Riviera (hotel and casino)
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| Riviera 2901 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, NV 89109 |
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| Number of rooms | 2,100 |
| Theme | |
| Gaming space | 110,000 ft? (9,000 m?) |
| Permanent show(s) | An Evening at La Cage Crazy Girls Splash |
| Signature attraction(s) | |
| Notable restaurant(s) | Ristorante Italiano |
| Owner | Riviera Holdings Corporation |
| Date opened | April 20, 1955 |
| Casino type | Land-Based |
| Major renovation(s) | |
| Previous name(s) | |
| Casino website | Riviera Hotel and Casino |
The Riviera, or "The Riv," is located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The hotel has over 2,100 rooms, many located in a 23 story tower. The casino has over 110,000 square feet (9,000 m?) of space. The hotel is owned and operated by Riviera Holdings Corporation.
History
The Riviera opened on April 20, 1955 as the first high-rise and the ninth resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The Riv is one of the oldest and most famous casino resorts in Las Vegas. The Riviera also broke new ground in its design: previously, Strip resorts resembled roadside motor courts.
The Riviera was built by a group of investors from Miami. The resort has gone through many ownership changes over the years, including a period of control by owners linked to the Mafia (as was the case for many Vegas resorts in the 1960s and 1970s). Harpo Marx and Gummo Marx held minority interests at the opening, and Dean Martin once held a minority ownership stake while he was a headliner in the showroom.
Liberace was the featured headliner at the resort's opening and for many years afterward.
Shows
The resort has three long-running shows:
- An Evening at La Cage, featuring female impersonators which include Frank Marino and his impersonation of Joan Rivers;
- Splash, a traditional Las Vegas revue;
- Crazy Girls, a topless show. The performers for Crazy Girls are immortalized with a bronze sculpture at the front of the casino. The thong-clad buttocks of the performers have been worn to a shine by passers-by rubbing them.
Movie history
- Ocean's Eleven - 1960 Version
- Casino
- Go
See also
- Leroy's Horse & Sports Place which operates the sports book at this casino.