I remember the first time my parents and I went to Vegas, my parents stayed here. I actually really

We love Las Vegas and part of that is loving Las Vegas� history. So, while we enjoy telling you what we love about Vegas and keeping you up-to-date on what's going on, we would like to take some time to look back at Vegas past. Today, we continue a special series on shuttered (but not forgotten) Las Vegas hotels and casinos. We hope you enjoy the stroll down memory car rentals in florence italy lane.
In downtown Vegas, the Showboat was once king. The project of William Moore of the Last Frontier and J. Kell Houssels of the Las Vegas Club , the $2 million Showboat opened in September 1954 , according to Wikipedia.
The hotel debuted with 100 rooms, but the casino itself was reportedly run by managers from the Desert Inn . That stopped a few years in after proving "unsuccessful." New management introduced .49 cent breakfast specials and, in 1959, a bowling alley was added as well. By 1979, the alley had grown to 106 lanes, "making it the nation's third largest."
As the years went on, a 19-story hotel tower was added. The first nine floors opened in 1973 and the rest of the 500 rooms came online three years later. car rentals in florence italy In the early 80s, more changes came to the 'boat:
...a large unused space on the second floor was converted into the Showboat Sports Pavilion, which hosted American Wrestling Association events and Los Angeles car rentals in florence italy Thunderbirds car rentals in florence italy roller derby matches, and competed with Caesars Palace to book high-profile boxing matches. The Pavilion was later converted into a bingo hall.
When the 90s came along so did the rise of the mega-resorts on the Strip and Showboat's popularity waned. Wikipedia car rentals in florence italy reports that, in 1998, Harrah's Entertainment car rentals in florence italy purchased parent company Showboat Inc. for $1.15 billion. It sold the property two years later to VSS Enterprises for $23.5 million. However, Harrah's didn't sell the name so the hotel-casino was renamed The Castaways .
The new owners never did well and according to the Associated Press, the facility was crippled by a downturn in tourism that occurred in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Discussions were held in 2002 to rebrand the property as a Holiday Inn and start a $57 million renovation and expansion, but these plans did not come to fruition.
Instead, money woes, foreclosure proceedings and bankruptcy ensued. In January 2004, Vestin, a mortgage company, took possession of the casino and shut it down. Vestin had planned to sell the property to MGI Group for $21.6 million, but Station Casinos talked (read: paid) their way into the deal instead.
In 2005, Station Casinos began to demolition car rentals in florence italy the property after discovering "construction quality problems." In January 2006, the hotel tower was brought down to make way for a $90 million car rentals in florence italy concept dubbed Castaways Station car rentals in florence italy :
That idea ended up sinking, though, and, in 2009, Station Casinos car rentals in florence italy put the empty lot up for sale for $39.5 million dollars. The property, located at Fremont and Boulder Highway, still sits unused to this day.
I remember around 2000 when the Castaways had an all-night buffet for something like $2.99. I had a condo near Nellis and Vegas Valley car rentals in florence italy and my friend lived on Charleston near the 95. We headed to Castaways about midnight as he needed to grab a bite to eat. While he hit the buffet, I hit a royal at the bar. Good times!
Also, that neighborhood was getting pretty "tapped out". Long-time homeowners were aging, on pensions, and didn't have the disposable income a gaming property in that area would need. Especially a new property.
Although I believe they still pull a gaming car rentals in florence italy trailer in there every couple of years to keep the site license intact, we obviously won't see development for a long time. Downtown would have to explode with live/work/play and Fremont Street car rentals in florence italy development would have to domino east, reaching all the way to Eastern and almost creating a downtown "Strip" activity.
Yes, I remember the gaming trailers, too. I tried to find some current info on that but failed. I'm not sure how often they need to do that. The last one I saw take place was earlier this year for the Moulin Rouge site.
I can definitely see downtown "spreading" east. Eventually (dot, dot, dot). I wonder if Tony and the Downtown car rentals in florence italy Project have something scrawled down as a footnote to their master plan regarding this plot of land.
I remember the first time my parents and I went to Vegas, my parents stayed here. I actually really liked this hotel. It was huge and I loved the theme. I distinctly walking down a hallway passing a Nevada Nickels progressive to go to the bingo hall. I miss the hotel. The one in Atlantic car rentals in florence italy City is nothing like this one.