Vegas Casinos Openings / Closings, and Name Changes

Last update: July 17, 2024

Notes

See the casino ownership page for ownership changes.
For a graphic version of this page, see my historical casino map.
Green highlighting. The first appearance of a casino (or a new name for an existing casino) is listed in green (and highlighted if it's still using that name).
Red highlighting. Closures, implosions, and dropped names are listed in red.
Not yet complete. This list is more complete than any other list out there, but it doesn't have everything yet, especially for changes more than 25 years old. I'll try to keep adding data.
See the disambiguation for Bally's.

Future casino changes

No opening date set

POLV LLC (owned by Tilman Fertitta) plans to open an as-yet unnamed casino resort on the SE corner of LVB at Harmon. It would have 43 stories and 2420 hotel rooms. No opening date has been given. (News 3 LV, LVRJ, 10/22)

2020-2024

2024

Delano, one of the hotel towers at Mandalay Bay, rebrands to W Las Vegas. Before Delano, it was THEhotel. (Dec. 2024, Vital Vegas)
Mirage closes. It was the first megaresort, opening in 1989, and garnering a lot of attention for its exploding volcano. It will become the Hard Rock Casino. (Not to be confused with the Hard Rock Casino on Harmon Ave. that was replaced with Virgin.) (July 17)
Tropicana closes. It was one of the original strip casinos, opening April 4, 1957. Here's an article about the closing. (April 2)

2023

Fontainebleau opens on the strip, after 20 years of alternating construction and pauses. (Dec. 13)
Durango, owned by Station / Red Rock, opens in west Las Vegas. (Dec. 5)
Wildfire on Fremont opened at 2700 E. Fremont. No live-dealer table games, though. (Feb. 10)
Ojos Locos is the new name of the former Lucky Club in North Las Vegas. (Feb. 6)

2022

Bally's casino became Horseshoe. The ceremony was 3/24/23. See the disambiguation about the various Bally's. (Dec. 15)
Wild Wild West, a slots-only casino near the strip, closed, and is slated to be demolished by its owner (Red Rock / Station) to make way for a larger property. (Sept. 7)

2021

Tuscany removes its table games, becoming a slots-only establishment. (July)
Resorts World opens, on the former Stardust site. (June 24)
Virgin opens at the former Hard Rock site. (March 25)

2020

Circa casino opens on Oct. 28, on the land previously housing Las Vegas Club casino, the slots-only "casino" Mermaids, and the strip club Glitter Gulch. The hotel opens Dec. 28. (Vital Vegas)
Longhorn removes its table games. (circa July)
Casino Royale reopens from the COVID-19 shutdown without table games. Some experts believe the removal will be permanent. (June)
Texas Station, Fiesta Rancho (both in North Las Vegas, NV), and Fiesta Henderson (Henderson, NV) closed for COVID and never reopened. All were owned by Red Rock / Station, which slated them for demolition around 9/2/22. None of these were in Vegas, and I don't normally cover non-Vegas openings/closings, but these were significant because COVID precipitated their demise. (March 2020; more about Wild West)
Hard Rock closes, to reopen as Virgin in March 2021. (Feb. 3)
Stratosphere, with an awesome name, inexplicably changes its name to the ridiculous "Strat". (Feb. 3)

2010-2019

2019

Hooters becomes OYO (Sept. 16)
SLS is renamed back to Sahara (Aug. 29)
Arizona Charlie's Boulder removes its table games. (July 28)
Wild Wild West removes its table games, and as such I no longer include it in my count of Vegas casinos. (circa March)

2018

Monte Carlo is renamed Park MGM (May 9)
Lucky Dragon closes. The hotel continues to operate, and the casino is slated to reopen within six months. (Jan. 4)

2017

Westin's casino, Max, closes. The hotel continues to operate. (Jun 30)

