El Rancho Vegas was a
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
and
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 ...
at the north end of the
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, 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 ...
in
Winchester, Nevada
Winchester is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Nevada, United States that contains part of the Las Vegas Strip. It is one of a number of CDPs in the unincorporated urbanized area directly south of Las Ve ...
. It opened in 1941, as the first resort on the Strip, known then as part of Highway 91. It was located at what is now the southwest corner of
Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas Boulevard is a major road in Clark County, Nevada, United States, best known for the Las Vegas Strip portion of the road and its casinos. Formerly carrying U.S. Route 91 (US 91), which had been the main highway between Los Angel ...
and
Sahara Avenue
Sahara Avenue is a major east-west roadway in the Las Vegas Valley. The former State Route 589 (SR 589) comprised a large portion of the street. The roadway is named after the Sahara Hotel and Casino, which itself is named after the Sahara ...
. The El Rancho Vegas was conceived by Thomas Hull, who owned several hotels in California and wanted to expand his operations to
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. He decided to build his new resort along Highway 91, on desert land located just outside of city limits. Hull intended to target motorists traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, although his remote location was met with skepticism.
The El Rancho Vegas was designed by
Wayne McAllister
Wayne Douglas McAllister (November 17, 1907 – March 22, 2000) was a Los Angeles-based architect who was a leader in the Googie style of architecture that embraced the automobile and the Space Age. Inspired by tail fins and gleaming chrome, ...
, and originally included 65 rooms, located in cottage bungalows spread across the hotel's property. The El Rancho opened on April 3, 1941, with an
Old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
theme. It proved to be a success, which prompted the opening of other resorts on Highway 91, eventually transforming it into the Las Vegas Strip. The El Rancho underwent several ownership changes, and was leased in 1948 to a group that included Jake Katleman. When he died in 1950, his nephew,
Beldon Katleman, took over ownership. The El Rancho added an
all-you-can-eat
An all-you-can-eat restaurant (AYCE) is a type of restaurant in which a fixed price is charged for entry, after which diners may consume as much food as they wish. All-you-can-eat establishments are frequently buffets.
Buffets
The all-you-can- ...
buffet in the 1940s, popularizing the buffet concept in Las Vegas. The El Rancho property was also home to the
KENO
Keno is a lottery-like gambling game often played at modern casinos, and also offered as a game in some lotteries.
Players wager by choosing numbers ranging from 1 through (usually) 80. After all players make their wagers, 20 numbers (some va ...
radio station in the 1940s, and the
KSHO-TV television station in the 1950s.
On June 17, 1960, a fire destroyed the El Rancho's main building, which housed the casino, restaurants, and showroom. The cause of the fire was never determined. The El Rancho closed as a result of the incident, although the cottages were left unharmed, leaving 222 rooms intact. In the early 1960s, the
Thunderbird
Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to:
* Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture
* Ford Thunderbird, a car
Birds
* Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...
resort, located across the street, leased 88 of the El Rancho's rooms and operated them under the name Thunderbird West. The cottages were then leased in 1964 to another company, which rebranded them as El Rancho Vegas Motor Inn. It struggled as a non-gaming motel, and Katleman put the property up for sale in the late 1960s, eventually selling it to businessman
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
in 1970. Most of the remaining buildings were demolished by the end of the decade, although some were relocated to
Old Vegas
Old Vegas was an amusement park at 2440 South Boulder Highway in Henderson, Nevada, located in the Las Vegas Valley. The park's theme was American Old Western, modeled after 1850s Las Vegas. The site included various amusement rides and a replic ...
, an amusement park near
Henderson, Nevada
Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Vall ...
. Another El Rancho cottage was moved to
Pahrump, Nevada
Pahrump ( ) is an unincorporated town located at the southernmost tip of Nye County, Nevada, United States, about west of Las Vegas, Nevada. Pahrump lies adjacent to the Nevada–California border and the area had a population of 44,738 as of ...
.
The former El Rancho property sat vacant for several decades after the Hughes purchase, eventually becoming one of the last large, undeveloped parcels on the Las Vegas Strip. Numerous projects were proposed for the land, but did not materialize. A timeshare resort, the
Hilton Grand Vacations Club
Hilton Grand Vacations Club is a timeshare property located on the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The property was previously occupied by the El Rancho Vegas hotel and casino from 1941 until 1960, when it burned down. T ...
