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2440 S Boulder Hwy
Henderson, Nevada 89011 MAP
Type: Land Based
Status: Closed
Open: 1979, Close: 1986
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(Wikipedia) Old Vegas was an amusement park at 2440 South Boulder Highway in Henderson, Nevada, located in the Las Vegas Valley. The park's theme was American Old Western, modeled after 1850s Las Vegas. The site included various amusement rides and a replica of Las Vegas' Old Mormon Fort, which contained the Hondo Casino. As of 1979, the casino accounted for half of Old Vegas. The park also featured several relocated buildings from the former El Rancho Vegas hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The Eureka Locomotive was also on display at the park during the 1980s. Old Vegas was developed as a sister property to Old Tucson, a similar theme park in Arizona.
Old Vegas was approved by the Henderson City Council in January 1975, and construction was underway in 1977. Old Vegas opened the first of two phases in November 1978, with more than 100 employees. The park briefly closed for alterations during 1979, following its sale to television producer Burt Sugarman and Mexican industrialist Gabriel Alarcon Jr. Sugarman and Alarcon reopened the park under the name Westworld, although the park reverted to its original name later that year. Sugarman and Alarcon applied for a gaming license to continue operating Old Vegas' casino, although Alarcon was denied a license because of state investigators' inability to adequately trace the source of his money.
Construction of a second phase began in July 1980, and was completed later that year. The park closed in 1986 for remodeling, but was never reopened. During the 1990s, there were plans to add three hotel-casinos on the site, but none materialized. Old Vegas was demolished in 1997, and a 631-unit housing subdivision, also named Old Vegas, was approved for the land in 2001. |
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CG067213
Added: 2012-03-11
Last Update: 2012-03-11
Contributed by: Lyle Okata
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