Stardust Resort & Casino
Encyclopedia
The Stardust Resort & Casino was a casino resort located on 63 acres (25.5 ha) along the Las Vegas Strip
in Winchester, Nevada
.
The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex (including the main 32-story tower) was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be demolished.
The Stardust officially closed at 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time
) on November 1, 2006 after operating continuously for 48 years. It was imploded
on March 13, 2007, around 2:33 A.M. In 2007, construction began on Echelon Place
, which was planned to replace The Stardust. Construction on the Echelon development was suspended in 2008, and remains suspended as of November 2011.
. Young Electric Sign Company
was hired to fabricate the sign. Kermit Wayne's design was selected for both the façade and the roadside signs. Although Moe Dalitz
, who took over from original developer Tony Cornero upon his death, said it was from his original plans, the sign was really part of Cornero's original concept.
The Stardust sign gave visitors a panoramic view of the solar system. At the sign's center sat a 16 feet (4.9 m) diameter plastic model of the Earth. Cosmic rays of neon and electric light bulbs beamed from behind the model earth in all direction. Three-dimensional acrylic glass
planets spun alongside 20 scintillating neon starbursts. Across the universe was a jagged galaxy of electric lettering spelling out "Stardust". The sign utilized 7100 ft (2,164.1 m) of neon tubing with over 11,000 bulbs along its 216 ft (65.8 m) front. The "S" alone contained 975 lamps. At night the neon constellation was reportedly visible 60 miles (96.6 km) away.
The roadside sign was freestanding with a circle constraining an amorphous cloud of cosmic dust circled by an orbit ring and covered in dancing stars. The hotel's name was nestled in a galactic cloud.
In 1967, the old circular sign was replaced by a new $500,000 roadside sign. The new sign's form was blurred by a scatter of star shapes, a shower of stardust. At night, incorporating neon and incandescent bulbs in the animation sequence, light fell from the stars, sprinkling from the top of the 188 feet (57.3 m) tall sign down over the Stardust name.
In 1991, the Stardust sign's Googie
lettering was replaced with a subdued Futura typeface
.
(aka Jake the Barber), half-brother of cosmetics seller Max Factor, Sr.
. John Factor leased the casino out to a company controlled by Moe Dalitz
. When the hotel opened, it had the largest casino in Nevada, the largest swimming pool in Nevada and the largest hotel in the Las Vegas area.
The Stardust opened at 12:00 noon on July 2, 1958. The attendees of the opening included governors, senators, city and county officials and Hollywood celebrities.
The entertainment registry started with the spectacular French production show Lido de Paris. Lido was conceived by Pierre-Louis Guerin and Rene Fraday, and staged by Donn Arden
.
The opening night lounge lineup offered, from dusk to dawn, Billy Daniels
, The Happy Jesters, The Vera Cruz Boys and the Jack Martin Quartet. Daniels became the first entertainer to sign a long-term residency contract in Metropolitan Las Vegas when he agreed to appear for 40 weeks per year for three years.
Tony Cornero's dream became a $10 million 1,065 room reality, charging just $6.00 a day. The resort featured the 105 feet (32 m) long Big Dipper swimming pool, a 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) lobby, a 16500 square feet (1,532.9 m²) casino, and a decor featuring rich red and deep brown colors and indirect lighting.
The Stardust also conveniently held Las Vegas Strip's only first run drive-in theatre in the rear of the resort.
The Stardust took over the closed Royal Nevada hotel-casino, remodeled the showroom, and converted it into a convention center and high-roller suite. From 1959 to 1964, this wing was occupied by the Stardust's "high roller" guests and The Stardust showgirls.
This Olympic size pool area was opened to the general public with the 1964 addition of the 9 story Stardust Tower that replaced half of the bungalow rooms.
In 1960, the resort added a new 4800 sq ft (445.9 m²) screen surface to its drive-in theatre. The same year, the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant was opened, complete with a Tiki Bar
, and a large stone Tiki head marking the entrance from the outside.
