El Cortez
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| El Cortez | |
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| Facts and statistics | |
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| Address | 600 East Fremont Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 |
| Opening date | 1941 |
| Previous names | none |
| Casino type | Land-Based |
| Theme | Ranch |
| Owner | Jackie Gaughan |
| No. of rooms | 299 |
| Total gaming space | 45,000 Sq. Ft. |
| Notable restaurants | Careful Kitty's Cafe Roberta's Steakhouse |
| Years renovated | 1963, 1980, 2006 |
| Website | www.elcortezhotelcasino.com |
The El Cortez, a hotel and casino is a relatively small downtown Las Vegas gaming venue a block from the Fremont Street Experience and Las Vegas Boulevard. The official marketing slogan has been "Where locals come to play" since the El Cortez has traditionally attracted Las Vegas residents weary of large casinos geared towards tourists. Slots, table games and a race and sports book occupy one floor of the main pavilion. It is one of the oldest casino-hotel properties in Las Vegas having continuously operated at the same Fremont Street location since 1941.
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[edit] History
Marion Hicks and J.C. Grayson built the El Cortez, downtown Las Vegas first major resort, in 1941 for $245,000.[1] The location at 6th Street and Fremont was originally considered too far from downtown, but it became quickly so profitable, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Gus Greenbaum and Moe Sedway bought the property in 1945.[2] J.K. Houssels had originally opened the fifty-nine room hotel and casino before the sale to the major organized crime figures. In 1963, a major hotel tower was built by new owner Jackie Gaughan. Another tower addition was completed in 1980, bringing the total room count to its current 299.[3] Gaughan, a casino owner and operator since the early 1950s, lives in the El Cortez tower penthouse and is known to be on the casino floor almost daily.[4]The property is one of the few casinos to have never changed its exterior facade in Las Vegas, retaining the same signage and ranch themed architecture for over sixty years.[5]
[edit] Current operation
Jackie Gaughans son Michael Gaughan owns the sports and race book in the current casino under the name South Point Race and Sports Book, which is run in other downtown casinos as well. Like most Las Vegas casinos, the El Cortez has undergone several renovations with the latest major remodeling completed in 2006. New carpet, marble flooring, gaming machines, refurbished guest rooms and an upgraded kitchen for the Chinese restaurant were added.[6] Although only a block away from the Fremont Street Experience, the hotel is part of the newly created Fremont East section of downtown. It has also created a main entrance off Las Vegas Boulevard (5th Street) by opening a block long pedestrian walkway from the boulevard to the hotel's main entrance on 6th Street. The El Cortez is also well known in the casino industry as the most prominent "break-in house" for new table game dealers to get experience before moving onto bigger properties.
[edit] Photo gallery
 The same sign has been atop the casino since the 1940s |
 El Cortez lights up Fremont East |
 Tower makes the room count exceed 300 |
 The Spanish Ranch theme dominates the exterior |
 Floor shows were once part of the casino. |
 Hotel lobby entrance |
 Hotel room with its "ranch" style theme |
 View of Fremont East from El Cortez. |
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas Then and Now. Thunder Bay Press. San Diego, California: 2005. p.56
- ^ Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas Then and Now. Thunder Bay Press. San Diego, California: 2005. p. 56
- ^ Las Vegas Hotels / Casinos: Time Line UNLV Libraries
- ^ EL Cortez History
- ^ Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas Then and Now. Thunder Bay Press. San Diego, California: 2005. p.56
- ^ City refurbishing rundown area to become hub of nightlife in valley, Las Vegas Business Press dated February 28, 2006
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