2016

Lucky Dragon, an Asian-themed casino, opens on the north strip, only to soon close in Jan. 2018. (Nov. 19)
Mermaids, a slots-only casino famous for its deep-fried Twinkies, closes (along with its next-door neighbor, the Glitter Gulch strip club). (Jun 27, Vital Vegas)

2015

Las Vegas Club closes. (Aug. 20)
Riviera closes. (May 4)

2014

The Quad is renamed Linq (July 1)
LVH becomes Westgate. (July 1)
SLS opens in the remodeled Sahara building. For some reason they think "SLS" is a better name than the iconic "Sahara". It won't last.
The Cromwell opens at the site of Bill's Gamblin' Hall, which closed in 2013
Clarion (near-strip, formerly Greek Isle) closes, and is imploded in 2015. (Sep. 2)

2013

Downtown Grand opens at the old Lady Luck (2006) site (Oct. 27)
A new version of O'Sheas Casino opens in the Linq Promenade. The original O'Sheas, a few feet away from the new one, directly on the Strip, closed and was imploded in 2012. (Dec. 27)
Terribles becomes Silver Sevens (July)
Gold Spike closes its casino, with the hotel still operating, now known as "Oasis at Gold Spike". (April)
Bill's Gamblin' Hall closes, planned to re-open as The Cromwell in 2014 (Feb. 4)

2012

Imperial Palace becomes The Quad (Dec.)
O'Sheas closes, to be replaced by The Linq, a restaurant and entertainment district, which will house a new O'Sheas inside. (April 30)
Fitzgeralds becomes The D (Mar. 13)
The Western closes (Jan. 16)
Las Vegas Hilton becomes LVH (and then becoming Westgate in 2014). (Jan. 3)

2011

Sahara closes, to reopen in 2014 as SLS, then becoming Sahara again in 2019. (May 16)
Slots-A-Fun removes its table games.

2010

Cosmpolitan opens. (Dec. 15)
Harrah's Entertainment changes its name to Caesars Entertainment Corp. (November)
Greek Isle becomes Clarion (and then closes in 2014). (April)
The Western's hotel closes. (Casino remains open until 2012.)

2000-2009

2009

Aria opens (Dec. 16)

2008

Encore opens. (Dec. 22)
Aliante Station opens (Nov. 11)
Eastside Cannery opens (Aug. 28)
Palazzo opens.
Nevada Palace closes (to become Eastside Cannery). (Feb. 29)

2007

The New Frontier closes (and is imploded in November). Plans were to build a new property called the Las Vegas Plaza (not to be confused with "The Plaza" downtown), but plans were scrapped after the economy turned sour. (3120 LVB)
The Aladdin becomes Planet Hollywood. (April)
Barbary Coast becomes Bill's Gamblin' Hall (then becomes Cromwell in 2014). (March)
The Stardust is imploded (to be replaced by Echelon). (March)

2006

Wildfire removes its table games. (I couldn't find the exact year. I called Station on 3/26/18 and they told me "around 2006".)
The Stardust closes, and is imploded in 2007 (to be replaced by Echelon). (Nov.)
South Coast (off-strip) changed ownership, and its name, to South Point. (Oct.)
Gold Spike (downtown) removes its table games. RIP! (Spring)
Klondike (near the "Welcome to Vegas" sign) closes. (June)
The Boardwalk is imploded (to be replaced by Aria / CityCenter) (May)
San Remo (next to Strip) becomes Hooters (and then OYO in 2019).
Lady Luck (downtown) closes (to reopen as the Downtown Grand in 2013).

2005

Westward Ho (which is what you tell a prostitute who's following you as you walk east and want her to leave you alone) closes (2900 LVB).
The $2.7 billion Wynn Las Vegas opens, five years after Steve Wynn purchased the old Desert Inn. (April)
Key Largo (near the Strip) closes.
The Stratosphere removes the High Roller roller coaster, to make room for an outdoor observation deck.
Binion's Horshoe becomes just Binion's.