, eventually opened on the southern edge of the property in 2004.
MGM Mirage
MGM Resorts International is an American global hospitality and entertainment company operating destination resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Detroit, Mississippi, Maryland, and New Jersey, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Par ...
purchased the remaining acreage in 2007, and eventually opened its
Festival Grounds on the property in 2015.
The Thunderbird was eventually renamed as the
El Rancho Hotel and Casino
The El Rancho Hotel and Casino (formerly known as the Thunderbird and Silver Bird) was a hotel and casino that operated on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It originally opened on September 2, 1948, as the Navajo-themed Thunderbird. At ...
in 1982, after the original El Rancho resort.
History
Thomas Hull operated several California lodging establishments in the 1930s, including two motel properties that used the "El Rancho" name.
[ In 1938, he decided to expand his operations to ]Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
.[ While traveling along ]Highway 91
The following highways are numbered 91:
International
* European route E91
Australia
* Cairns Western Arterial Road
* Summerland Way
Brasil
* SP-91, state highway in Sao Paulo
Canada
* British Columbia Highway 91
** British Columbia Highway ...
, Hull's vehicle got a flat tire in the desert, about a couple miles away from downtown Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas (commonly abbreviated as DTLV) is the central business district and historic center of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original townsite, and the Downtown gaming area was the primary gambling district of Las Vegas prior to the St ...
. He stayed behind and waited while an associate went to get help. To pass the time, Hull started counting the cars that drove along the highway, quickly realizing that it presented a perfect location for his new hotel.[ In addition, Hull had been waiting in the heat and reportedly said, "What I wouldn't give to jump into a pool!" This further prompted his desire to build a resort along the barren highway,] although local residents were skeptical of his chosen site because of its remoteness.[
The property was located at what would later become the southwest corner of ]Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas Boulevard is a major road in Clark County, Nevada, United States, best known for the Las Vegas Strip portion of the road and its casinos. Formerly carrying U.S. Route 91 (US 91), which had been the main highway between Los Angel ...
and Sahara Avenue
Sahara Avenue is a major east-west roadway in the Las Vegas Valley. The former State Route 589 (SR 589) comprised a large portion of the street. The roadway is named after the Sahara Hotel and Casino, which itself is named after the Sahara ...
,[ an area that would mark the northern end of the future ]Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, 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 land was just outside of Las Vegas, allowing Hull to avoid the city's taxes, and it was also cheaper than sites located within the city.] The property was owned by Jessie Hunt, who had tried for years to sell it, but had no luck because it was viewed as an undesirable location.[
]
Design and opening
Hull purchased the site and hired architect Wayne McAllister
Wayne Douglas McAllister (November 17, 1907 – March 22, 2000) was a Los Angeles-based architect who was a leader in the Googie style of architecture that embraced the automobile and the Space Age. Inspired by tail fins and gleaming chrome, ...
to design the new resort. They had previously worked together on a renovation of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a historic hotel located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It opened on May 15, 1927, and is the oldest continually operating hotel in Los Angeles.
History
The hote ...
, one of Hull's properties. Hull wanted the Las Vegas project to resemble a scaled-down version of Tijuana's Aqua Caliente resort, which McAllister had also designed. Unable to raise the financing for this project, Hull had McAllister design a smaller resort. Hull was not a gambler, and he initially had no plans to add a casino, until his Las Vegas friends convinced him to do so.[ The final project was financed mostly by the First National Bank of Las Vegas.][ Construction was initially set to commence in April 1939, but it had yet to begin as of November 1940; at that time, the start of construction had been delayed because of a lack of lumber during ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Construction was underway in February 1941, and work proceeded on a rapid schedule.
After nearly three years of planning, the El Rancho Vegas held a preview opening on April 1, 1941. It was attended by 300 businessmen from out of state. The public opening came on the evening of April 3, 1941. Bankers, businessmen, and other people from California and Nevada attended the grand opening, along with acting couple Rex Bell
Rex Bell (born George Francis Beldam; October 16, 1903 – July 4, 1962) was an American actor and politician. Bell primarily appeared in Western films during his career. He also appeared in the 1930 movie '' True to the Navy'', starring Clar ...
and Clara Bow
Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...
. Work on the resort was still ongoing at the time of the opening, with full completion expected in six to eight weeks, in time for the busy tourist season. Landscaping was among the finishing touches, with grass and trees being planted to give the appearance of an oasis in the desert.
