Dunes (Demolished)
Las Vegas, NV Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
Check out the neon for the Dunes Hotel and the Oasis palm tree
sign. It was a shame to see this roadside and Vegas classic go.
Stardust (Demolished)
Las Vegas, NV Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
(Right) This view taken of the main marquee for the Stardust Casino features the old 70's lettering. This huge marquee still lights up the
street alongside Las Vegas Blvd.
Stardust Marquee Photo courtesy Chris King
UPDATE 08/06 : (Left) Here's a shot of the Stardust marquee as it presently stands. The Stardust opened in 1958 and changed the lettering on the sign later, though the sign design itself was largely left untouched. The Stardust will be closing and torn down sometime in 2007 for a new Boyd mega-resort called Echelon Place. 08-06
UPDATE 03/07 : Old Vegas has lost another treasure. Like the Dunes, Sands, Desert Inn, and even the recent Boardwalk and Bourbon Street, the Stardust evokes memories of showgirls, high rollers, and Rat Pack type of entertainment. Sadly, the Stardust is now no more, gone like a sweater in a puddle. 03-07
Stardust interior and parking area Photos courtesy Chris King
According to a source at the Stardust, the "mushroom cloud" marquee is going to be relocated into one of the 3 new towers that will replace the Stardust. Also, the height of the sign is 15 stories tall.
The Frontier, Sahara, and the Riviera are also coming down within the next 3 years for similar projects.
The Riviera
Las Vegas, NV Photo courtesy Chris King
According to the source, while the old casinos are still "cash cows", the property they sit on is so valuable that investors are lining up to build bigger and fancier projects just to keep up with the other resorts south along the strip. Here's the neon at The Riviera with its glowing neon still on the Strip. Many thanks to Chris King for update. 08-06
Main tower of the Stardust Photo courtesy Chris King
Interior shot Photo courtesy Chris King
One of the casino entrances Photo courtesy Chris King