedThe very courtroom where Senator Kefauver held hearings exposing organized crime now houses the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement.
The Steakhouse at Circus Circus
Las Vegas, NV · 1978–present · Still hereWatch your steak cook over open mesquite fire — unchanged since 1978.
The Tillerman
Las Vegas, NV · 1975–2001 · DemolishedWhere Frank Sinatra dined three times a week — Vegas' most exclusive restaurant for 25 years.
Tony Spilotro House
Las Vegas, NV · 1974–1986 · RepurposedChicago's most feared enforcer lived in this modest ranch home while overseeing mob interests in four Las Vegas casinos.
Tropicana Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · 1957–2024 · DemolishedThe Mob's Skimming Paradise—exposed when a pocket note revealed profits.
Upper Crust Pizza
Las Vegas, NV · 1978–1982 · RepurposedFrank Cullotta opened this Chicago-style pizzeria with burglary proceeds, and it became Tony Spilotro's unofficial headquarters.
Wee Kirk O' the Heather Wedding Chapel
Las Vegas, NV · 1940–2020 · DemolishedThe first building on the Las Vegas Strip — a Scottish chapel where purple heather blessed couples for 80 years.