The Sahara In Las Vegas Closes Its Doors

It was a favorite hang out for the Rat Pack. Elvis stayed there while filming “Viva Las Vegas,” and it was an iconic image on the Las Vegas Strip. But today, the Sahara hotel checked out it’s final guests and will be closing it’s doors after almost 60 years. So what happened to this iconic Las Vegas resort?

It’s owners, SBE Entertainment, crunched the numbers and came to the sad conclusion that the resort gambling business was no longer economically viable on the north side of the Las Vegas Strip. With newer and larger resorts moving south down Las Vegas’ main drag, many resort projects have failed and it looks that the Sahara has joined them. In the past few years, it has had difficulty getting A-list celebrities and lounge acts to bring in the crowds. And in the end, it was relegated to round the clock $1 blackjack.

But with the Sahara’s location, it’s unclear if there will be a new resort built in it’s place. The Sahara will likely join the Stardust, Landmark and other vintage Las Vegas Resorts which have been demolished in newsworthy events that have become almost a Las Vegas show in it’s own right.

“Las Vegas blows up it’s history,” said Michael Green, professor of the College of Southern Nevada, “but only part of it.”

Hat Tip – Yahoo News