Sahara Hotel and Casino

Casino infobox
casino=Sahara Hotel and Casino

---

theme=Moroccan
address=2535 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109


rooms=1,720
date_opened=October 7, 1952
space_gaming=85,000ft² (7,896 m²)
attractions="Speed-The Ride"
shows="The Platters, The Coasters & The Marvelettes"
"Rosanne Barr"
"nowrap|The Amazing Johnathan"
"The Musical History of the King"
restaurants="House of Lords"
"NASCAR Cafe"
owner=Stockbridge/SBE Holdings, LLC
casino_type=Land-Resort
renovations=1960
1963
1996
2003
names_pre= Club Bingo
website= [http://www.saharavegas.com/ Sahara Website]

The Sahara Hotel and Casino is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The hotel has 1,720 guestrooms and suites and a casino covering more than 85,000 square feet (7,896 m²), and sits on 55 acres (174,000 m²) including the empty adjoining land. The hotel is the northernmost stop for the Las Vegas Monorail. The Sahara ranks the last remaining vintage "Rat Pack" casino-hotel, and today anchors the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip. The porte-cochere entrance, topped by an onion-dome minaret, is designed to set the resort's warm Moroccan flavor and hospitality for arriving guests.

History

The hotel was opened in 1952 by Milton Prell just outside of the City of Las Vegas, and was the sixth resort to open on the Strip. The resort was built by Del Webb. [cite web |url= http://www.onlinenevada.org/sahara |title= Sahara |accessdate=2007-09-05 |format= |work= ]

In late 1954, the hotel hired jazz musician Louis Prima to be their late night lounge act, one of the earliest ones on the Las Vegas Strip. Along with his then wife Keely Smith and sax player Sam Butera, they created one of the hottest late night attractions on the Strip.

In 1961, the hotel was purchased by Del Webb. In 1962, a Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened in the hotel, becoming a top attraction to not only hotel guests but a variety of celebrities as well. A 24-story tower was added in 1963.

The resort was the site of the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for many years, mostly in the 1970s, and for a brief time in the 1990s.

Performers at the resort over the years have included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Paul Anka, Liza Minnelli, Shirley Bassey, Imogene Coca, Connie Francis, Bill Cosby, Jeanette MacDonald, Ann-Margret, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, and many others.

Ownership changed in 1995 when Archon Corporation sold the property to Bill Bennett. Bill Bennett owned the hotel until his death on December 22, 2002. The property has since been owned by the Bill Bennett Family Trust.

The 27-story tower addition was added in 1987 and a new porte-cochere was added by the relocated pool in 1997.

In 1999 further renovations added a roller coaster and the NASCAR restaurant. The roller coaster, called "Speed-The Ride", shoots riders from the hotel outside along the Las Vegas Strip, where it loops through the grandiose Sahara sign in front of the hotel, goes straight up, stops and then takes a return trip backwards.

Rumors of the Sahara's closure surfaced in the media in February 2006. [cite web |url= http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2006/feb/13/566687484.html |title= Offers they can refuse: For now, no changes on tap at Sahara |accessdate= |format= |work= Las Vegas Sun |date=2006-02-13] In a news article on June 30, 2006, it was reported that the Sahara site, as well as a defunct adjacent Wet 'n Wild property, were for sale. [ [http://www.globest.com/news/615_615/lasvegas/147057-1.html Archon Selling 27 Acres on ‘Strip’ for $450M June 30, 2006] ]

On March 2, 2007, Sam Nazarian and Stockbridge Real Estate Group signed an agreement to purchase the Sahara from the Bennett family. The transaction is said to be valued between $300 and $400 million for just the hotel/casino and its convert|17.45|acre|m2|sing=on lot. The deal does not include the 26 acre lot across the Strip from the Sahara and 11 acre lot east of the Sahara on Paradise Road. [ [http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=164550 Sahara buyer sees new life for old resort March 5, 2007] The Hotel President is Arash Azarbazin, President of the SBE Hotel Group.] Nazarian's current plans are for Navegante Management Group, current operators of the downtown casinos The Plaza, The Western, The Vegas Club, and The Gold Spike, to run the Sahara's casino while Nazarian's SBE Hotel Group will manage the hotel and Nazarian's SBE Restaurant and Nightlife Group manages its food and beverage operations. [ [http://www.globest.com/news/855_855/lasvegas/158574-1.html CA Investors To Buy Sahara Property March 5, 2007] ]

Film history

The 1960 version of "Ocean's Eleven" was filmed here.

References

External links

* [http://www.saharalasvegas.com/ Sahara hotel and casino web site]