By 1961, Stardust's management included Credit Manager Hyman Goldbaum, a career criminal with seven known aliases, fourteen criminal convictions including an assault conviction, and a three year prison sentence for income tax evasion. Casino Manager and 5% owner Johnny Drew, was a veteran associate of Al Capone
and was once fined for running a crooked dice game at an Elks convention, and general manager Morris Kleinman had served three years for tax evasion.
In 1964, with the addition of the nine-story tower (later called the East Tower), the room count increased to 1,470. For the next 5 years The Stardust was the leader in rooms until 1969 when The International opened. In 1964 the landmark façade was updated, expanding out into the parking lot by the highway. The new façade raised the Stardust's name, still in electra-jag letters, onto a pole above the exploding universe.
From 1965 until 1970, the hotel operated the Stardust International Raceway
in Spring Valley
. The track drew the Can-Am and USAC Championship Car series, including drivers such as Mario Andretti
, Dan Gurney
, Bruce McLaren
, Mark Donohue
, and Jackie Stewart
.
In 1966, Howard Hughes
attempted to buy the Stardust for $30.5 million but was thwarted by government officials on the grounds that his acquisition of any more gambling resorts might violate the Sherman Antitrust Act
.
In November 1969, Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation purchased the Stardust for an undisclosed amount. The resort was bought by Argent Corporation
in 1974 using loans from the Teamsters
Central States Pension Fund. Argent was owned by Allen Glick, but the casino was believed to be controlled by various organized crime families from the Midwest.
In the 1970s Argent Corporation
had siphoned off between $7 and $15 million dollars using rigged scales. When exposed by the FBI, this skimming operation was the largest ever exposed. A number of organized crime figures were convicted as a result of the skimming. The story of the skimming was featured in the book Casino by Nicholas Pileggi
.
In 1977, the Stardust went through another remodeling. The bombastic galactic theme was abandoned, though the roadside sign remained, and the façade was covered with animated neon tubing and trimmed with mirrored finish facets. The new porte cochere sparkled with 1,000 small incandescent bulbs. The encrustation of bulbs turned solid mass into ethereal form.
In 1980, the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant closed. The giant stone Tiki head that marked the entrance was later moved to an island in an artificial lake at Sunset Park
in Winchester, Nevada.
After Argent Corporation was forced out of the gaming business in the late 1970s, the casino was sold to Al Sachs and Herb Tobman. However, the gaming authorities found that skimming was still going on. In 1984, the Nevada Gaming Commission
levied a $3 million fine against the resort for skimming
, the highest fine ever issued by the commission. Suspicions, accusations and controversy about the Stardust's hidden ownership over the years was finally squelched when Sam Boyd
's locally-based, squeaky-clean gaming company purchased the Stardust in March 1985.
The Stardust was a gold mine to the Chicago Outfit
, the skim being absolutely fabulous. When it was taken over by the reputable Boyd family, they were surprised by its huge profits, with every penny of income recorded. Ex-FBI agent William F. Roemer Jr., longtime senior agent of the FBI's organized-crime squad in Chicago and an expert in Las Vegas doings, said, "The amount of skim had been so heavy that the profit and loss statement did not present a true picture of the gold mine that the Stardust was."
In 1991, a 32-story West Tower was added to the resort, overshadowing the older East Tower and bringing the total room count to 1,500. Two landscaped swimming pools, a golf course, and athletic facilities were also built. The renovation project totaled $300 million. The bungalow rooms had been demolished, leaving the room count at 1,500.
At its peak size, the Stardust contained 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²) of gambling casino including 73 gaming tables, and 1,950 slot, keno and video poker machines. The conference center was 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²) and could accommodate meetings and banquets for groups of 25 to 2,000.
Lido de Paris was replaced in 1992 with Enter the Night, which closed in 1999.
Siegfried & Roy
got their Strip start at the Stardust with the help of mob associate Frank Rosenthal
after he gave them Allen Glick's Rolls Royce.
Wayne Newton
signed a ten-year deal, negotiated by Jack Wishna
, with the Stardust in 1999, for a reported $25 million per year, the largest entertainment contract in the Las Vegas region at the time. After five and half years, Newton ended his run in late April 2005, and George Carlin
moved into his theater. Magician Rick Thomas
premiered at the hotel on March 25, 2005.
