Random Vegas
Since it opened in 1941, despite multiple expansions and renovations, the property has never changed it exterior façade. On Feb 22, 2013, the El Cortez, the original hotel/casino built on Fremont St, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Twitpic of the week
Metaphor, oh how I love the. Unless the architect for the property’s marquee signage was Nostradamus, there is no way they could have known how the landscape of the Vegas valley would evolve over the years. Regardless, when the El Cortez opened in 1941, its marquee design would essentially direct your attention to the future of the city on Highway 91, a POV we had the opportunity to enjoy for the first during 360VV8. Then again, maybe they did see what lay just beyond the horizon. After all, 1941 was also the year that the El Rancho, Las Vegas Blvd’s first proper hotel/casino, would open. An event that signaled the rise of what would later be known as the Strip. A nickname coined by another Vegas pioneer and former LA Police officer Guy McAfee, inspired by the famous California Sunset Strip. If that name rings a bell for another reason, it may be because McAfee built the Golden Nugget and co-founded the city of Paradise Nevada so casino owners on the strip could avoid paying taxes to the city of Las Vegas by establishing themselves outside of the Las Vegas city limits.
Official Photographer @japluto09
