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The Dunes was a hotel and casino on the
Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city ...
in Paradise, Nevada. It opened on May 23, 1955, as the tenth resort on the Strip. It was initially owned by a group of businessmen from out of state, but failed to prosper under their management. It also opened at a time of decreased tourism, while the Strip was simultaneously becoming overbuilt with hotel rooms. A few months after the opening, management was taken over by the operators of the Sands resort, also on the Strip. This group failed to improve business and relinquished control less than six months later. Businessman Major Riddle turned business around after taking over operations in 1956. He was involved with the resort until his death in 1980. He had several partners, including
Sid Wyman Sidney Wyman (June 1, 1910 – June 1978 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a poker player and hotel owner in Las Vegas, Nevada. Biography Born to a Jewish family, Wyman was a gambler and co-owner of several Las Vegas casinos including the San ...
, who worked for the Dunes from 1961 until his death in 1978. Mafia attorney
Morris Shenker Morris A. Shenker (January 10, 1907 – August 9, 1989) was an American lawyer best known for his connections to labor leader Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster funding of Las Vegas in the 1960s. Shenker was a Russian Jewish immigrant who arrived in St. Lo ...
joined in 1975, following one of the most extensive routine investigations ever conducted by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The Dunes had frequent connections with Mafia figures, some of whom were alleged to have hidden ownership in the resort, and state officials were concerned about Shenker's association with such figures. In 1957, the Dunes debuted Las Vegas' first topless show, ''Minsky Goes to Paris'', prompting other resorts to follow suit. Two other successful shows, by Frederic Apcar, would later debut at the Dunes. The resort also offered amenities such as the Emerald Green golf course, which opened in 1964. The Dunes was one of two Strip resorts to include a golf course, the other one being the Desert Inn. The Emerald Green was the longest course in Nevada, at 7,240 yards. The Dunes opened with 194 rooms, while a 21-story tower brought the total to 960. The tower was among the tallest buildings in Nevada, and was opened in 1965. By this time, the resort also had the tallest free-standing sign in the world, rising 181 feet. Several popular restaurants were also added in the 1960s, including the underwater-themed Dome of the Sea, and the Top O' the Strip, located at the top of the hotel tower. Another tower, 17 stories in height, was opened in 1979, giving the resort a total of 1,282 rooms. The Dunes added a second gaming facility, the Oasis Casino, in 1982. The Dunes experienced financial problems in the 1980s, and had many prospective buyers during this time, including businessman Steve Wynn. Japanese investor Masao Nangaku eventually bought the resort in 1987, at a cost of $157 million. Nangaku intended to renovate and expand the Dunes, although his plans were derailed by an unusually lengthy control board investigation, which dissuaded financiers. Wynn's company,
Mirage Resorts Mirage Resorts (formerly Golden Nugget Companies) was an American company that owned and operated hotel-casinos. It was acquired by MGM Grand, Inc. in 2000, forming MGM Mirage (now MGM Resorts International). History Golden Nugget Companies Inc. ...
, bought the Dunes in November 1992, paying $75 million. Plans were announced to replace it with a lake resort. The Dunes closed on January 26, 1993. The original North Tower was imploded on October 27, 1993, during a highly publicized ceremony which helped promote Wynn's new Treasure Island resort, located about a mile north. The demolition event garnered 200,000 spectators. The newer South Tower was imploded on July 20, 1994, without the fanfare of the first implosion; it attracted 3,000 spectators. Wynn's new resort, Bellagio, eventually opened on the former Dunes site in 1998.


