Dunes (hotel and casino)

The Dunes in 1983

The Dunes Hotel was a Las Vegas, Nevada hotel/casino that operated from May 23, 1955 to January 26, 1993, and was the tenth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The Bellagio now stands on the former grounds.

History

In its early years, the Dunes was known for the 35-foot tall sultan that stood above its main entrance. Although it opened to much fanfare, it struggled from the start; one of the reasons possibly being it was located at what was the southernmost part of the Strip at the time. The hotel frequently had to borrow money, and even the Sands Hotel lent its executives to help out, as well as bringing in numerous famous celebrities and entertainers such as actor/singer Frank Sinatra’s surprise appearance dressed as a sultan. In 1957, in a desperate move to keep the resort afloat, the Dunes became the first hotel/casino in Nevada to offer a topless show, called Minsky’s Follies.

On November 17, 1992, it was sold for the last time to developer Steve Wynn's company, Mirage Resorts, Inc. On January 26, 1993, the Dunes closed its doors for good. Like some of the other legendary hotel/casinos of its era, it could no longer compete with the newer and more exciting mega-resorts that were being built.

On October 27, 1993, the Dunes was imploded in a grand ceremony that involved major fireworks displays and the use of several “cannon blasts” from the pirate ship of Treasure Island hotel and casino. The cannon blasts simulated the effect of the ship’s cannons being responsible for the destruction of the Dunes. Everything, including its legendary neon sign, was destroyed. The implosion also served as a very symbolic effect for the city. Many longtime residents knew the Dunes was controlled by the mafia, having been first built with money from it and the Teamsters’ pension fund, and the implosion signaled the end of significant mafia control and influence in Las Vegas.

In 1998, the Bellagio opened on the former site of the Dunes.