El Cortez (Las Vegas)
El Cortez | |
---|---|
Location | Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 |
Address | 600 East Fremont Street |
Opening date | November 7, 1941 |
Theme | Western |
No. of rooms | 364 |
Total gaming space | 41,842 sq ft (3,887.2 m2)[1] |
Notable restaurants | Siegel's 1941 |
Casino type | Land |
Owner | Kenny Epstein |
Renovated in | 1952, 1963, 1980, 2006, 2009, 2019 |
Website | www.elcortezhotelcasino.com |
El Cortez | |
Spanish Colonial Revival | |
Visitation | 3 million (2016) |
NRHP reference No. | 13000010 |
Added to NRHP | 2013 |
El Cortez, a
History
Marion Hicks and J.C. Grayson built El Cortez, downtown Las Vegas' first major resort, for $245,000.
John Kell (J. Kell) Houssels Sr. (1895–1979) had originally opened the 59-room hotel and casino before the sale to the major organized crime figures. Houssels purchased the hotel back from Siegel's group in 1946 for $766,000. In 1963, the Pavilion Rooms were added after the hotel was purchased by Jackie Gaughan. Another 15-story tower addition was completed in 1980. The 64-room Cabana Suites were completed in the former Ogden House in 2009, bringing the total room count to its current 364.[10] Gaughan, a casino owner and operator since the early 1950s, lived in El Cortez's tower penthouse and was known to be on the casino floor almost daily.[11] The property is one of the few casinos to have never changed its exterior façade in Las Vegas, retaining the same signage and ranch-themed architecture for over seventy years.[4][12][13]
Current operation
Jackie Gaughan's son
In 2008, Jackie Gaughan sold El Cortez and its properties to Kenny Epstein.[15] Over the next decade, Epstein and his business partners put more than $50 million of renovations into the property.[16] Gaughan continued to live at the casino and still played poker in the poker room until his death on March 12, 2014.
As of 2013, it was the oldest continuously operating casino in Las Vegas.[17] In March 2019, El Cortez was closed by police for several hours following a shooting.[18][19]
In 2018, renovation work took place on 73 rooms located on the first five floors of the hotel tower.[16] Additional hotel remodeling was underway in 2019.[16][20] El Cortez includes a restaurant, Siegel's 1941, which features memorabilia from Siegel.[16] In 2021, as part of a $25M renovation project, the El Cortez opened up a high-limit room.[21] Effective April 1, 2022, El Cortez became a 21-and-over property, prohibiting minors from all areas including the hotel and restaurants.[22] The property's general manager said the change "comes after careful consideration and decades of trying to accommodate minors in a property that is focused primarily on gaming and popular casino bars".[23][24]
Photo gallery
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The same sign has been atop the casino since the 1940s
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Close-up of the sign
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The Spanish Ranch theme dominates the exterior
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Las Vegas Blvd frontage was created with a palm tree lined walkway
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Hotel tower
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View ofFremont Eastfrom El Cortez.
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View of the iconic El Cortez sign at dusk
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Exterior view of the Cabana Suites at El Cortez
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Exterior view of the Tower at El Cortez
See also
References
- ^ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage (2017 data)". Nevada Gaming Control Board. March 6, 2018. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ Ron Sylvester, El Cortez joins National Register of Historic Places, Las Vegas Sun, February 25, 2013, accessed February 26, 2013.
- ^ Weekly List for February 22, 2013, National Park Service, February 22, 2013, accessed February 26, 2013.
- ^ a b Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas Then and Now. Thunder Bay Press. San Diego, California: 2005. p.56
- ^ Jones, Jay (November 9, 2016). "El Cortez in Las Vegas turns 75. (Makes 50-year-old Caesars seem young)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ "El Cortez Fun Facts". El Cortez Hotel & Casino. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas Then and Now. Thunder Bay Press. San Diego, California: 2005. p. 56
- ^ "Bugsy Siegel opens Flamingo Hotel". A&E Television Networks. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ Marda Liggett Woodbury (1998), Stopping the Presses: The Murder of Walter W. Liggett, University of Minnesota Press. Page 219.
- ^ Las Vegas Hotels / Casinos: Time Line Archived 2006-09-01 at the Wayback Machine UNLV Libraries
- ^ "EL Cortez History". Archived from the original on 2006-12-07. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
- ^ "El Cortez Hotel-Casino". The Online Nevada Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ Caitlin McGarry (November 5, 2011). "El Cortez mixes retro with modern in marking 70th year". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
- ^ at City refurbishing rundown area to become hub of nightlife in valley. Archived from the original on May 7, 2006. Las Vegas Business Press. February 28, 2006
- ^ Long Gaughan [1] El Cortez owner sells stake in downtown casino, Las Vegas Review-Journal dated May 8, 2008
- ^ a b c d Horwath, Bryan (May 28, 2019). "Spruced-up El Cortez will keep old-time charm, owner says". VegasInc. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ Spillman, Benjamin (February 26, 2013). "Las Vegas' El Cortez hotel-casino listed as national historic site". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ Torres-Cortez, Ricardo (March 17, 2019). "4 injured in shooting at downtown Las Vegas casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ Newberg, Katelyn (March 17, 2019). "El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas reopens after early morning shooting". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ Przybys, John (March 24, 2019). "El Cortez owner witnesses evolution of Las Vegas firsthand". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ "It's all new again at El Cortez in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Magazine. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ^ Martinez, Lauren (2022-04-02). "El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas welcomes 21 and over crowd to property". Fox 5 Vegas. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ Velotta, Richard N. (March 16, 2022). "El Cortez transitioning to 21 and over-only property". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ^ Cruz, Martha (March 16, 2022). "El Cortez Hotel & Casino announces two-phase plan to become adult-only property". KSNV. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
External links