History

The Dunes was initially owned by a group of businessmen that included Robert Rice of Beverly Hills, James A. Sullivan of Rhode Island, Milton Gettinger of New York, and Alfred Gottesman, a wealthy theater operator in Florida. Rice and Gottesman were new to the gaming industry. The group proposed the project, originally called the Araby, in July 1953. It was later renamed the Vegas Plaza, and then Hotel Deauville. Groundbreaking took place on June 22, 1954, with the resort now known as the Dunes. It was built by the Los Angeles-based McNeil Construction Company, which spent 11 months working on the resort. The Dunes opened on May 23, 1955, as the tenth resort on the
Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city ...
. The opening attracted many celebrities, including
Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...
,
Spike Jones Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader specializing in spoof arrangements of popular songs and classical music. Ballads receiving the Jones treatment were punctuated with gun ...
, and Rita Moreno. Gottesman and Sullivan were majority stockholders, and also served as 50-50 partners in the operation of the casino. Businessman Kirk Kerkorian bought a three-percent interest a couple months after the opening, marking his first Las Vegas investment. The Dunes was one of four new Las Vegas resorts to open within a six-week period, resulting in financial trouble for each of them. The
Las Vegas Valley The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area is ...
had been overbuilt with hotel rooms during a time of lessened demand, and the Dunes was also the southernmost resort on the Strip, located a considerable distance from other properties. A Dunes attorney blamed the resort's financial trouble on a persistent losing streak in its casino. Rice believed that the financial problems were the result of it competing with other resorts for expensive live entertainment. In addition, the Dunes had numerous creditors. Among these was McNeil Construction, which filed a $166,000 lien against the ownership group, representing unpaid salary. The group said it would not pay the balance, stating that the construction contract had been violated. In August 1955, an agreement was reached for Sands Hotel Corporation, owner of the
Sands Hotel and Casino The Sands Hotel and Casino was a historic American hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, United States, that operated from 1952 to 1996. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, with a prominent high sign, the Sands was the seventh ...
, to lease and operate the struggling Dunes. To mark the management change, a three-day celebration was held starting on September 9, 1955. Singer Frank Sinatra headlined the ceremony and entered on a camel. Sands closed the casino portion in January 1956, due to falling profits. It was the third Las Vegas casino to close in recent months, following the
Moulin Rouge Hotel The Moulin Rouge Hotel was a hotel and casino located in West Las Vegas that was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Although its peak operation lasted only six months in the second half of 1955, it was the first des ...
and Royal Nevada. Live entertainment also ceased, although the hotel remained open. Rice blamed disagreements within Sands for the casino's failure. The group lost $1.2 million operating the Dunes, and relinquished control of the resort on February 1, 1956. Businessman Major Riddle subsequently partnered with local hotel operator William Miller to reopen the casino. They would be equal partners with 44-percent ownership, while Rice would own the remainder. The Dunes casino reopened in June 1956. Seven months later, plans were announced for Sullivan and Gottesman to sell the property to Jacob Gottlieb, owner of a Chicago trucking firm. Gottlieb became the resort's landlord through Western Realty Company, and Miller departed the property as president and general manager. The resort was managed through Riddle's operating company, M&R Investment. The Dunes was sold in a Clark County sheriff's auction at the end of 1957, to satisfy the debt owed to McNeil Construction. It sold for $115,000, but was valued at $3.5 million. Gottesman, Sullivan, and Gettinger bought it back in November 1958. The resort thrived under Riddle, who added several new shows and facilities. On April 15, 1959, the Dunes hosted the first double groundbreaking ceremony in Las Vegas history: one for a convention center, built south of the existing resort facilities, and another for a 500-space parking lot directly north of the resort. In 1961, St. Louis businessmen
Sid Wyman Sidney Wyman (June 1, 1910 – June 1978 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a poker player and hotel owner in Las Vegas, Nevada. Biography Born to a Jewish family, Wyman was a gambler and co-owner of several Las Vegas casinos including the San ...
, Charlie Rich, and George Duckworth invested in the Dunes and became the new operators through a lease agreement. Wyman was put in charge of casino operations, and Riddle remained as the majority owner. The following year, he sold 15 percent of the operating corporation to the three men, reducing his interest to 37 percent. Several notable individuals were married at the Dunes, including
Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and '' The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), whi ...
and Grant Tinker (1962),
Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...
and Dyan Cannon (1965), and Jane Fonda and Roger Vadim (1965).
Mike Goodman Mike Goodman was an American professional gambler, a pit boss for a Las Vegas casino, and an author of books that gave advice on gambling and told stories of gamblers and their escapades. He is most known for his 1963 book ''How to Win: At Cards ...
, author of the best-selling 1963 book ''How to Win: At Cards, Dice, Races, Roulette'', was a
pit boss ''Pit Boss'' is an American television series docudrama that follows Shorty Rossi, owner of Shorty's Rescue, an organization set up for Pit Bull rescue. The series aired on Animal Planet from January 16, 2010 to March 30, 2013. Series overview ...
at the Dunes during the 1960s. Gambling author Barney Vinson also worked there. During the 1960s, the resort's western edge was condemned for construction of
Interstate 15 Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexican border in San Diego County and stretches north to Alberta, Canada ...
. The resort added a golf course in 1964. A 21-story hotel tower, initially known as the Diamond of the Dunes, was opened in May 1965, to mark the resort's 10th anniversary. It was part of a $20 million expansion project, and later became the North Tower, following the addition of another hotel building to the south. In 1969, M&R merged with Continental Connector Corporation, a New York-based electronics firm. M&R became a subsidiary of Continental Connector, which owned the Dunes and the land beneath it. Later in 1969, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against Continental Connector, accusing it of making inaccurate financial statements regarding earnings at the Dunes. The company subsequently sought a buyer for the resort. In 1970, businessman Howard Hughes was in discussions to purchase the Dunes, although negotiations ended without a deal. Rapid-American Corporation began discussions to acquire the resort, but eventually dropped out. Rice, Wyman, Duckworth and three other top resort officials were indicted in 1971 by a federal grand jury, alleging that they filed false corporate income tax returns and that they conspired to skim money from the gaming tables. The officials pleaded innocent, and Wyman later divested his ownership, but remained with the Dunes as a consultant.