The El Rancho Vegas offered a vacation experience to its guests.[ Formal clothing was not required at the resort.][ According to the '']Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'', the El Rancho Vegas "combines the charm and open-handed hospitality of the Old West with the convenience of today".[ The El Rancho was considered a combination casino/]motor court
A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby. Entering dictionaries ...
/dude ranch
A guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agritourism.
History
Guest ranches arose in response to the romanticization of the American West that began to occur ...
.[ The Old West theme was prominent throughout the resort, with a Spanish-style exterior and a cowboy/frontier-styled interior.] El Rancho Vegas offered horseback riding,[ the Round-Up Room dinner theater,][ and a large swimming pool,] the latter located along Highway 91 to entice motorists.[ Hull intended to capitalize on the large number of motorists traveling into Las Vegas from Los Angeles.][ The resort featured a 50-foot neon windmill,][ and advertisements encouraged visitors to "stop at the sign of the windmill".][
The casino, considered small by later standards, offered four table games: two ]blackjack
Blackjack (formerly Black Jack and Vingt-Un) is a casino banking game. The most widely played casino banking game in the world, it uses decks of 52 cards and descends from a global family of casino banking games known as Twenty-One. This fami ...
tables, one roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...
table, and one craps
Craps is a dice game in which players bet on the outcomes of the roll of a pair of dice. Players can wager money against each other (playing "street craps") or against a bank ("casino craps"). Because it requires little equipment, "street c ...
table—and seventy slot machine
A slot machine (American English), fruit machine (British English) or poker machine (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slot machines are also known pejoratively a ...
s. The resort had 65 rooms, which included kitchen facilities.[ The rooms were housed in duplex and fourplex cottages scattered around the property. The one-story cottages were made of wood,] and they resembled a residential subdivision, with private lawns and porches, and paved streets.[ The El Rancho Vegas also offered the Stage Door Steak House, the Nugget Nell lounge,] a barbershop, a health club, and retailers such as clothing stores. For its high roller
A high roller, also referred to as a whale or cheetah, is a gambler who consistently wagers large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish " comps" from casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers ...
s, the casino offered yacht rides on Lake Mead
Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States. It is located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, east of Las Vegas. It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity. ...
.[
Although the El Rancho was a luxury resort, Hull did not want it to be abundantly fancy, out of fear that this would turn off locals.][ The resort offered a higher level of luxury compared to its counterparts near ]Fremont Street
Fremont Street is a street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada that is the second most famous street in the Las Vegas Valley – and Nevada – besides the Las Vegas Strip. Named in honor of explorer and politician John C. Frémont and located in the ...
, but it was otherwise unremarkable. The gaming area was not particularly large, and western themes were common in Nevada casinos at the time. However, the El Rancho Vegas was notable for its location outside of city limits, and for its concept of a main casino building with restaurants and a theater, surrounded by lodging facilities.[ Architect ]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 ...
later wrote that the El Rancho "set the pattern of the large highway resort hotel. With its opening, the builders of Las Vegas varied the motel archetype a bit: the sign was expanded, the lobby was enlarged to include a casino, and the room wings were surrounded by recreational facilities and lush planting. A bigger budget, a slightly different program but a motel nonetheless."[
El Rancho Vegas was the first resort to be built on the Las Vegas Strip, still known then as part of Highway 91.] Hull and the El Rancho are credited with the creation of the Strip,[ as the property's unexpected success prompted other developers to open resorts in the vicinity, eventually transforming Highway 91 into the Strip. Such resorts would re-use the El Rancho's concept of a central casino building.][ The Strip's second resort, the ]Hotel Last Frontier
The New Frontier (formerly Hotel Last Frontier and The Frontier) was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property began as a casino and dance club known as Pair O' Dice, opened in 1931. It was sold in 1941, and inco ...
, opened in 1942.
Early years
During World War II, the establishment of the Las Vegas Army Airfield
Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Op ...
and a nearby magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...
plant helped contribute to the El Rancho's success. Shortly after the opening, Hull announced plans for an adjacent housing community.[ This consisted of cottage homes, built by the government as recreational space for military personnel returning overseas during World War II. These homes were eventually sold to the El Rancho Vegas after the war ended.]
At the end of 1941, Hull had the radio station KENO
Keno is a lottery-like gambling game often played at modern casinos, and also offered as a game in some lotteries.
