1993
Not so vintage, however I found the pics from my first Vegas trip. I thought I went in 1992 but these pics are dated in the photo album as September 1993. I had way too many pics of
Excalibur & Mirage because, being a young newbie in the early '90s, I had no appreciation for the history - something I will always regret.
Arriving at the airport. Noticeably missing are
Mandalay Bay,
New York New York, and
Monte Carlo.
The old Aladdin and Dunes - The Dunes had closed earlier in the year. A week after this pic was taken fire broke out at the vacant property and a month later the tower on the left was imploded in a Steve Wynn televised spectacle set off by a cannon blast from the Britannia at
Treasure Island. The old Aladdin closed in 1997 and was imploded in April 1998.
Looking north past
Excalibur the Arco gas station along with Rodeway Inn are where
New York New York would be today. Gas was $1.18/gallon.
Entrance to Caesars
Desert Inn with headliner Don Rickles.
Fashion show Mall with Sands across the street.
Cruising Fremont at night. Exactly one year later Fremont closed to vehicle traffic and construction began on the Fremont Street Experience.
Luxor final construction just a few weeks before opening.
The "S" shaped track of the original
Luxor/
Excalibur monorail that entered into the side of
Luxor where the entrance to the two towers would be today.
The strip facing south standing across from Desert Inn.
The strip facing north.
Another strip shot facing south looking at Desert Inn where Wynn sits today.
MGM from I-15. That's the Dunes golf course in the foreground. Today this view would be blocked by
NYNY and
Monte Carlo.
Finishing touches being put on the new MGM which would open three months later. Three years later the Lion entrance was removed as part of a $45 million face lift.
This picture was taken a year later showing the completed Lion. In the lower left corner you can see a construction trailer. Inside was a scale model of
New York New York for public viewing. The site had been cleared of the gas station and Rodeway Inn but construction had not yet begun.
The Rodeway Inn on the site where
New York New York sits now. The only reason I took these pics was to show the temp that day, otherwise there is not alot of info out there about the motel.
The Mirage volcano with the Sands tower across the street. Probably my favorite pic from that trip.
Another Sands pic from the east side of the strip.
Sands at night.
The Holiday Casino shortly after
Harrahs purchased the property. In 1997 the riverboat theme was abandoned and Carnival Court took it's place.
