The First High-Rise
The Riviera opened on April 20, 1955, as the first high-rise hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Its nine stories towered over the low-slung motels and single-story casinos around it, signaling a new era of ambition on Las Vegas Boulevard. Liberace headlined opening night, drawing crowds to the most glamorous new property in town.
The hotel was ambitious from the start, but it was in financial trouble within months of opening. The construction costs had ballooned, and the early returns couldn't keep pace. It went through multiple ownership changes and had well-documented connections to organized crime throughout its history. But the Riviera endured, becoming a Strip fixture for six decades.
Decline and Demolition
By the 2000s, the Riviera was one of the most dated properties on the Strip, unable to compete with the billion-dollar mega-resorts that had reshaped Las Vegas. Its rooms were tired, its casino floor felt like a time warp, and its location on the north end of the Strip had lost much of its foot traffic. But the Riviera had one last claim to fame: it appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, including Martin Scorsese's Casino and The Hangover.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority purchased the Riviera in 2015 for $182.5 million with plans to demolish it for the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion. The hotel closed on May 4, 2015. The Monaco Tower was imploded on June 14, 2016, and the Monte Carlo Tower followed on August 16, 2016. Thousands gathered to watch the implosions — the end of the first high-rise on the Strip. The site became part of the Convention Center West Hall, and nothing remains of the original hotel.
Key Facts
First High-Rise (1955)
At nine stories, the Riviera was the first high-rise hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. It towered over everything around it and represented the Strip's transformation from desert motels to vertical resort towers.
Liberace Opening Night
Liberace headlined the Riviera's grand opening on April 20, 1955. The flamboyant pianist was one of the biggest draws in Las Vegas at the time and helped establish the hotel as an entertainment destination.
Movie Star
The Riviera appeared in Martin Scorsese's Casino, The Hangover, and numerous other films and TV shows. Its classic Vegas look made it a favorite of Hollywood location scouts.
Convention Center (2016)
The LVCVA paid $182.5 million for the Riviera, then demolished it for the Convention Center expansion. The site is now the LVCC West Hall. Nothing remains of the original hotel.
What's There Now
Visiting the Riviera Site
Address: 2901 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV (now Las Vegas Convention Center expansion)
Status: Demolished 2015–2016. The site is now the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall.
What to See: Nothing remains of the original hotel. The Convention Center occupies the entire site. For Riviera memorabilia, the Neon Museum on Las Vegas Boulevard North preserves signs from demolished casinos.
Nearby: The Las Vegas Convention Center, the Westgate (formerly the International Hotel where Elvis performed), and the Strip's north end.
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