Players wager by choosing numbers ranging from 1 through (usually) 80. After all players make their wagers, 20 numbers (some va ...
relocated to the northeastern end of the El Rancho property, where it occupied more than an acre of land. He allowed the station to operate rent-free on the condition that it regularly promote the El Rancho as its broadcasting location. KENO operated on the site for the remainder of the 1940s.
The El Rancho Vegas underwent several ownership changes. In July 1943, Hull sold the resort – along with the housing project located directly north – to Joseph W. Drown. Hull had found it difficult to operate the resort from his hometown of Los Angeles.[ In June 1944, Drown sold the resort for $1.2 million to ]Wilbur Clark
Wilbur Clark (December 27, 1908 – August 27, 1965) was an American casino owner and land developer in Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Early life
Wilbur Clark was born on December 27, 1908, in Keyesport, Illinois. His parents were Shirley ...
, a San Diego businessman, and Clayton Smith, a Los Angeles hotel man.
In 1945, Clark partnered with two California businessmen, Joseph and Walter Guzzardi; they would operate the hotel and restaurant portions, while Clark would continue operating the casino. Later that year, Clark accused the Guzzardis of mishandling the resort's finances. As a result, Clark had the El Rancho Vegas placed into receivership
In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver—a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights"—especially in ca ...
, with approval by judge George E. Marshall. In response, the Guzzardis filed a suit against Clark, alleging malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution is a common law intentional tort. Like the tort of abuse of process, its elements include (1) intentionally (and maliciously) instituting and pursuing (or causing to be instituted or pursued) a legal action (civil or criminal ...
with the intent of defrauding them. They alleged that placing the resort into receivership was done in order to make the mortgage payment come due. The Guzzardis ultimately had to sell their shares to Drown at a steep loss. They also alleged that Marshall was a close friend of Clark, and that his gambling debt at the El Rancho Vegas was forgiven in exchange for approving the receivership. Marshall denied the allegations. With the resort still in receivership, Drown agreed to take over ownership again, doing so in February 1946, after the resort exited bankruptcy. It was then briefly leased to several corporations, led by Sanford Adler.
Herb McDonald, the director of entertainment and publicity for the resort, added an all-you-can-eat
An all-you-can-eat restaurant (AYCE) is a type of restaurant in which a fixed price is charged for entry, after which diners may consume as much food as they wish. All-you-can-eat establishments are frequently buffets.
Buffets
The all-you-can- ...
buffet in 1946. The idea was conceived late one night after he laid out ingredients on a bar to make a sandwich, attracting the attention of hungry gamblers. The buffet was known at various points as the Midnight Chuck Wagon and as the Buckaroo Buffet. It proved to be a success, popularizing the buffet concept in Las Vegas that would become common in other resorts there.[
In 1947, ]American Hotel Association
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
named it as the nation's "ideal western hotel". At the time, the casino floor featured "the only gambling horse in the world." The horse, named Lucky Silver, would nudge chips into place on a roulette table.
Katleman family
Adler's lease ended in 1948, and Drown leased the El Rancho Vegas to a different group later that year, giving them the ability to purchase the resort at the end of a 10-year lease. Adler threatened legal action, arguing that he should have been first in line for a potential purchase. The new group included Jake Katleman, who served as the casino manager, and was the principal stockholder in the El Rancho Vegas. Katleman was known to be superstitious and would sprinkle salt around gaming tables that lost money. Jake's nephew, Beldon Katleman, booked most of the El Rancho's entertainment.
In June 1950, Jake Katleman died from injuries he sustained in an automobile accident.[ A month after his death, plans were announced for an expansion and remodeling of the El Rancho. Beldon Katleman took over operations at the end of the year, after buying out the interests of other partners who did not share his vision for resort improvements.][ In 1951, Katleman began remodeling the El Rancho Vegas and updating its ambiance, with designer Tom Douglas in charge of the renovations.
In 1952, three stockholders in the resort filed a federal suit, alleging that majority holders such as Beldon Katleman did not acknowledge the sale of 495 shares which were purchased by the minority holders. The shares had previously been owned by Jake Katleman until his death. The suit requested that the El Rancho Vegas be placed into receivership, although this effort was unsuccessful.][ A compromise was eventually reached, in which the three stockholders were reimbursed. The shares were sold to Beldon Katleman,] despite objections from Jake Katleman's widow, Liberty, who received monthly payments from her husband's estate. She argued that Beldon Katleman's offer was too low.