2004

Mandalay Bay's second tower ("THEhotel") opens.
The Las Vegas Club changes its name to Vegas Club but they don't change the sign outside.
Castaways (on Boulder Highway) closes.

2003

A tiger mauls Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy during their performance, ending their run at the Mirage which started in 1990.
Cannery Casino (not to be confused with Eastside Cannery) opens.
Union Plaza becomes The Plaza.

2002

Vacation Village (South Strip) closes. (Jan. 9)

2001

The Desert Inn is imploded (to be replaced by the Wynn).
Wildfire Casino (North Las Vegas) replaces Ernie's Casino.

2000

The Continental Casino becomes Terribles (Dec.)
The rebuilt Aladdin opens.
Showboat (on Boulder Highway) becomes Castaways.

1980's & 1990's

1999

The Venetian opens.
Paris opens.
Mandalay Bay opens.
The Flamingo Hilton becomes Flamingo Las Vegas.
Sahara adds a roller coaster, Speed.

1998. Bellagio opens, on the site of the former Dunes.

1997

New York New York opens.
The Aladdin closes and is imploded in 1998, to be replaced by a newer version of the Aladdin.

1996

Monte Carlo opens (replacing the Desert Rose Motel). Magician Lance Burton is the featured performer since the opening.
The Stratosphere opens. (formerly Vegas World, without the tower.)
The Sands closes and is imploded (to be replaced by the Venetian in 1999).
Hacienda closes and is imploded (to be replaced by Mandalay Bay in 1999). The casino had started in 1956.

1995

Vegas World closes (to be replaced by the Stratosphere in 1996).
Landmark imploded (closed in 1990; now part of the Convention Center parking lot. (WP)

1993

Treasure Island opens.
Luxor opens.
MGM Grand opens (replacing Marina/MGM Marina).
The Dunes is imploded (to be replaced by Bellagio).

1992

Casino Royale opens in the space of the former Nob Hill Casino. It buys the Travelodge next door for hotel space.
Holiday Casino becomes Harrah's, though the new carnival/party theme won't be installed until 1997.
El Rancho closes (and is imploded in 2000 to make way for condos). This was not the original El Rancho, which was on the SW corner of LVB & Sahara.

1990

Excalibur opens, by Circus Circus Enterprises. It's the world's largest resort at the time.
Landmark closes. (imploded in 1995; now part of the Convention Center parking lot. (WP)
Nob Hill closes (to reopen in 1992 as Casino Royale).
Siegfried & Roy begin their run at the Mirage, which ends in 2003 when Roy Horn is mauled by a tiger.

1989

The Mirage (and its volcano) opens on 11/22/89, launching the megaresort era.
Marina becomes MGM Marina.

1988. Imperial Palace adds an 18-story hotel tower.

1987. Castaways closes, so the Mirage can be constructed.

1985. The original MGM Grand becomes Bally's. (The MGM Grand would open at its current location in 1990.)

1983. The Gold Spike opens, I think. (Details are sketchy.)

1981. The Continental Hotel and Casino (later Terrible's, then Silver Sevens) opens at 4100 Paradise Rd.

1980. A fire at the original MGM Grand kills 87 people.

1980. Sundance opens downtown (current site of The D)

1980's. At some point, the Ambassador became La Mirage.

1946 - 1979

1979

Flamingo Capri (not to be confused with the more well-known Flamingo) becomes Imperial Palace.
Slots-a-Fun opens, the smallest casino on the Strip (and the only one without a hotel).
Vegas World opens and runs until 1995 (to be replaced by the Stratosphere in 1996).

1978. Nob Hill Casino opens on the former site of Frank Musso's Restaurant and Joey's New Yorker Nightclub, and the future site of Casino Royale.

1975. The Marina Casino opens at what is now the MGM Grand.

1974. The Fabulous Flamingo becomes The Flamingo Hilton.

1973

The original MGM Grand is constructed where the Bonanza Casino used to be, and where Bally's is now.
Holiday Casino opens, later to become Harrah's.
The Ambassador opens (later La Mirage and then Key Largo).