Mafia connections

The Dunes had numerous Mafia connections for much of its history. Sullivan's early ownership in the resort was actually held by Raymond Patriarca, and Gottlieb was affiliated with
Jimmy Hoffa James Riddle Hoffa (born February 14, 1913 – disappeared July 30, 1975; declared dead July 30, 1982) was an American labor union leader who served as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) from 1957 until 1971. F ...
, president of the Teamsters Union. During the 1950s and 1960s, the union financed many casino expansions in Las Vegas through its pension fund. This included a $5 million loan for the Dunes' original hotel tower.
Allen Dorfman Allen Melnick Dorfman (January 6, 1923 – January 20, 1983) was an American insurance agency owner and a consultant to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Central States Pension Fund. He was a close associate of longtime IBT Presid ...
, who handled negotiations on behalf of the pension fund, was alleged to have hidden ownership in the Dunes. The Dunes occasionally provided first-class treatment to Mafia figures such as
Anthony Giordano Antonio Rico Giuseppe Giordano (June 24, 1914 – August 29, 1980) was the boss of the St. Louis crime family.Editorial. "Giordano, St. Louis Mobster Boss, Dies." ''Chicago Tribune'', August 30, 1980, pp. W19. Early life Anthony Giordano, nic ...
, who was arrested at the resort in 1969, while visiting Wyman. The
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
planted surveillance bugs at the Dunes during the 1960s, and certain resort employees worked as informants for the agency during the 1970s. In 1972, a new group emerged as a prospective buyer for the resort, still under the ownership of Continental Connector. The group included San Diego developer Irvin Kahn and partner
Morris Shenker Morris A. Shenker (January 10, 1907 – August 9, 1989) was an American lawyer best known for his connections to labor leader Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster funding of Las Vegas in the 1960s. Shenker was a Russian Jewish immigrant who arrived in St. Lo ...
, a St. Louis attorney who was representing Wyman and other resort officials in their case. The Nevada Gaming Control Board launched a routine investigation into Shenker and Kahn's financing, but halted its probe in 1973, following Kahn's death. In 1974, Shenker owned 37 percent of the Dunes through stock holdings in Continental Connector, and he sought to buy out the remainder, prompting the control board to reopen and expand its investigation into his financial background. It was one of the most extensive investigations in Nevada gaming history, as state officials had concerns about Mafia figures with whom Shenker was associated. Shenker later denied allegations that his ownership in the resort was a front for
Nick Civella Nicholas Civella (born Giuseppe Nicoli Civella; March 19, 1912 – March 12, 1983) was an American mobster who became a prominent leader of the Kansas City crime family. Early life Civella was born to Italian immigrants in Kansas City. He was the ...
, whom Shenker had represented previously as attorney. Civella had a comped visit at the resort in 1974, but Shenker noted that he had not yet taken control of the Dunes at that time, and said he would not have allowed Civella to stay there if he had been in charge. In 1975, Tony "The Ant" Spilotro began spending extensive time in the Dunes casino, where he would take phone calls routed to the poker room. The gaming control board accused him of treating the Dunes as his personal office, and questioned Shenker and Riddle as to why he was allowed on the premises, given his Black Book status. The men denied knowing Spilotro or his background, and said they only had an outdated photograph of him from 20 years earlier, making it difficult to identify him. The control board alleged that management was, in fact, aware of Spilotro and had already been warned about his presence at the resort. M&R had negotiated a $40 million loan from the Teamsters Union pension fund in 1974. A $75 million expansion was planned to begin in 1976, and would include two additional hotel towers. The project would be financed in part by the Teamsters loan. However, the union withheld the funds, citing the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Specifically, the union stated that the loan could not be granted because Continental Connector owned a trucking company which employed teamsters who had contributed to the pension fund. Shenker criticized the pension fund's reasoning, saying that Continental Connector had already divested itself of ownership in the trucking company. A second tower, rising 17 stories, eventually opened in 1979. In 1980, members of the
Colombo crime family The Colombo crime family (, ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City within the criminal organization known as the American Mafia. It was dur ...
received comped stays at the resort.