In 1953, a customer, John Maher, alleged that he was held under armed guard at the El Rancho Vegas, after writing $400 in bad checks. He filed charges against Katleman and the El Rancho, alleging false imprisonment
False imprisonment or unlawful imprisonment occurs when a person intentionally restricts another person’s movement within any area without legal authority, justification, or the restrained person's permission. Actual physical restraint is ...
and seeking damages
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...
of $172,000. Maher subsequently withdrew the complaint, although he later filed a $3 million suit, alleging false imprisonment and battery. His wife also filed a suit for $100,000 in damages, saying that she too was detained after arriving at the resort with $400 to have her husband released. A jury eventually ruled in Katleman's favor.
In 1953, Douglas was hired again to enlarge the casino's dinner theater, as part of a $3 million modernization of the resort. Katleman had the western theme replaced with more of a French provincial style. The Round-Up Room was renamed as the Opera House, which also served food.[ In the late 1950s, the television station KSHO-TV/Channel 13 operated behind the El Rancho, through a lease agreement with Katleman.][ ]Western Union
The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the company chang ...
also had an office at the resort.
In 1957, Katleman announced plans for an expansion the following year that would include new rooms, a cocktail lounge, and entertainment facilities. Ohio industrialist Ben Aronoff became a 50-percent partner and would invest in the resort and its expansion. Katleman would remain as the El Rancho's manager. At the time, the hotel had 211 rooms. Katleman was optimistic about the resort's future because of the imminent opening of the Las Vegas Convention Center
The Las Vegas Convention Center (commonly referred to as LVCC) is a convention center in Winchester, Nevada. It is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
As one of the largest convention centers in the world, it h ...
nearby.
The El Rancho's casino was closed on February 16, 1959, for the first time in its history,[ after Aronoff filed a ]writ of attachment
A writ of attachment is a court order to " attach" or seize an asset. It is issued by a court to a law enforcement officer or sheriff. The writ of attachment is issued in order to satisfy a judgment issued by the court.
A prejudgment writ of att ...
against the resort, in an attempt to recover nearly $400,000 that he had invested into it. Aronoff said that he wanted to withdraw from the partnership because the resort was losing money, while Katleman said that Aronoff had brought on undesirable partners who would not be satisfactory to the Nevada Gaming Control Board
The Nevada Gaming Control Board, also known as the State Gaming Control Board, is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of gaming and law enforcement of Nevada gaming laws throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming ...
. The case was soon settled, and the casino reopened on February 18, 1959. However, Katleman later sued Aronoff for financial losses caused by the casino closure, and Aronoff threatened to file another writ. A judge eventually ruled in Aronoff's favor on June 15, 1960, saying that Katleman still owed him $240,000.
Fire
Around 4:30 a.m. on June 17, 1960, a fire broke out in the El Rancho's main building, which contained the casino, offices, buffet, lounge, steakhouse, and the Opera House dining room and showroom. The fire began in a kitchen located next to the Opera House. From there, it spread rapidly and destroyed dressing rooms, a restaurant, and several stores in the pool area.[ ]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 Harry James
Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...
were entertaining in the lounge when the fire broke out. Two dozen people fled the fire.[ Singer ]Pearl Bailey
Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role i ...
, along with comedians Phil Ford and Mimi Hines
Mimi Hines (born July 17, 1933) is a Canadian singer and comedian best known for her appearances on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', ''The Tonight Show'' and her work on Broadway. She succeeded Barbra Streisand in the original production of '' Funny Gi ...
, crashed her vehicle into a tree while they were attempting to escape the fire; Ford then led the women to safety.[ Within 20 minutes, the fire had engulfed the theater, lounge, and restaurant.][ Flames reached up to 100 feet in height.][ Various people showed up to observe the fire, and entertainer ]Red Skelton
Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...
took photos of the burning building.[ The resort's 50-foot neon windmill, a local landmark, toppled over during the fire.][
A total of 48 firemen and 20 deputy sheriffs responded to the fire. Four firemen were injured. Approximately 500,000 gallons of water were used, and the fire was under control by 9:15 a.m.][ There were no deaths or injuries,] but the main building – made of wood[ – had been destroyed within an hour, and the resort was closed.][ The fire caused up to $5 million in damages, leaving the building as a blackened ruin.][ The fire also destroyed $427,000 in cash.][ The hotel cottages were undamaged, with the nearest ones being 150 feet away from the main building. The hotel had 222 rooms.][ Three hours before the fire started, an unidentified man had asked casino executives about another fire that had occurred on the property two years earlier, resulting only in blackened damage to a room. The man was initially considered an arson suspect in the 1960 fire.][ Ultimately, the cause of the fire was never determined.]
