The Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas was shuttered for good on May 4. The iconic venue, which was frequented by prominent performers, such as Liberace, Frank Sinatra, and Dolly Parton, celebrated its 60th anniversary back in April.
Announcement about the closure of the property was released in February. Back then, it was purchased by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for the amount of $182.5 million plus another $8.5 million in transaction costs. The publicly-funded tourism organization pointed out that the building would be leveled but no additional information has been revealed as to when this might happen and how exactly.
Furniture and equipment within the premises of the hotel and casino property are to be auctioned by the National Content Liquidators, starting from May 14 until they are completely sold out.
Heidi Hayes, a spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, explained that the agency is planning to use the Riviera site in order to expand the Las Vegas Convention Center, as both properties are located within a mile from each other.
The Riviera has faced serious financial problems in recent years, as similarly to other gambling venues in Las Vegas, it, too, was affected by recession. According to reports compiled by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the property has not posted a profit since 2011, when it barely escaped closure. The dormant development, which resulted in deterred walk-in traffic, was also pointed as a reason for the property’s closure.
Riviera Hotel & Casino opened its doors for visitors on April 20, 1955. The venue was the first of its kind to be established on the Las Vegas Strip, known to be one of the world’s most popular and profitable gambling hubs. The property spread over 26 acres of land and used to feature as many as 2,075 hotel rooms, some of which were located within a 23-story tower.
Apart from the numerous dining and entertainment options, Riviera also featured a 140,000-square-foot meeting hall and a 100,000-square-foot casino floor with about 100 table games, among which blackjack, craps, roulette, etc., and 900 slot machines.
Over the years, the Riviera hosted numerous entertainment shows and served as the set for several movies, such as Lewis Milestone’s Ocean’s 11 (1960) and Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995).
