New Frontier Hotel and Casino
| The New Frontier Hotel and Casino 3120 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, NV 89109 |
|
|---|---|
| Number of rooms | 986 |
| Theme | Western |
| Gaming space | 100,000 ft? (9,290 m?) |
| Permanent show(s) | none |
| Signature attraction(s) | Gilley's Mechanical Bull |
| Notable restaurant(s) | Gilley's Margarita's Cantina Phils' Steakhouse |
| Owner | Phil Ruffin |
| Date opened | October 30, 1942 |
| Casino type | Land-Based |
| Major renovation(s) | 1999 Atrium Tower |
| Previous name(s) | Last Frontier The Frontier |
| Casino website | The New Frontier Website |
The New Frontier is a Las Vegas, Nevada resort that has been operating continually since October 30, 1942. It was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip.
History
The property started as a nightclub called "Pair O?Dice" that opened in 1930. It was subsequently rebuilt and renamed the "Hotel Last Frontier" in 1942. On April 4, 1955, it was renamed the "New Frontier," following a modernization of the resort.
On September 22, 1967, the resort was purchased for about $14 million by the billionaire Howard Hughes, who then shortened its name to "The Frontier". Mr. Hughes purchased the resort from the previous owners, which had also included Steve Wynn in one of his early ventures when he first moved to Las Vegas. In 1999, the name was changed back to The New Frontier.
The resort has the distinction of hosting Elvis Presley's first Vegas appearance in 1956, and the final performance of Diana Ross & The Supremes on January 14, 1970.
Bilionaire developer Phil Ruffin bought the resort in 1998 from embattled owner Margaret Elardi and her two sons. In 2000, Ruffin announced plans to raze the current facility and replace it with a megaresort with a San Francisco theme, but high interest rates and the attacks of September 11, 2001 scuttled those plans. In March 2005, with Las Vegas' fortunes on the rise, Ruffin announced new plans to demolish the current facility and replace it with a new resort with 3,000 rooms. [1] With massive new development taking place on the Strip adjacent to the hotel, the not-so-New Frontier's days are almost certainly numbered.
Donald Trump, in partnership with Ruffin, is building a high-rise luxury hotel-condominium on some of its property, to be named the Trump International Hotel & Tower.
Since part of the old building still exists, some call the New Frontier the oldest remaining Strip hotel and casino.
The longest strike
From September 21, 1991 until February 1, 1998 members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las Vegas staged a strike against the New Frontier and the Elardis. A settlement was reached on October 28, 1997 when Ruffin announced he would purchase the New Frontier from the Elardis for $165 million dollars. The strike ended when Ruffin officially took possession.
According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun, the following events occurred during the strike:
- 17 CWU Local 226 strikers died.
- 106 babies were born to CWU member mothers who have walked the picket.
- Las Vegas has witnessed the closure and implosion of the Dunes, Landmark, Sands and Hacienda hotels.
- More than 21,340 hotel rooms were constructed in Las Vegas.
- Construction on an additional 19,000 rooms and suites was started.
- 235 of the original 550 strikers had walked the line in shifts manned 24 hours a day.