In 2002, comedian Andrew Dice Clay
had a regular show at the Stardust.
During the Stardust Theater's last month of operation, legendary stars including George Carlin, Tim Conway
and Harvey Korman
gave performances; singer Lawrence Leritz
performed for the Ex-Playboy Bunny Reunion. The last act to perform in The Stardust Theater was Steve Lawrence
and Eydie Gorme
; the theater formally closed on October 28, 2006.
The casino hosted an annual international pool
tournament, the Jansco Brothers' Stardust Open, which attracted most of the top professional players of the era. For many years, its one-pocket division was the premier event in that discipline.
The Royal Nevada opened north of the New Frontier
on April 19, 1955, as the Showplace of Showtown, U.S.A. The resort's crowning glory was the crown which sat on top of the resort.
The night before the opening, 'atomic soldiers' were treated to a pre-opening party.
The Royal Nevada was plagued with financial problems from the start.
While this resort seemed to "disappear completely", swallowed in 1959 by the Stardust becoming the Stardust's Convention Center, portions of the two story bungalow style Royal Nevada wing and pool remained in use up until 2006.
) to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In
", and the hotel/casino complex closed after a 48 year run of continuous 24 hour operation. Outside, the loudspeakers were playing the John Lennon
song "Nobody Told Me
", which contains the line Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange days indeed.
At the time of its closing, the Stardust Showroom starred The Magic of Rick Thomas, the most successful daytime show in the Strip's history.
On Tuesday March 13, 2007 at 2:33 a.m. (Pacific Time
), the Stardust Resort was imploded
in a grand ceremony which included fireworks prior to the East and West Towers' tumble.
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
in Winchester, Nevada
Winchester, Nevada
Winchester is a census-designated place 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 Vegas. The population was 26,958 at the 2000 census. It is governed by the Clark County...
.
The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex (including the main 32-story tower) was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be demolished.
The Stardust officially closed at 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
) on November 1, 2006 after operating continuously for 48 years. It was imploded
Building implosion
In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings...
on March 13, 2007, around 2:33 A.M. In 2007, construction began on Echelon Place
Echelon Place
Echelon Place is a partially built hotel, casino, shopping, and convention complex on the Las Vegas Strip, owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation. Construction of the project has been suspended since August 1, 2008....
, which was planned to replace The Stardust. Construction on the Echelon development was suspended in 2008, and remains suspended as of November 2011.
Sign
The famed Stardust sign became a symbol of Las VegasLas Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. Young Electric Sign Company
Young Electric Sign Company
Young Electric Sign Company is a privately owned manufacturer of electric signs based in Salt Lake City. The company was founded by Thomas Young in 1920 and today has divisions and branches in 10 western states, as well as in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas...
was hired to fabricate the sign. Kermit Wayne's design was selected for both the façade and the roadside signs. Although Moe Dalitz
Moe Dalitz
Morris Barney "Moe" Dalitz was a Jewish American bootlegger, racketeer, casino owner and philanthropist who was one of the major figures who helped shape Las Vegas, Nevada in the 20th century. He was often referred to as Mr...
, who took over from original developer Tony Cornero upon his death, said it was from his original plans, the sign was really part of Cornero's original concept.
The Stardust sign gave visitors a panoramic view of the solar system. At the sign's center sat a 16 feet (4.9 m) diameter plastic model of the Earth. Cosmic rays of neon and electric light bulbs beamed from behind the model earth in all direction. Three-dimensional acrylic glass
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
planets spun alongside 20 scintillating neon starbursts. Across the universe was a jagged galaxy of electric lettering spelling out "Stardust". The sign utilized 7100 ft (2,164.1 m) of neon tubing with over 11,000 bulbs along its 216 ft (65.8 m) front. The "S" alone contained 975 lamps. At night the neon constellation was reportedly visible 60 miles (96.6 km) away.
In 1967, the old circular sign was replaced by a new $500,000 roadside sign. The new sign's form was blurred by a scatter of star shapes, a shower of stardust. At night, incorporating neon and incandescent bulbs in the animation sequence, light fell from the stars, sprinkling from the top of the 188 feet (57.3 m) tall sign down over the Stardust name.