Later years

Wyman died of cancer in June 1978, and gaming at the Dunes was halted for two minutes in his honor. In 1979, Continental Connector was renamed Dunes Hotels and Casinos Inc., amid plans for a second Dunes resort in Atlantic City. Riddle died in 1980, and Shenker suffered a heart attack that year, prompting him to seriously consider selling the Dunes. In 1982, the resort added a second casino building, known as the Oasis Casino. In December 1982, it was announced that the resort would be sold to brothers Stuart and Clifford Perlman for $185 million, which would include the assumption of $105 million in debt. The Perlmans provided a $10 million loan to prevent the Dunes from being seized by the Internal Revenue Service, but later backed out of the purchase after learning that the debt would be $20 million more than initially expected.
Circus Circus Enterprises Mandalay Resort Group (formerly Circus Circus Enterprises) was an American hotel and casino operator based in Paradise, Nevada. Its major properties included Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus, as well as half of the Monte Carlo. ...
subsequently considered a purchase, as did Golden Nugget chairman Steve Wynn, who made a $115 million offer. In May 1984, the Dunes was sold to John Anderson, a farmer in Davis, California who also owned the
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hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Shenker maintained a 26-percent stake. M&R filed for
Chapter 11 Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, whet ...
bankruptcy in November 1985. Later that month, Wynn made another $115 million offer, which was rejected by Anderson and Shenker, deeming it too low and valuing the Dunes at $143.5 million. Numerous other offers would be made over the next two years, including one by New York businessman Donald Trump. Blumenfeld Properties, a Philadelphia real estate development company, made a $145.5 million offer for the Dunes, but ultimately did not purchase the resort. Burton Cohen was named as the resort's president in January 1986, following the departure of its previous president. Financial firm
EF Hutton EF Hutton was an American stock brokerage firm founded in 1904 by Edward Francis Hutton and his brother, Franklyn Laws Hutton. Later, it was led by well known Wall Street trader Gerald M. Loeb. Under their leadership, EF Hutton became one of ...
eventually formed a partnership that was interested in purchasing the Dunes, while a separate group led by Kerkorian was also in discussions. Talks with the two prospective buyers ended in February 1987, without a deal. Shortly thereafter, Texas-based lender Southmark Corporation purchased the first and second mortgages of the Dunes from Valley Bank and First Security Leasing, the Dunes' two major creditors. Later in 1987,
Hilton Hotels Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton. The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
and Japanese investor Masao Nangaku both considered buying the Dunes. Foreclosure was delayed to allow more time for a possible purchase. Hilton offered $122.5 million, and planned to refurbish the existing rooms while adding a third tower, at an additional cost of $110 million. Cohen believed that the resort needed 2,000 hotel rooms to adequately compete with other resorts. Kerkorian re-emerged as a prospective buyer, and
Sheldon Adelson Sheldon Gary Adelson (; August 4, 1933 – January 11, 2021) was an American businessman, investor, political donor and philanthropist. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns th ...
also considered purchasing the 163-acre resort. Nangaku ultimately prevailed, offering a $157.7 million bid in August 1987. His purchase was finalized four months later. While Nangaku waited to receive a gaming license, he hired Dennis Gomes to operate the Dunes, replacing Cohen as president. Nangaku underwent an unusually long gaming control board probe. Investigators suspected that unlicensed people from Nangaku's company, Minami Group, were involved in the resort. The control board encountered difficulty when looking into Nangaku's business associates because of differences in how Japan handles documents, which are generally kept confidential. Investigators also suspected that the associates were making attempts to hinder their efforts. In December 1988, Nangaku received a limited two-year gaming license while investigators continued their probe. Nangaku planned up to $280 million in renovations, including a new hotel tower and the demolition of the original motel-style structures, although little work had been done by mid-1989. He blamed the limited gaming license, stating that financiers were hesitant to lend money because of uncertainty about whether he would remain licensed in the near future. The first phase of Nangaku's multimillion renovation eventually began in September 1989. The following year, Nangaku announced a planned $200 million remodeling project. He also hired the architectural firm Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum to design the new high-rise tower. Nangaku eventually received a permanent gaming license in May 1991, at which point he was seeking a partner to help renovate and operate the Dunes. The resort had laid off hundreds of workers that year, due to financial troubles brought on by the
early 1990s recession The early 1990s recession describes the period of economic downturn affecting much of the Western world in the early 1990s. The impacts of the recession contributed in part to the 1992 U.S. presidential election victory of Bill Clinton over inc ...
. Despite Nangaku's expansion plans for the resort, he ultimately invested only $12 million in basic repairs. The ''
Las Vegas Review-Journal The ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' is a daily subscription newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1909. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada and one of two daily newspapers in the Las Vegas area. The ''Review-Journal'' h ...
'' had written in 1988 that the Dunes had lost its "mystical luster" over the past 20 years, with its high rollers migrating to "more attractive" resorts. The newspaper's John L. Smith wrote that the Dunes had lost its "classy resort" reputation and had become "a dump by Strip standards" despite its name recognition and prime location on the central Strip. The Dunes failed to stay competitive against new megaresorts opening on the Strip, including
The Mirage The Mirage is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. The 65-acre property includes a casino and 3,044 rooms. Golden Nugget, Inc., led ...
in 1989, and the
Excalibur Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in the ...
a year later. During 1990, the resort was losing $500,000 monthly. Wynn's company, since renamed as
Mirage Resorts Mirage Resorts (formerly Golden Nugget Companies) was an American company that owned and operated hotel-casinos. It was acquired by MGM Grand, Inc. in 2000, forming MGM Mirage (now MGM Resorts International). History Golden Nugget Companies Inc. ...
, agreed to purchase the Dunes in October 1992. It was sold the following month for $75 million. At the time, the property was losing $2 million a month. Gaming executive Richard Goeglein led a team which helped operate the Dunes in the months leading up to its closure.


