At that time, it was the only casino on the Strip to offer bingo. The Riviera also broke new ground in its design: previously, Strip resorts resembled roadside motor courts. Previously, the Riviera was surrounded by the Stardust, New Frontier, and Westward Ho, properties which were demolished to make room for new construction. The Riviera was purchased in June 1968 by a group including bankers E. Parry Thomas and Jerome Mack, and investors tied to the Parvin-Dohrmann Corp., owner of the Aladdin, Stardust, and Fremont casinos. In June 2012 German Illusionist Jan Rouven took over the Starlite Theatre to headline there six nights a week. The headline was “Las Vegas-Is Boom Overextended?” and a story about how Las Vegas had built too many hotel rooms to be profitable. This show has now moved to the off strip Las Vegas Westin Casuarina. The Riviera opened on April 20, 1955, as the first high-rise at 9 stories, and the ninth resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
The first implosion took place at 2:35 a.m. The Riviera lost $4.5 million on income of $30.8 million in the first quarter of 2010. The decline in popularity of the Riviera was caused in part by the decline of pedestrian foot traffic in the vicinity. Liberace cut the opening ribbon, and became the first resident performer. The Riviera casino went bankrupt just three months after opening. Martin left in 1972, after management refused his request to cut his performance schedule from two nightly shows to one; the Riviera bought back his shares. Mob fixer Sidney Korshak played a major role in the property’s management. The Riviera poker room closed in 2013, two years before the remaining gaming operations. After winding down operations the hotel was closed and demolished to make way for a planned expansion of LVCVA’s Las Vegas Global Business District exhibit and meeting center project. The business emerged from bankruptcy in 1993 as Riviera Holdings Corp., owned by the previous secured creditors. Riviera Holdings Corporation. March 10, 1997. p. In February 2015, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) acquired the Riviera hotel and its associated land for $182.5 million. LVCVA had intended to use the former Riviera property for parking, outdoor exhibitions, and as a new gateway to the convention center.
However, these plans were changed when LVCVA acquired new nearby acreage which negated the need for the entire Riviera property. Construction would not begin until at least April 2023, as LVCVA has a lease agreement to continue using the land for convention-related purposes until then. The plan was negotiated with holders of 2/3 of the secured debt worth over $275 million, which included a $225 million term loan, unpaid interest and amounts owing on a swap agreement. Demolition cost a total of $42 million. A 12-story tower was added off the south west side of the 8-story tower in 1965. The new tower expansion was designed by Harold W. Levitt with Ernest W. Le Duc and William H. Farwell as consulting architects. The resort was designed by Miami architects Roy F. France & Son with J Maher Weller of Las Vegas serving as associate architect. In 2006, Splash, a traditional Las Vegas revue created by Jeff Kutash, ended an extended 22-year run at the Riviera.
The majority of the television series Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling was shot in the Riviera Hotel during its four-year run and subsequent 1991 pay-per-view. GmbH, Emporis. “Riviera Hotel & Casino | Buildings | EMPORIS”. The casino had 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) of gaming space. Nevada Gaming Control Board due to the company’s previous failure to report a change of ownership. Nevada State Journal. Reno, NV. The casino had a sportsbook operated by William Hill. Greenbaum’s drug and gambling addictions led to his embezzling from the casino. The Riviera became one of the oldest and most famous casino resorts in Las Vegas Valley. He became a headliner at The New Tropicana Las Vegas in November 2014, but his show closed 15 months later amid child pornography charges. The sculpture is based on a promotional photo for the show. Crazy Girls, a topless show. On August 16, 2016, at 2:30 a.m., the Monte Carlo tower along with the 12-story tower constructed in 1965 were imploded. June 14, 2016, taking down the 24-story Monaco tower. Starlight Theater In June 2011 the Starlite Theatre reopened its doors. Silver began shifting the Riviera’s marketing focus away from high rollers, and towards middle- and working-class gamblers.
