Favorite Strip Casino(s) That Is No Longer There

I guess it all depends on when you started going to Vegas as to what your favorite closed casino is but here are my thoughts.

Probably my favorite was Little Caesars Casino. It was in a strip mall where Paris now resides. A tiny place, a few machines, a crapless craps table and a handful of blackjack tables. They had one cocktail waitress (it seemed like it was always the same 70 year old woman). They served beer and soft drinks, no liquor. They also had hot dogs for gamblers. When the waitress took a break the pit boss would go around and ask if anyone wanted a beer and/or hot dog. It was like gambling in someones basement rec room. I loved it. When you cashed out your chips, no matter how many, the cashier (there was just one) would phone the pit boss (about 10 feet away) and tell him how much you were cashing out. They had a small sportsbook in the corner and were famous for taking any size bets. Bob Stupak bet, and won, a million bucks in 1989 on the Super Bowl. After that he bought Little Caesars owner a "rocket car" that you would see parked outside of the place until it closed in 1994.

I always liked the Desert Inn, it was classy before there was a Bellagio or Wynn. Something about the place I really enjoyed. I would always stop at the Sands, just because of the history of the place. It got pretty dumpy near the end. Stardust was the place I had my first hot craps roll. A Japanese businessman on the other end of the table tipped me $100 after that roll.

For many years the Trop was all alone on the south end. I always like the place and would walk down there every trip. On really hot summer days I would always stop at the Marina to cool off and have a cold one. Then it became the MGM Marina and finally made way for the MGM. And the Westward Ho. The second place I stayed (first was Holiday Inn, now Harrahs). It was dumpy but they had giant hot dogs and a free champagne fountain in the afternoons.

 

You have a lot more experience than most I would suspect. I've been going to Vegas for about 22 years and the one that I miss the most is the Stardust (Tony Roma's was amazing) . I was actually sad reading the news from my desk the day after it was imploded!

 

I was sad when Stardust went down and even sadder that nothing has replaced it. It looks like that project will get moving again and at least it won't be empty space.

I kind of miss the old Vegas World too. It was so gaudy and Stupak ran those full page ads in several magazines where you'd get a bunch of "free" chips to play with and many other deals to stay there.

 

I didn't start going to Vegas til 1997, so I don't have nearly as many memories of the old places as some, but I do miss having the Stardust and the New Frontier to break up the walk down toward CC. Now I simply never go down that way.

And of course I have to mention O'Shea's which was my favorite place to gamble and hang out. I know it's re-opening but I highly doubt it will be the same.

 

Back in the early 90's I always ended up at Westward Ho or Silver City Casino.

I miss Binions the way it was back then too.

 

I'm a bit too young to have even heard of some of the places you guys are mentioning, but since my first Vegas trip as an adult was to the Sahara (right before they closed, I'm 25 now) I'm pretty sure I'll always have a soft spot for it.

 

Oh yeah the Sahara, I stayed there once. It was um interesting lol. Stayed at the Hacienda once too, did an interview with Lance Burton (this was just after he signed his Monte Carlo contract and just before he ended his Hacienda run). I did some writing back then. Lance is great, I wish he'd start performing again.

 

I miss quite a few of them, but the Stardust is at the top of my list. I frequently got comped rooms and meals there and it was an easy walk to the Frontier and Ho. I haven't stayed on the Strip since it closed.

 

I am too new to Vegas. of the properties I hear about and see pictures of, i miss the old Luxor. Apparently luxor died a small death.

 

The Stardust, Sands and the little dump that was Silver City across the street from the Dust. So many good memories of gambling with mom at the Sands back in the 80s.

The Desert Inn always felt a little intimidating to me as a low roller, but way back when, I did play craps at the same table with Rita Rudner and I loved the elegance of the place.

 

In this order:
1. Stardust
2. Westward Ho
3. Barbary Coast (not to be confused with "Bill's"!)
4. Silver Slipper
5. Frontier
6. Desert Inn
7. Marina
8. the OLD Las Vegas Hilton from the 80s
9. Castaways
10. Dunes
11. Sands
12. I don't really miss O'Shea's (nor their 100% 6:5 blackjack tables), but I do miss that Burger King in the very back of the casino!

 

Silver City, they had $1 BJ, went there every trip.

 

Little Caesar's was a tiny casino on the strip. IIRC, one could park right in front of the casino and walk in the front door in a matter of seconds.....similar to parking/entering a 7/11 today.

Re Silver Slipper, I remember they had a small tray/container with loose cigarettes for the players on the BJ tables.

 

Free cigs? That's funny since they eventually became the first non smoking casino (that I Know of).

The Barbary Coast was a gem. GREAT location, only 200 rooms (when I stayed there anyway), fun place.

 

Desert Inn, the International when it was new, and the Stardust sports book.

 

Westward Ho and the Stardust stand out in my memory.

 

Sahara is the only one that I can really say I actually miss.

 

I think you're thinking of Silver City across the street from Stardust. They went non smoking for a year or two, but gave up and went back to smoking.

 

Yeah Vic.....I remember they had all kinds of loose cigs mixed together....Kents, Tareytons, Parliaments, etc.

 

The Thunderbird, on the strip.
And I remember when you could get the cocktail waitress to bring you a pack a cigs when playing blackjack at the Mirage, One night I left that place with about 20 packs of cigs, And I didn't even smoke...lol