Closure and demolition

The Dunes closed on January 26, 1993. Wynn said: "It's becoming in death a much better place than it was in life. This thing about melancholy in its passing is sorta strange. No one felt that while it he Duneswas laying there, terminally ill. It's been laying there on life support systems for many years". At the time of its closing, the Dunes employed more than 1,200 people. Employees held reunions each year following the closure. An on-site sale of the Dunes inventory, including light fixtures and carpeting, began in March 1993. Demolition started on September 16, 1993. A four-alarm fire began on-site that afternoon, after workers accidentally ran over an electrical outlet in a bulldozer. The fire affected a two-story hotel building and eventually spread across the property. More than 200 firefighters responded, and six blocks of the Strip were closed off for more than four hours until the fire was contained. The original North Tower was demolished on the night of October 27, 1993, one day after the opening of Wynn's new Strip resort Treasure Island, located about a mile north. The tower was imploded with great fanfare in an event emceed by Wynn that incorporated his new resort; on his command, a faux pirate ship at Treasure Island shot its cannon several times, simulating the Dunes' destruction by cannonballs as the implosion began. The tower was brought down around 10:10 p.m., following a six-minute fireworks show. The $1.5 million demolition event attracted 200,000 spectators. The Dunes was the first Las Vegas resort to be imploded, and numerous others would follow suit into the next decade. The tower's implosion was handled by
Controlled Demolition, Inc. Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) is a controlled demolition firm headquartered in Phoenix, Maryland. The firm was founded by Jack Loizeaux who used dynamite to remove tree stumps in the Baltimore, Maryland area, and moved on to using explosives t ...
The demolition required 365 pounds of dynamite, and 550 gallons of aviation fuel were also used, creating fireballs that went up each floor of the tower's east side, facing the Strip and spectators. The Oasis Casino and the Dunes' two-story casino building were not part of the implosion. Fireworks sparked two small fires on the roof of the Oasis, and numerous small fires began in the Dunes' casino area, all put out by on-site firefighters. Both facilities were bulldozed following the implosion. A three-month clean-up project began to remove the debris left from the imploded tower. During the clean-up, workers discovered hundreds of $100 Dunes casino chips in the resort's foundation; some casinos executives would dispose of outdated chips by burying them in the foundation of their buildings. The South Tower was briefly used as a job center for Treasure Island. It was eventually imploded on the morning of July 20, 1994, without the fanfare of the first implosion. Mirage Resorts had urged people not to show up for the second implosion, which attracted approximately 3,000 spectators. Commenting on the end of the Dunes, Wynn said, "This is not an execution; this is a phoenix rising". His new resort, Bellagio, eventually opened on the former Dunes site in 1998. The resort's lake covers much of the land once occupied by the Dunes' casino and hotel structures.


Fire safety and 1986 arson spree

New fire-safety rules were implemented in Las Vegas following the
MGM Grand fire The MGM Grand fire occurred on Friday, November 21, 1980 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino (now Horseshoe Las Vegas), located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The fire killed 85 people, most through smoke inhalation. The fire began ...
(1980) and Las Vegas Hilton fire (1981). In 1985, the Dunes was one of seven hotels that failed to comply with the new safety rules, receiving six citations. The Dunes agreed to close its main showroom and convention center in exchange for a county extension, allowing time to raise $13.5 million needed to bring the facilities up to standard. In February 1986, the Dunes won additional extensions to meet the fire-safety requirements. Later that month, a series of arson fires were set to several Strip resorts, including the Dunes, the Holiday Casino, and the Sands. As a precaution, 1,650 hotel guests were evacuated from the Dunes just before midnight. On the casino floor, many gamblers refused to leave and continued playing. Firefighters quickly determined that the fires posed no threat to the casino area. Crews battled a total of five fires at the Dunes, and guests were allowed to return to their rooms after three hours. Six people were treated for smoke inhalation, and damage was estimated at $55,000. The Dunes offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist. A man was eventually arrested for the arson spree and sentenced to 10 years in prison. In light of the recent fires, the county reconsidered the extensions previously granted to the Dunes. By May 1986, the resort had made significant progress on its fire retrofit work.


Features

The Dunes featured an Arabian theme, and was designed by Robert Dorr Jr. and John Replogle. The resort initially occupied 85 acres. The casino opened with 120 slot machines. The convention center, opened in 1959, included seating for 800 people. The casino was remodeled in 1961, and a keno lounge would be added 10 years later, part of a $2 million renovation project. In 1965, the Dunes became the first Strip business to offer a nursery, which would supervise children while their parents enjoyed the resort's amenities. By that point, the Dunes also had two swimming pools and a dozen shops, while additional retailers would be added in 1979. An addition, containing various amenities, was approved by the county in 1981. The expansion cost $15 million, and included the Oasis Casino, which opened on August 20, 1982. The structure, with an exterior of black mirrored glass, was built at a cost of $17 million. The Oasis provided the Dunes property with an additional of gaming space. Although the Oasis was a two-story building, it opened without the second floor, which was unfinished and sealed off. The Oasis Casino featured curved neon palm trees at its entrance, standing 70 feet with fronds 20 feet in length. They were designed by Ad-Art sign designer Jack DuBois, based on early design work by Raul Rodriguez. The palms were dismantled in April 1993, after being sold during the liquidation sale to a buyer in Taiwan. By 1999, the palms had been installed at the entrance to the NASA nightclub in Bangkok. The club closed some time after that, and the whereabouts of the palms are unknown.


