Vegas Babeee!

 

My first visit to Vegas was in the fall of 1969. I had just graduated from High School and had spent the summer working as a bell boy in a hotel. My tips were able to  pay for a trip to Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.  

 

 

 

In Vegas, Elvis had just completed the first of his huge five year run of shows in Vegas. Howard Hughes was in the third year of his stay at the Desert Inn. He moved in to the hotel in 1966, after taking and entire floor for a year, they asked him to leave; instead he bought the place. He bought up other hotels, such as the Castaways, New Frontier, Landmark, Sands and the Silver Slipper which he bought because the landmark silver slipper neon sign was visible from his room and kept him awake at night. 

Frank, Dean and Sammy were in the tabloids for smoozing with the mob.

My second visit was in 1974 on Road Trip 1. Nonie and I stayed at the Tropicana Hotel home of the famed American version of the Folies Bergere and the beginning of the show girl legends of Vegas.   Elvis was still knocking them dead and Nonie and I got tickets for Vikki Carr, unable to afford Frank, Dean or Sammy who were still denying that they knew anyone connected with the mob.    

Flash forward 40 years and we’re baaaack. Elvis, Frank, Dean and Sammy are dead and we can hardly recognize the names of much of the talent appearing at the Casinos. 

The strip is longer, bigger and brighter but underlying all the glitz, it is still the same place we visited 40 years ago all be it with volcanoes, pirate ships, dancing waters, pyramids.......

and the Fremont Experience, the biggest beer ad in the world.  






 

In 1974 we spent around $30 to see Vikki Carr which included 2 free drinks; 40 years later we spent close to $120 to see Vegas, The Show, drinks extra.  The show was a montage of different acts that played Vegas from its early days to the 80’s. An Elton John impersonator closed the show.  So Eighties!

Couldn't afford the Tropicana this trip so had to make do with a visit to the old Neon sign that was out front in 1974 and can now be seen in the Las Vegas Neon Bone Yard.

As we wandered around the Bone Yard, it seem like most of the Vegas from our past could be found here. 

That is, except Circus, Circus, it hasn't changed a bit although we have. I had more hair, I swear.