In 1991, the Stardust sign's Googie
Googie architecture
Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture and the Space and Atomic Ages....
lettering was replaced with a subdued Futura typeface
Futura (typeface)
In typography, Futura is a geometric sans-serif typeface designed in 1927 by Paul Renner. It is based on geometric shapes that became representative visual elements of the Bauhaus design style of 1919–1933...
.
History
The resort was conceived and built by Tony Cornero, who died in 1955 before construction was completed. The resort was bought out and completed by John FactorJohn Factor
John Factor , born Iakov Faktorowicz and popularly known by the nickname "Jake the Barber", was a Prohibition-era gangster and con artist affiliated with the Chicago Outfit who later became a prominent businessman and Las Vegas casino proprietor...
(aka Jake the Barber), half-brother of cosmetics seller Max Factor, Sr.
Max Factor, Sr.
Max Factor , born Maksymilian Faktorowicz, was a successful Polish-Jewish businessman, cosmetician, chemist, wigmaker...
. John Factor leased the casino out to a company controlled by Moe Dalitz
Moe Dalitz
Morris Barney "Moe" Dalitz was a Jewish American bootlegger, racketeer, casino owner and philanthropist who was one of the major figures who helped shape Las Vegas, Nevada in the 20th century. He was often referred to as Mr...
. When the hotel opened, it had the largest casino in Nevada, the largest swimming pool in Nevada and the largest hotel in the Las Vegas area.
The Stardust opened at 12:00 noon on July 2, 1958. The attendees of the opening included governors, senators, city and county officials and Hollywood celebrities.
The entertainment registry started with the spectacular French production show Lido de Paris. Lido was conceived by Pierre-Louis Guerin and Rene Fraday, and staged by Donn Arden
Donn Arden
Donn Arden was an American choreographer and producer.- Biography :Born Arlyle Arden Peterson Arden to a railway executive and a housewife, he grew up in St...
.
The opening night lounge lineup offered, from dusk to dawn, Billy Daniels
Billy Daniels
William Boone Daniels , better known as Billy Daniels, was a singer active in the United States and Europe from the mid-1930s to 1988, notable for his hit recording of "That Old Black Magic" and his pioneering performances on early 1950s television.Daniels was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where...
, The Happy Jesters, The Vera Cruz Boys and the Jack Martin Quartet. Daniels became the first entertainer to sign a long-term residency contract in Metropolitan Las Vegas when he agreed to appear for 40 weeks per year for three years.
Tony Cornero's dream became a $10 million 1,065 room reality, charging just $6.00 a day. The resort featured the 105 feet (32 m) long Big Dipper swimming pool, a 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) lobby, a 16500 square feet (1,532.9 m²) casino, and a decor featuring rich red and deep brown colors and indirect lighting.
The Stardust also conveniently held Las Vegas Strip's only first run drive-in theatre in the rear of the resort.
The Stardust took over the closed Royal Nevada hotel-casino, remodeled the showroom, and converted it into a convention center and high-roller suite. From 1959 to 1964, this wing was occupied by the Stardust's "high roller" guests and The Stardust showgirls.
This Olympic size pool area was opened to the general public with the 1964 addition of the 9 story Stardust Tower that replaced half of the bungalow rooms.
In 1960, the resort added a new 4800 sq ft (445.9 m²) screen surface to its drive-in theatre. The same year, the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant was opened, complete with a Tiki Bar
Tiki culture
Tiki kitsch culture is a 20th-century theme used in Polynesian-style restaurants and clubs originally in the United States and then, to a lesser degree, around the world...
, and a large stone Tiki head marking the entrance from the outside.
By 1961, Stardust's management included Credit Manager Hyman Goldbaum, a career criminal with seven known aliases, fourteen criminal convictions including an assault conviction, and a three year prison sentence for income tax evasion. Casino Manager and 5% owner Johnny Drew, was a veteran associate of Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
and was once fined for running a crooked dice game at an Elks convention, and general manager Morris Kleinman had served three years for tax evasion.
