Castaways
The Castaways was a Las Vegas hotel and casino that operated from 1963 to 1987 on the Las Vegas Strip.
Before the Castaways, the land on which it existed went through many properties and changes, starting in 1931 with the Red Rooster Nite Club. The original structure was destroyed by a fire in 1933, and was rebuilt. In 1942, the San Souci Auto Court was built next to the Red Rooster, which would experience many changes before it was absorbed by the now Sans Souci Hotel, Inc., which in October 1957 would open the Sans Souci Hotel. In 1963, the property finally became the Castaways Hotel & Casino. The Castaways would experience financial trouble, and at one point, it was sold and renamed Oliver's New Castaways Casino.
In 1969 or 1970, the Castaways was sold to billionaire Howard Hughes for $3 million as part of his famous spending spree of buying up Las Vegas properties. The resort would continue to operate until July 1987 when it closed its doors for good.
The Castaways was purchased in 1987 by Steve Wynn, who had big plans to build a new resort to take its place. Originally intended to be named the Golden Nugget on the Strip, the Mirage opened on November 22, 1989 on the Castaways' former grounds, and a few years later, Treasure Island Hotel and Casino would open on what was the Mirage's parking lot and other undeveloped land.