The El Rancho Vegas had 400 employees who were put out of work because of the fire and closure. Immediately after the incident, Katleman was considering multiple options for reopening the resort. One possibility was to house the facilities in a giant tent.[ It was later reported that Katleman wanted to rebuild the El Rancho with a grander style than before.][ In 1962, Katleman said that he had raised the money necessary to construct a 31-story version of El Rancho Vegas, making it among the tallest hotels in the U.S. News about Katleman's rebuilding was occasionally reported over the years, but such plans never came to fruition.
]
Final years
In 1962, Katleman engaged in a failed effort to get the adjacent San Francisco Avenue renamed after the El Rancho; the road was instead renamed Sahara Avenue
Sahara Avenue is a major east-west roadway in the Las Vegas Valley. The former State Route 589 (SR 589) comprised a large portion of the street. The roadway is named after the Sahara Hotel and Casino, which itself is named after the Sahara ...
, after the Sahara
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
, country1 =
, ...
resort located across the street.
During 1962, the Thunderbird
Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to:
* Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture
* Ford Thunderbird, a car
Birds
* Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...
resort, also located across the street, operated 88 of the El Rancho's rooms under the name Thunderbird West, through a lease that extended into 1963. The following year, Alfred Hotels, Inc. announced that it had leased the hotel buildings from Katleman. Alfred Hotels planned to operate them as the El Rancho Vegas Motor Inn. Refurbishments were underway at that time, including remodeling of the swimming pool. A wax museum and antique store were opened on the property in 1965, joining the motel.
The El Rancho Vegas struggled financially as a non-gaming motel,[ leading Katleman to put it up for sale in the late 1960s.][ Businessman ]Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
negotiated a $7.5 million deal to buy the property, and Katleman initially agreed before later raising the purchase price. A two-year court battle began in 1968 as Hughes and Katleman fought over the initial purchase agreement. They settled the case in 1970, after Hughes agreed to pay $8.5 million for the property.[
The cottages were then used as warehouse storage before being demolished,] although some were relocated and preserved. In September 1975, one of the last remaining buildings was removed from the property. In mid-1978, three more buildings were moved to Old Vegas
Old Vegas was an amusement park at 2440 South Boulder Highway in Henderson, Nevada, located in the Las Vegas Valley. The park's theme was American Old Western, modeled after 1850s Las Vegas. The site included various amusement rides and a replic ...
, an Old West amusement park outside of Henderson, Nevada
Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Vall ...
.[ Another structure is located in ]Pahrump, Nevada
Pahrump ( ) is an unincorporated town located at the southernmost tip of Nye County, Nevada, United States, about west of Las Vegas, Nevada. Pahrump lies adjacent to the Nevada–California border and the area had a population of 44,738 as of ...
, where it serves as a duplex under the name El Rancho Gardens. This building was added to the Nevada State Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Aside from the cottages, 14 ''Washingtonia
''Washingtonia'' is a genus of palms, native to the southwestern United States (in southern California, and southwest Arizona) and northwest Mexico (in Baja California and Sonora). Both ''Washingtonia'' species are commonly cultivated across t ...
'' palm trees were also relocated in 1978, to the newly renovated Desert Inn
The Desert Inn, also known as the D.I., was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, which operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by architect Hugh Taylor and interior design by Jac Lessman, it was the ...
resort nearby.
