Sahara (hotel and casino)
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| Sahara Hotel and Casino 2535 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, NV 89109 |
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| Number of rooms | 1,720 |
| Theme | Moroccan |
| Gaming space | 85,000ft? (7,896 m?) |
| Permanent show(s) | The Platters, The Coasters & The Drifters The Amazing Johnathan Buck Wild |
| Signature attraction(s) | SPEED |
| Notable restaurant(s) | House of Lords |
| Owner | Bill Bennett Family Trust |
| Date opened | October 7, 1952 |
| Casino type | Land-Resort |
| Major renovation(s) |
1960 1963 1996 |
| Previous name(s) | Club Bingo |
| Casino website | Sahara Website |
The Sahara Hotel and Casino is located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Moroccan-themed hotel has 1,720 rooms and a casino covering more than 85,000 square feet (7,896 m?), and sits on 43 acres (174,000 m?). The hotel is the northernmost stop for the Las Vegas Monorail. The Sahara is the last remaining "Rat Pack" hotel, and is the northernmost resort on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip. The porte cochere entrance is designed to set the Moroccan theme for arriving guests.
History
The hotel opened in 1952 just outside of the City of Las Vegas, and was the sixth resort to open on the Strip.
In late 1954, the hotel hired jazz musician Louis Prima to be their late night lounge act, one of the earliest ones on the Las Vegas Strip. Along with his then wife Keely Smith and sax player Sam Butera, they created one of the hottest latenight attractions on the Strip.
In 1961, the hotel was purchased by Del Webb.
A 24-story tower was added in 1963.
The resort was the site of the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for many years, mostly in the 1970s, and for a brief time in the 1990s.
Ownership changed in 1995. Bill Bennett owned the hotel until his death on December 22, 2002. The property has since been owned by the Bill Bennett Family Trust. (Note: This is not the Bill Bennett who was a former United States Secretary of Education.)
The 26-story tower addition was added in 1996 and a new porte cochere was added by the relocated pool.
In 1999 further renovations added a roller coaster and the NASCAR restaurant. The roller coaster, called "Speed," shoots riders from the hotel outside along the Las Vegas Strip, where it loops through the grandoise Sahara sign in front of the hotel, goes straight up, stops and then takes a return trip backwards. Pedestrians along the Strip can walk right next to the roller coaster as it goes along the track.
Movie history
- Ocean's Eleven 1960