In 1964, with the addition of the nine-story tower (later called the East Tower), the room count increased to 1,470. For the next 5 years The Stardust was the leader in rooms until 1969 when The International opened. In 1964 the landmark façade was updated, expanding out into the parking lot by the highway. The new façade raised the Stardust's name, still in electra-jag letters, onto a pole above the exploding universe.
From 1965 until 1970, the hotel operated the Stardust International Raceway
Stardust International Raceway
The Stardust International Raceway was an auto racing track in Spring Valley, near Las Vegas, Nevada. It featured a flat, , 13-turn road course, and a quarter-mile drag strip. It was built in 1965 by the Stardust Hotel and Casino to attract high rollers to the hotel. In 1966 it began hosting the...
in Spring Valley
Spring Valley, Nevada
Spring Valley is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States located two miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. The population was 117,390 at the 2000 census.-Background:...
. The track drew the Can-Am and USAC Championship Car series, including drivers such as Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
, Dan Gurney
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
, Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
, Mark Donohue
Mark Donohue
Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. , nicknamed "Captain Nice", was an American racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car as well as driving it to victories. Donohue is probably best known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30 and as the winner of the 1972...
, and Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
.
In 1966, Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
attempted to buy the Stardust for $30.5 million but was thwarted by government officials on the grounds that his acquisition of any more gambling resorts might violate the Sherman Antitrust Act
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act requires the United States federal government to investigate and pursue trusts, companies, and organizations suspected of violating the Act. It was the first Federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies, and today still forms the basis for most antitrust litigation by...
.
In November 1969, Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation purchased the Stardust for an undisclosed amount. The resort was bought by Argent Corporation
Argent Corporation
Argent Corporation was a company in Las Vegas that at one time controlled the Hacienda Hotel/Casino, the Stardust Resort & Casino, the Fremont Hotel and Casino and the casino in the Marina Hotel. The company was owned by Allen R. Glick, a San Diego real estate investor...
in 1974 using loans from the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
Central States Pension Fund. Argent was owned by Allen Glick, but the casino was believed to be controlled by various organized crime families from the Midwest.
In the 1970s Argent Corporation
Argent Corporation
Argent Corporation was a company in Las Vegas that at one time controlled the Hacienda Hotel/Casino, the Stardust Resort & Casino, the Fremont Hotel and Casino and the casino in the Marina Hotel. The company was owned by Allen R. Glick, a San Diego real estate investor...
had siphoned off between $7 and $15 million dollars using rigged scales. When exposed by the FBI, this skimming operation was the largest ever exposed. A number of organized crime figures were convicted as a result of the skimming. The story of the skimming was featured in the book Casino by Nicholas Pileggi
Nicholas Pileggi
Nicholas Pileggi is an Italian-American author and screenwriter.-Career:Pileggi is best known for writing the book Wiseguy, which he adapted into the movie Goodfellas, and for writing the book and screenplay Casino. The movie versions of both were co-written and directed by Martin Scorsese...
.
In 1977, the Stardust went through another remodeling. The bombastic galactic theme was abandoned, though the roadside sign remained, and the façade was covered with animated neon tubing and trimmed with mirrored finish facets. The new porte cochere sparkled with 1,000 small incandescent bulbs. The encrustation of bulbs turned solid mass into ethereal form.
In 1980, the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant closed. The giant stone Tiki head that marked the entrance was later moved to an island in an artificial lake at Sunset Park
Sunset Park, Las Vegas
Sunset Park, one of the largest parks in Las Vegas, is located near McCarran Airport in the southeast part of town. The park is bordered by Sunset Road on the north, Eastern Avenue on the west and Warm Springs Road on the south.-History:...
in Winchester, Nevada.
After Argent Corporation was forced out of the gaming business in the late 1970s, the casino was sold to Al Sachs and Herb Tobman. However, the gaming authorities found that skimming was still going on. In 1984, the Nevada Gaming Commission
Nevada Gaming Commission
The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. It was founded in 1959 by the Nevada Legislature....
levied a $3 million fine against the resort for skimming
Tax avoidance and tax evasion
Tax noncompliance describes a range of activities that are unfavorable to a state's tax system. These include tax avoidance, which refers to reducing taxes by legal means, and tax evasion which refers to the criminal non-payment of tax liabilities....