Proposed redevelopment
The El Rancho Vegas property was vacant as of 1979,[ and the site remained undeveloped for decades. Several projects were proposed for the site, but were never built. In 1993, there were plans to construct a $5 million entertainment complex that would include a golf driving range, miniature golf courses, batting cages, and a race track. Hughes' Summa Corporation would lease the land to the developer. A baseball stadium was also being planned for the property in 1995, as part of the All-American Family Sports Park.] However, William Bennett
William John Bennett (born July 31, 1943) is an American conservative politician and political commentator who served as secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. He also held the post of director of the Office of ...
purchased the property from Summa Corporation later that year, for $40 million.[ It was one of the last large, undeveloped parcels left on the Las Vegas Strip.][ Bennett planned to eventually develop the site, but was occupied in the meantime with renovations at his newly acquired Sahara resort. Some preliminary foundation work had already begun for the sports park when Bennett canceled the company's lease.][
Representatives for ]Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
, the sultan of Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
, made a $55 million offer for the land in 1996. However, the sultan vetoed the offer, which was apparently made without his knowledge. Real estate developer Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
also discussed a possible purchase of the land, but passed. In the late 1990s, a group planned to build a western-themed resort on the site.[ It would include a ]Billy Bob's
Billy Bob's Texas is a country music nightclub located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Texas, United States. It promotes itself as "The World's Largest Honky Tonk," at 100,000 square feet of interior space and nearly 20 acres of parking space.
Hist ...
nightclub and a 5,000-seat arena with daily rodeo events. However, the group had difficulty raising money to build the project, and it never materialized. In 2000, Hilton Grand Vacations
Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. is based in Orlando, Florida, United States, with regional offices located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oahu, Hawaii, New York City, Marco Island, Florida and Sanibel Island, Florida. It was formerly a wholly owned subsid ...
announced plans to build a timeshare building on part of the property. The Hilton Grand Vacations Club
Hilton Grand Vacations Club is a timeshare property located on the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The property was previously occupied by the El Rancho Vegas hotel and casino from 1941 until 1960, when it burned down. T ...
would eventually open in 2004, on 10 acres located at the southern edge of the El Rancho property.
Meanwhile, Bennett started marketing the remaining 26 acres again in 2000, with an asking price of $65 million. He pulled the property off the market in 2002, believing that its value would increase further in the years to come, as the north Las Vegas Strip was expected to see new development. Bennett died later in 2002, and the property was sold to MGM Mirage
MGM Resorts International is an American global hospitality and entertainment company operating destination resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Detroit, Mississippi, Maryland, and New Jersey, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Par ...
in 2007. The company, partnered with Kerzner International Resorts
Solomon Kerzner, (23 August 1935 – 21 March 2020) was a South African accountant and business magnate. He founded both of South Africa's largest hotel groups, the Southern Sun Hotel Group and Sun International. He was also the Founder, Chair ...
and Dubai World
Dubai World ( ar, دبي العالمية) is an investment company that manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Government of Dubai across a wide range of industry segments and projects that promote Dubai as a hub ...
, planned to build a mixed-use development
Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
project with hotels and a casino, similar to MGM's 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, t ...
. Construction was to begin in 2009, with the opening expected three years later. The project, sometimes referred to as CityCenter North, was canceled because of the Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
. Ultimately, MGM opened its Festival Grounds on the property in 2015. This development saw minimal success,[ and the property was sold to ]Phil Ruffin
Phillip Gene Ruffin (born March 14, 1935) is an American businessman. He owns the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Las Vegas, Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, in addition to a number of other enterprises including hot ...
in 2019.
Entertainers and shows
Big entertainers who performed regularly at the El Rancho included Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
, Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertaine ...
, Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Ba ...
,[ and ]Joe E. Lewis
Joe E. Lewis (born Joseph Klewan; January 12, 1902 – June 4, 1971) was an American comedian, actor and singer.Obituary ''Variety'', June 9, 1971, page 54.
Early life
Lewis was born was born into a family of Russian immigrants on Januar ...
. Other performers included Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
, Milton Berle
Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...
, Joey Bishop
Joseph Abraham Gottlieb (February 3, 1918 – October 17, 2007), known professionally as Joey Bishop, was an American entertainer who appeared on television as early as 1948 and eventually starred in his own weekly comedy series playing a talk/ ...
, Jack Carter, Billy Daniels, Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor (, ; born Sári Gábor ; February 6, 1917 – December 18, 2016) was a Hungarian Americans, Hungarian-American socialite and actress. Her sisters were actresses Eva Gabor, Eva and Magda Gabor.
Gabor competed in the 1933 Mis ...
, 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 Harry James
Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...
, Betty Garrett
Betty Garrett (May 23, 1919 – February 12, 2011) was an American actress, comedian, singer and dancer. She originally performed on Broadway, and was then signed to a film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. She appeared in several musical film ...
