Theme Polynesia Signature attractions Gateway to Luck Total gaming space 3,252 m² | Opening date 1963 No. of rooms 1,700 Opened October 1957 Number of rooms 1,700 | |
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Closing date September 2, 1987; 29 years ago (September 2, 1987) Similar Castaways Hotel and Casino, Bourbon Street Hotel and, Klondike Hotel and Casino, The Western, Holy Cow Casino and Brewery | ||
The Castaways was a hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada that operated from 1963 to 1987 on the Las Vegas Strip.
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History
The land that the Castaways was built on was first used in 1931 for the Red Rooster Nite Club. That structure was destroyed by a fire in 1933 and it was rebuilt.
In 1942, the San Souci Auto Court was built next to the Red Rooster. Later it was absorbed by the Sans Souci Hotel, Inc., which in October 1957 opened the Sans Souci Hotel.
On September 1, 1963, the property became the site of the Castaways Hotel & Casino. The latter experienced financial trouble and was sold and renamed Oliver's New Castaways Casino. During the 1960s, the hotel had a 1500-gallon aquarium in its bar. Three times a day a show was put on by naked women in the aquarium.
In February 1970, the Castaways was sold to billionaire Howard Hughes for $3 million as part of his spree of buying Las Vegas properties.
The resort operated until July 1987, when it closed and was demolished and the property was purchased by Steve Wynn. Wynn then proceeded with his plans to develop a new resort on the Castaways' former grounds using the working name Golden Nugget on the Strip.
The resort became Mirage and opened on November 22, 1989.
Gateway to Luck
A historic wooden temple St. Louis Jain temple, originally a part of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, stood besides the pool. It has now been reconstructed at the Jain Center of Southern California, Los Angeles.