, the highest fine ever issued by the commission. Suspicions, accusations and controversy about the Stardust's hidden ownership over the years was finally squelched when Sam Boyd
Sam Boyd
Samuel A. "Sam" Boyd , was a businessman.Born in Enid, Oklahoma, he arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1941 with only $80 in his pocket. He was able to work his way up through the gaming industry by first working as a dealer, then as a pit boss, and as a shift supervisor.Eventually he saved enough...
's locally-based, squeaky-clean gaming company purchased the Stardust in March 1985.
The Stardust was a gold mine to the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
, the skim being absolutely fabulous. When it was taken over by the reputable Boyd family, they were surprised by its huge profits, with every penny of income recorded. Ex-FBI agent William F. Roemer Jr., longtime senior agent of the FBI's organized-crime squad in Chicago and an expert in Las Vegas doings, said, "The amount of skim had been so heavy that the profit and loss statement did not present a true picture of the gold mine that the Stardust was."
In 1991, a 32-story West Tower was added to the resort, overshadowing the older East Tower and bringing the total room count to 1,500. Two landscaped swimming pools, a golf course, and athletic facilities were also built. The renovation project totaled $300 million. The bungalow rooms had been demolished, leaving the room count at 1,500.
At its peak size, the Stardust contained 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²) of gambling casino including 73 gaming tables, and 1,950 slot, keno and video poker machines. The conference center was 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²) and could accommodate meetings and banquets for groups of 25 to 2,000.
Lido de Paris was replaced in 1992 with Enter the Night, which closed in 1999.
Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy are two German-American former entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers....
got their Strip start at the Stardust with the help of mob associate Frank Rosenthal
Frank Rosenthal
Frank Lawrence "Lefty" Rosenthal was a professional sports bettor, former Las Vegas casino executive and organized crime associate. The film Casino is loosely based on his life.-Early years:...
after he gave them Allen Glick's Rolls Royce.
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
signed a ten-year deal, negotiated by Jack Wishna
Jack Wishna
Jack Wishna is president and CEO of CPAmerica, a consulting firm for gambling, hotel and leisure organizations, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also a founder of Rockrena Inc. which launched rockcityclub.com, a Social Music Network,...
, with the Stardust in 1999, for a reported $25 million per year, the largest entertainment contract in the Las Vegas region at the time. After five and half years, Newton ended his run in late April 2005, and George Carlin
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
moved into his theater. Magician Rick Thomas
Rick Thomas
ST1TCH is American sampler for Mushroomhead and Ventana. It has been stated that Thomas was originally called "Stick", due to his slim build, but someone mistakenly called him Stitch and the name stuck. ST1TCH can be identified by his pair of wire "headphones" and stitched forehead...
premiered at the hotel on March 25, 2005.
In 2002, comedian Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...
had a regular show at the Stardust.
During the Stardust Theater's last month of operation, legendary stars including George Carlin, Tim Conway
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt...
and Harvey Korman
Harvey Korman
Harvey Herschel Korman was an American comedic actor who performed in television and movie productions beginning in 1960...
gave performances; singer Lawrence Leritz
Lawrence Leritz
Lawrence Leritz is an American dancer, singer, actor, producer, fitness expert and choreographer.-Life and career:...
performed for the Ex-Playboy Bunny Reunion. The last act to perform in The Stardust Theater was Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence is an American singer and actor, perhaps best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as "Steve and Eydie"...
and Eydie Gorme
Eydie Gormé
Eydie Gormé is an American singer, specializing, with her husband, Steve Lawrence, in traditional pop music, in the form of ballads and breezy swing. She has earned numerous awards, including the Grammy and the Emmy...
; the theater formally closed on October 28, 2006.
The casino hosted an annual international pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
tournament, the Jansco Brothers' Stardust Open, which attracted most of the top professional players of the era. For many years, its one-pocket division was the premier event in that discipline.