, Larry Parks
Samuel Lawrence Klausman Parks (December 13, 1914 – April 13, 1975) was an American stage and film actor. His career arced from bit player and supporting roles to top billing, before it was virtually ended when he admitted to having once been ...
, Lili St. Cyr,[ ]Sammy Davis Jr.
Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director.
At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...
and the Will Mastin Trio
The Will Mastin Trio (also Will Maston Trio on some bills) was a troupe of dancers and singers formed by Will Mastin, Sammy Davis Sr., and Sammy Davis Jr. The original members were Sammy Davis Sr., Howard M. Colbert Jr., and Will Mastin, although ...
, and The Williams Brothers
The Williams Brothers featuring Andy Williams were a singing quartet formed in the mid 1930s. They initially entertained on radio stations and later appeared in four musical films in the 1940s. After recording with Bing Crosby led to a nightc ...
.
In the 1940s, the resort featured a female group known as the El Rancho Starlets, which gave nightly performances. In 1949, the casino featured the George Moro Dancers, which consisted of female dancers dressed as dice. Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...
made her American stage debut at the El Rancho Vegas in 1957. Following a new Las Vegas trend, the El Rancho added nude showgirls in 1958, but soon removed them after criticism from religious leaders. Katleman said that showgirls would be covered from that point forward. He revived the nude concept in 1959, when he added a Parisian show called ''La Nouvelle Eve''. Shortly thereafter, Katleman ended the show and added a similar replacement called ''La Nou Eve''. Rene Bardy, the creator of ''La Nouvelle Eve'', later sued Katleman. The suit alleged that Katleman conspired to get Bardy terminated, and that Katleman then added the cheaper replacement show to profit off of Bardy's reputation while saving money. Bardy eventually won his case against Katleman.
Stripper
A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event.
M ...
Candy Barr
Juanita Dale Slusher (July 6, 1935 – December 30, 2006), better known by her stage name Candy Barr, was an American stripper, burlesque dancer, actress, and adult model in men's magazines of the mid-20th century.
During the 1950s, she receive ...
was headlining at El Rancho Vegas in 1959 when she was arrested by the FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
after her appeal on a marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
conviction originating in Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
was rejected by the US Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...
.
The El Rancho Vegas was a popular hangout for celebrities,[ and several notable individuals were married at the resort, including ]Joan Blondell
Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years.
Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on ...
and Mike Todd
Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of ''Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Actr ...
(1947), Marion Davies
Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...
and Horace Brown (1951), Hal March
Hal March (born Harold Mendelson; April 22, 1920 – January 19, 1970) was an American comedian, actor, and television quiz show Master of ceremonies, emcee.
Early career
March entered show business as a straight man in the vaudeville act the ...
and Candy Toxton (1956), Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence (born Sidney Liebowitz; July 8, 1935) is an American singer, comedian and actor, best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as " Steve and Eydie", and for his performance as Maury Sline, the manager and fr ...
and Eydie Gormé
Eydie Gormé ( ; born Edith Gormezano; August 16, 1928 – August 10, 2013) was an American singer who had hits on the pop and Latin pop charts. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with her husband, Steve Lawrence, on albums and telev ...
(1957), and Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
and Joanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward (born February 27, 1930) is an American actress. A star since the Golden Age of Hollywood, Woodward made her career breakthrough in the 1950s and earned esteem and respect playing complex women with a charact ...
(1958).[ Some performers also lived on the property, including Lewis and numerous showgirls.][
]
In popular culture
The El Rancho Vegas is featured in the 1955 film '' Las Vegas Shakedown''.[ A replica of the resort was built in ]Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert in Southern California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 173,51 ...
, as a filming location for the 1991 film ''The Marrying Man
''The Marrying Man'' (known as ''Too Hot to Handle'' in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Philippines) is a 1991 American romantic comedy film, directed by Jerry Rees, written by Neil Simon, and starring Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. The f ...
''.
See also
*
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
El Rancho Vegas Online Exhibit
by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. It includes the S ...
{{Las Vegas hotels
Buildings and structures in Winchester, Nevada
Defunct casinos in the Las Vegas Valley
Defunct hotels in the Las Vegas Valley
Casinos completed in 1941
Hotel buildings completed in 1941
Hotels established in 1941
Las Vegas Strip
Casino hotels
1941 establishments in Nevada
1960 disestablishments in Nevada