Hotel

The Dunes opened with 194 rooms, and plans for additional rooms were already in the works, although it would be years before they came to fruition. In 1957, plans were announced for a $2 million expansion that would include a 14-story tower. A year later, the proposed tower was increased to 18 stories. An additional 246 rooms were eventually added in 1960, with the opening of the Olympic Wing, joining the existing Seahorse Wing. Groundbreaking for the tower eventually took place on October 20, 1962. It was designed by Milton Schwartz, and the opening was pushed back because of design changes. The tower eventually opened in May 1965. It had 510 rooms, bringing the total room count to 960. At 21 stories, it was among the tallest buildings in Nevada. The tower was originally known as Diamond of the Dunes, and was later called the North Tower, following the addition of the South Tower. Construction of the latter began on July 26, 1978, part of a $100 million expansion and remodeling project. The 17-story South Tower was topped off on April 12, 1979, and was opened that December. The second tower was designed by
Maxwell Starkman Maxwell Starkman (November 17, 1921 – December 29, 2003) was a Canadian architect based in Los Angeles, California. Biography Early life Maxwell Starkman was born in 1921 in Toronto, Canada. He served in England, France, Belgium and German ...
and included 464 rooms, for a new total of 1,282.


Golf course

The Dunes opened its Emerald Green golf
driving range A driving range is a facility or area where golfers can practice their golf swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range att ...
in November 1961. The Emerald Green golf course debuted in 1964, and had its formal opening in April 1965. Since then, the resort was sometimes known as the Dunes Hotel and Country Club, reflecting its golf amenities. The Emerald Green measured 7,240 yards, making it the longest course in Las Vegas. It stretched south from Flamingo Road to Tropicana Avenue, occupying roughly 80 acres along the eastern edge of I-15. Riddle bought the site from banker Jerry Mack and Mel Close, bringing the resort a total of 163 acres. The Emerald Green's closure in 1993 left the Desert Inn as the only other Strip resort with a golf course. At the time, the Emerald Green had seen an average of 65,000 golfers each year, second only to the Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course. It was especially popular among celebrities. The Emerald Green site is now occupied by parts of
Park MGM The Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, is a megaresort hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel, with a height of , has 32 floors, including a casino floor with 1,400 slot machines, 60 ...
(opened in 1996) and
CityCenter Aria Campus, commonly known by its former name CityCenter, is a mixed-use, urban complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is located on and contains a total of . The complex includes Aria Resort and Casino, the Vdara condo-hotel, ...
(2009), as well as T-Mobile Arena (2016).


Sultan and neon sign

The Dunes originally featured a 30-foot-high sultan statue above its entrance. The fiberglass statue was created by sculptor Kermit Hawkins. The sultan's
turban A turban (from Persian دولبند‌, ''dulband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with promin ...
included a diamond that lit up at night, and which was actually a car headlamp that had been put in place. In 1964, the sultan was moved to the edge of the golf course along I-15, serving as an advertisement to motorists. The sultan was destroyed by fire, caused by a short circuit, on the night of December 31, 1985. Lee Klay of the Federal Sign and Signal Company designed a roadside sign for the Dunes, activated on November 12, 1964. Klay recalled that the resort owners asked him to create "a big phallic symbol going up in the sky as far as you can make it". At 181 feet, it was the tallest free-standing sign in the world. The foundation measured 80 feet in width, and supported two white-colored columns forming a bulbous onion dome or stylized
spade A spade is a tool primarily for digging consisting of a long handle and blade, typically with the blade narrower and flatter than the common shovel. Early spades were made of riven wood or of animal bones (often shoulder blades). After the ...
shape at the top. Contained within this shape were two-story-high letters spelling out "Dunes", with a large diamond atop the lettering. The sign contained 16,000 feet of neon tubing, including 7,200 lamps. At night, the sign lit up in red coloring. Blackout curtains were added in hotel rooms facing the sign, as some guests had trouble sleeping because of the neon lighting. Schwartz objected to the construction of the sign, believing that it conflicted with the design of his hotel tower, although Riddle overrode him. A full-time, three-man team worked to maintain the sign, which had a service elevator going up one of its columns to the top. The sign was intentionally destroyed as part of the 1993 implosion event, with the use of 18-grain
detonating cord Detonating cord (also called detonation cord, detacord, detcord, primer cord, or sun cord) is a thin, flexible plastic tube usually filled with pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN, pentrite). With the PETN exploding at a rate of approximately ...
. Architectural historian
Alan Hess Alan Hess (born 1952) is an American architect, author, lecturer and advocate for twentieth-century architectural preservation. "Alan Hess sa prominent California architecture critic who has written extensively on roadside strips," writes the '' ...
had advocated for saving the sign, although Mirage Resorts stated that it was in extremely poor condition, with demolition being cheaper than preservation. Saving the sign would have required it to be disassembled in eight-foot sections, at a cost of up to $100,000. A smaller, similar sign exists at the city's
Neon Museum The Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, features signs from old casinos and other businesses displayed outdoors on 2.62 acres. The museum features a restored lobby shell from the defunct La Concha Motel as its visitors' center, whic ...
. In 2019, filmmaker Tim Burton also debuted a Dunes-inspired sign as part of '' Lost Vegas: Tim Burton'', an exhibit at the Neon Museum. An original neon entrance sign from the resort is also located at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas.