Royal Nevada
The Royal Nevada was the previous hotel on part of the Stardust site.The Royal Nevada opened north of the New Frontier
New Frontier Hotel and Casino
The New Frontier was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip that had operated continuously since October 30, 1942. Actually located within the unincorporated suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA, it was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip. The Frontier closed its doors for...
on April 19, 1955, as the Showplace of Showtown, U.S.A. The resort's crowning glory was the crown which sat on top of the resort.
The night before the opening, 'atomic soldiers' were treated to a pre-opening party.
The Royal Nevada was plagued with financial problems from the start.
While this resort seemed to "disappear completely", swallowed in 1959 by the Stardust becoming the Stardust's Convention Center, portions of the two story bungalow style Royal Nevada wing and pool remained in use up until 2006.
Final day
The Stardust permanently closed its doors to the public on November 1, 2006. The last dice thrown at a Stardust craps table was by tourist Jimmy Kumihiro of Hawaii. Slot machine betting was officially halted at 7:30 a.m. Just before the casino was officially closed at noon, the Bobbie Howard Band led the customers out the doors for the last time (in a conga lineConga Line
The conga line is a Cuban carnival march that was first developed in Cuba and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead of the fourth beat...
) to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In
When the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as "The Saints", is an American gospel hymn that has taken on certain aspects of folk music. The precise origins of the song are not known. Though it originated as a spiritual, today people are more likely to hear it played by a jazz band...
", and the hotel/casino complex closed after a 48 year run of continuous 24 hour operation. Outside, the loudspeakers were playing the John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
song "Nobody Told Me
Nobody Told Me
"Nobody Told Me" is a song by the British musician John Lennon. Recorded shortly before his death in 1980, the song was later completed by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1983 and released as the first single from Lennon and Ono's album Milk and Honey in 1984. The song was later released in the UK in...
", which contains the line Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange days indeed.
At the time of its closing, the Stardust Showroom starred The Magic of Rick Thomas, the most successful daytime show in the Strip's history.
Implosion
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
), the Stardust Resort was imploded
Building implosion
In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings...
in a grand ceremony which included fireworks prior to the East and West Towers' tumble.
Attractions
Convention Center- Car rental—onsite
- Dining—9 places to choose from
- Fitness Center
- Pavilion/Exhibit Center—40500 square feet (3,762.6 m²)
- Race and sports book
- Shopping
- Spa
- Swimming pools
- Wedding chapel
In literature
- The book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, written by Nicholas PileggiNicholas PileggiNicholas Pileggi is an Italian-American author and screenwriter.-Career:Pileggi is best known for writing the book Wiseguy, which he adapted into the movie Goodfellas, and for writing the book and screenplay Casino. The movie versions of both were co-written and directed by Martin Scorsese...
and Larry Shandling, chronicles the days when The Stardust Hotel and Casino - and two other casinos from the area - were run by professional gambler and bookie, Frank 'Lefty' RosenthalFrank RosenthalFrank Lawrence "Lefty" Rosenthal was a professional sports bettor, former Las Vegas casino executive and organized crime associate. The film Casino is loosely based on his life.-Early years:...
and a soldierSoldierA soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
in the Chicago OutfitChicago OutfitThe Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
named Anthony 'The Ant' SpilotroAnthony SpilotroAnthony "The Ant" Spilotro was an Italian-American mobster and enforcer for the Chicago Outfit in Las Vegas during the 1970s and 1980s. His job was to protect and oversee the Outfit's illegal casino profits...
, on behalf of the Chicago and Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
during the 1970s and early 1980s. Rosenthal was denied a gaming license in 1981 and placed in the Nevada Gaming Control Board's black bookBlack Book (gaming)"Black Book" is the nickname frequently used to refer to a list of persons who are unwelcome in casinos. The name comes from the fact that the persons listed in the "book" are essentially "blacklisted"...
by the early 1990s. Spilotro and his brother, while under federal indictment, were found beaten to death in an isolated corn field in rural IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. - The book The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers and the Death of Their Las Vegas, by Chad Millman, chronicled a year in the lives of Stardust race & sports book manager Joe Lupo and assistant manager Bob Scucci, as well as professional sports bettor Alan BostonAlan BostonAlan "Boston" Dvorkis is an online poker professional playing predominantly at Full Tilt Poker. He is a specialist at Seven-card stud. He has over a decade of experience at the WSOP, where he has achieved many money finishes, including a runner-up finish in a Seven-card stud event. Boston is also...