Restaurants

A popular fine-dining restaurant, Sultan's Table, opened on March 4, 1961. It was designed by Schwartz, and included live music for diners. Riddle was inspired to build Sultan's Table after visiting an upscale restaurant, the Villa Fontana, in Mexico City. Sultan's Table was the first gourmet restaurant to open on the Strip, and Diners Club named it "America's finest and most beautiful new restaurant". The Dunes opened its Dome of the Sea on June 12, 1964. It was a seafood restaurant with an underwater theme. It was also designed by Schwartz, who created the exterior as a circular building that "looked like it came from outer space". Schwartz collaborated with designer Sean Kenny on the interior, which had a budget of $150,000. Images of fish and seaweed were projected onto the restaurant's interior walls. It also featured a harpist, dressed as a mermaid, who performed in the center of the room. For a brief period starting in 1972, the restaurant would transform into Dome After Hours, offering cocktails and continuous live entertainment between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00 a.m. A restaurant and lounge, Top O' the Strip, opened on June 4, 1965. It was located on the top floor of the new hotel tower, providing views of the city. It was popular among tourists, and also featured live entertainment. It was renamed Top O' the Dunes in 1979.


Live entertainment

Comedian
Wally Cox Wallace Maynard Cox (December 6, 1924 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He began his career as a standup comedian and then became the title character of the popular early U.S. television series ''Mister Peepers'' from 1952 to 19 ...
was an early entertainer at the Dunes, opening there in July 1955, although he was fired due to poor audience reception. Gottesman acknowledged that Cox was ill-prepared and brought no new material to his performances. Cox had been signed for four weeks, but only gave three performances. Comedian Stan Irwin briefly filled in for Cox, who was then hired back later in the month. Entertainers at Top O' the Strip included Art and Dotty Todd, Russ Morgan, and Bob Anderson. The Dunes also opened a
Comedy Store The Comedy Store is an American comedy club opened in April 1972. It is located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. An associated club is located in La Jolla, San Diego, California. History The Comedy ...
location in 1984, hosting numerous comedians. It relocated to the Golden Nugget hotel-casino in 1990, but briefly returned to the Dunes in 1992.


Shows

The Dunes' 1955 opening included Vera-Ellen in a production show titled ''New York-Paris-Paradise'', which was contracted for a four-week run. It was part of Gottesman's policy to focus on shows rather than big-name stars; he said, "There aren't enough name stars in the world to play all the Vegas hotels". ''New York-Paris-Paradise'' was directed by Robert Nesbitt and played in the Dunes' showroom, known as the Arabian Room. On January 10, 1957, Riddle debuted Las Vegas' first topless show, titled ''Minsky Goes to Paris''. Riddle said, "We have something people can't get on television". The show's success inspired other resorts to debut their own topless shows. During 1958, the show was attracting 9,000 viewers weekly. Later known as ''Minsky's Follies'', the show ran until 1961. Riddle brought '' Tenderloin'', a Broadway musical, to the Dunes in May 1961. The Broadway show ''
Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on " The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also b ...
'', starring
Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...
and
Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...
, also played at the Dunes for about six months, starting in 1962. The Dunes opened a new venue, the Persian Room, in December 1961. It replaced the Sinbad Cocktail Lounge. The Persian Room debuted with ''Vive Les Girls'', a French musical revue by Frederic Apcar. It was successful, becoming an annual show at the Dunes. It closed in 1971, when the Persian Room was replaced by the keno lounge. The Dunes had also debuted another show by Apcar in December 1963, titled ''Casino de Paris'' and initially starring
Line Renaud Line Renaud (born 2 July 1928) is a French singer, actress and AIDS activist. Early life Line Renaud was born Jacqueline Ente in Pont-de-Nieppe on 2 July 1928. Her mother Simone was a shorthand typist; her father was a truck driver during the we ...
. The show cost approximately $6 million to create, featuring 100 cast members and more than 500 costumes. The show incorporated a custom stage known as the Octopus or Octuramic. Designed by Schwartz and Kenny, the stage had several arms capable of extending 50 feet above the audience. Circular dancing platforms, 20 feet in diameter, were built at the end of each arm, allowing showgirls to dance above the audience. The show ended in June 1981, due to the high costs of putting it on each week. ''Showstoppers'', a family show by
Jeff Kutash Jeff Kutash (b. 1945) is an American dancer and choreographer. Early life Jeff was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a teen, he was a middleweight Golden Gloves boxer. Career Jeff Kutash began his entertainment career in Cleveland, Ohio, as a dance ...
, was planned to open in 1990, but was canceled before its premiere.


Boxing

Many major professional boxing events took place at the Dunes from 1975 to 1990; notably the May 20, 1983 undercard that featured
Ossie Ocasio Osvaldo "Ossie" Ocasio (born August 12, 1955) is a Puerto Rican former boxer who held the world cruiserweight championship. Nicknamed "Jaws", his peculiar nickname was the result of him accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring sessio ...
retaining his WBA's world Cruiserweight title by fifteen round unanimous decision over Randy Stephens, Greg Page beat
Renaldo Snipes Renaldo Snipes (born Reenaold Snipes on August 15, 1956) is an American former boxer, best known for his title championship bout with Larry Holmes. Amateur career Snipes was a two-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion (1977 and 1978). He lost on a ...
by twelve rounds unanimous decision in a WBC's Heavyweight division elimination bout,
Michael Dokes Michael Marshall Dokes (August 10, 1958 – August 11, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 1997, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1982 to 1983. As an amateur he won a silver medal in the heavyweight division ...
retained his WBA world Heavyweight title with a fifteen-round draw (tie) over Mike Weaver in their rematch, and
Larry Holmes Larry Holmes (born November 3, 1949) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the "Ea ...
won over
Tim Witherspoon Tim Witherspoon (born December 27, 1957) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2003. He was a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC title in 1984, and the WBA title in 1986. Witherspoon also wor ...
by a twelve-round split decision to retain his WBC world Heavyweight title. This was the first time in history that two world Heavyweight championship fights took place on the same day.


In popular culture

The Dunes made numerous appearances in television, including a 1964 episode of ''
Arrest and Trial ''Arrest and Trial'' is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964 season on ABC, airing Sundays from 8:30-10 pm Eastern. Overview The majority of episodes consists of two segments. Set in Los Angeles, the fir ...
''. It is featured in a 1977 episode of '' The Bionic Woman'' titled "Fembots in Las Vegas", and a 1978 episode of ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'' titled "Angels in Vegas". The Dunes sign is used in the intro of the television series ''
Vega$ ''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mic ...
'', and the resort is seen in the pilot episode of the 1980s television series ''
Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series ''Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'', titled "
Knight of the Phoenix "Knight of the Phoenix" is the syndication title to the two-hour long pilot (originally aired on NBC as just "Knight Rider") to the popular 1980s television show ''Knight Rider'', which starred David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Richard Basehart, a ...
". It also appears in the season-two premiere episode "Goliath". The Dunes made film appearances as well, including the 1971 James Bond movie '' Diamonds Are Forever'', in which it serves as the office of Whyte House casino manager Bert Saxby. The Dunes sign also makes an appearance in the film, and a deleted scene, available on home media releases, takes place in the Dome of the Sea restaurant. In the 1984 film ''
Oxford Blues ''Oxford Blues'' is a 1984 British comedy-drama sports film written and directed by Robert Boris and starring Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy and Amanda Pays. It is a remake of the 1938 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film ''A Yank at Oxford'' and was Lowe's first ...
'', the main character (portrayed by Rob Lowe) works as a parking attendant at the Dunes. The sign and hotel also appear in the 1984 film ''
Cannonball Run II ''Cannonball Run II'' is a 1984 action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest. Like the original '' Cannonball Run'', it is set around an illegal cross-country race. This was the l ...
'', and are seen in the closing credits of the 1989 film '' K-9''. The sign also appears in the 1991 comedy '' Hot Shots!'', when the pilot nicknamed "Wash Out" mistakes a runway and lands near the hotel. The 1991 film ''
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man ''Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man'' is a 1991 American neo-Western biker film starring Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson, with a supporting cast including Chelsea Field, Tom Sizemore, Daniel Baldwin, Giancarlo Esposito, and Vanessa Williams ...
'' includes footage of the casino and hotel, including its rooftop. The hotel's 1993 implosion was filmed for ''Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins'', a television special promoting Wynn's Treasure Island resort. The implosion is also among other Las Vegas resort demolitions featured during the closing credits of the 2003 film '' The Cooler''. The Dunes is shown across from the fictional Tangiers casino at the beginning of the 1995 film ''
Casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
'', directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
. The Dunes is also seen during the Las Vegas sequence of Scorsese's 2019 film '' The Irishman''.


See also

* List of Las Vegas Strip hotels


References


External links


Footage of the Dunes' grand opening
with Frank Sinatra
Implosion of the Dunes
{{Las Vegas Strip 1993 disestablishments in Nevada Casinos completed in 1955 Casino hotels Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion Demolished hotels in Clark County, Nevada Hotel buildings completed in 1955 Hotel buildings completed in 1965 Hotel buildings completed in 1979 Hotels established in 1955 Defunct casinos in the Las Vegas Valley Defunct hotels in the Las Vegas Valley Buildings and structures demolished in 1993 Buildings and structures demolished in 1994 Las Vegas Strip Resorts in the Las Vegas Valley Skyscraper hotels in Paradise, Nevada 1955 establishments in Nevada Former skyscrapers