and wannabe sports bettor Rodney Bosnich. The Stardust was chosen due to its status at the time as the "home of the opening line". - The book, The Stardust of Yesterday: Reflections on a Las Vegas Legend written by Heidi Knapp Rinella, edited by Mike Weatherford and foreword by Siegfried and Roy, is a complete history of the hotel and casino. Rinella and Weatherford are both staff writers for the Las Vegas Review-JournalLas Vegas Review-JournalThe Las Vegas Review-Journal is published in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, and one of two daily newspapers in Las Vegas . It is the flagship publication of Stephens Media LLC...
. In the book, Siegfried & RoySiegfried & RoySiegfried & Roy are two German-American former entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers....
, who debuted at the Stardust in the 1970s, tell of their many memories.
Onscreen
- The AflacAflacAflac Incorporated is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States, founded in 1955 and based in Columbus, Georgia. In the United States, Aflac underwrites a wide range of insurance policies, but is perhaps more known for its payroll deduction insurance coverage, which pays...
television commercial was shown from 2003, when Wayne NewtonWayne NewtonWayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
was singing there. - The large neon sign can be seen in the film Austin PowersAustin Powers (film series)The Austin Powers series is a series of action-comedy films written by and starring Mike Myers as the title character, directed by Jay Roach and distributed by New Line Cinema...
- In CasinoCasino (film)Casino is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese...
(1995), Martin ScorseseMartin ScorseseMartin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's film adaptation of Pileggi's book, Sam "Ace" Rothstein (portrayed by Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
) was largely based on Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal and Nicholas "Nicky" Santoro (portrayed by Joe PesciJoe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
) was based on Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro. The casino's name was changed for legal purposes, from the Stardust to the "Tangiers Hotel and Casino", and the site was portrayed as being across the street from the Dunes, several blocks away from the actual site of the Stardust. However, snippets of the Hoagy CarmichaelHoagy CarmichaelHoward Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
song, StardustStardust (song)"Stardust" is an American popular song composed in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics added in 1929 by Mitchell Parish. Originally titled "Star Dust", Carmichael first recorded the song at the Gennett Records studio in Richmond, Indiana...
, can be heard on the soundtrack, giving a subtle hint as to the casino's true identity. - The sign is seen in several scenes in the movie Fear and Loathing in Las VegasFear and Loathing in Las Vegas (film)Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a 1998 American drama film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo. It was adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel of the same name....
- The sign can be seen in the movie Mars Attacks!Mars Attacks!Mars Attacks! is a 1996 American science fiction film directed by Tim Burton and based on the cult trading card series of the same name. The film uses elements of black comedy, surreal humour, and political satire, and claims to be also a parody of multiple science fiction B movies...
, wherein it is damaged by the Martians. - In 1994, the movie Saved By The Bell: Wedding In Las VegasSaved by the Bell: Wedding in Las VegasSaved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas is the series finale for the original Saved by the Bell series. It was presented as a two hour television movie that originally aired on NBC in 1994. When aired in syndication, it is commonly split into two double length episodes...
was filmed at the Stardust Resort and Casino. - The film ShowgirlsShowgirlsShowgirls is a 1995 American drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon...
was partly filmed on location and set in the Stardust Resort and Casino. The films revolves around the battles to be the top Stardust showgirl. - The film SwingersSwingers (1996 film)Swingers is a 1996 comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival...
(1996) had scenes set in the Stardust Resort and Casino. Exterior shots were the actual Stardust, but interior casino scenes were shot at the Fremont Hotel and CasinoFremont Hotel and CasinoThe Fremont Hotel & Casino is located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, on the Fremont Street Experience. The casino is operated by the Boyd Gaming Corporation.-History:...
.
External links
- Original circular Stardust sign as seen in a vintage postcard
- Stardust Hotel photos at Xah's Las Vegas
- Footage of the interior of the Stardust, before its closing: 1 2 3
- Stardust Implosion Video