1971. Union Plaza opens. (July 2)

1970. The Western opens. (Closes 2012.)

1968. Landmark opens. (Closes 1990, imploded 1995.)

1968. Circus Circus opens.

1966

Caesars Palace opens.
Aladdin opens (formerly King's Crown, and now Planet Hollywood).

1964. Tally-Ho becomes King's Crown, and then closes soon afterward.

1963

Westward Ho opens and runs until 2005.
The Sans Souci Hotel becomes Castaways Casino (not to be confused with the later Castaways on Boulder Highway), in the spot which would later become the Mirage.
Bonanza Casino opens at what would later be Bally's.
Tally-Ho opens on the site that would later become Planet Hollywood.

1962. Ernie's Casino opens in North Las Vegas, and lasts until 2001, when it's destroyed to make way for Wildfire Casino.

1959. The Flamingo Capri, completely unrelated to the more well-known Flamingo, opens and runs until 1979, when it becomes Imperial Palace.

1958. The Stardust opens, with the largest casino and swimming pool in Nevada, and the largest hotel in Las Vegas. It closes in 2006 and is imploded in 2007.

1957

The Tropicana opens.
Sans Souci Hotel (no casino) opens on the space which would later become the Mirage.

1956. Hacienda opens (and lasts until 1996 when it's imploded to make way for Mandalay Bay).

1955

The Riviera opens, the first high-rise on the Strip.
The Dunes opens and lasts until 1993, when it is imploded to be replaced by Bellagio.

1954. Showboat Casino opens on Boulder Highway (to become Castaways in 2000, and then close in 2004).

1953. The Desert Rose Motel opens, at what would later become Monte Carlo.

1952.

The Sahara opens.
The Sands opens (on what would become the Venetian in 1999).

1946. The Pink Flamingo opens, built by notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel. It is the first luxury hotel on the Strip, It would become The Fabulous Flamingo in 1947, The Flamingo Hilton in 1974, and Flamingo Las Vegas in 1999.

Bally’s & MGM Grand

Confusingly, there are various casinos that have borne the Bally's and MGM Grand names, in various locations. Here's the scoop:

The Two Bally's Casinos on the Strip
When	Where	Owner
1986-2022	At Flamingo Rd.	Bally's 1986-96 Hilton 1996-98 Park Place 1998-03 Caesars Ent. 2003-2022 (at which point it was renamed Horseshoe)
2023-	At Tropicana Ave.	Bally's Corporation purchased the Tropicana in 2022 and plans to rename it Bally's.

Las Vegas Blvd. at Flamingo Rd.
Years	Casino at that site
1973-1986	MGM Grand
1986-2022	Bally’s (actually owned by Caesars, not Bally Corp.)
2022-	Horseshoe (unrelated to Binion’s downtown, which used to be Binion’s Horseshoe)

Las Vegas Blvd. at Tropicana Ave. (S. side)
Years	Casino at that site
1957-2022	Tropicana
2022-	Bally’s (unrelated to the former Bally’s, now Horseshoe, at Flamingo Rd.)

Las Vegas Blvd. at Tropicana Ave. (N. side)
Years	Casino at that site
1993-	MGM Grand

The various companies named Bally / Bally's

They all had a common ancestor. The original pinball manufacturer would ultimately morph into Caesars Entertainment, which owns several casinos in Vegas (and elsewhere).

Started in 1932 as Bally Manufacturing, to make pinball machines. The name was taken from its first game, "Ballyhoo".
By the late 70s/early 80s, entered the casino business in New Jersey.
Also by the late 70s/early 80s, started making video games, and obtained the licenses to Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Ms. Pac-Man, with its division Bally/Midway (the name coming from an earlier acquisition, Midway Manufacturing).
In 1983 bought the Six Flags amusement park chain and a fitness chain (which became Bally Total Fitness).
In 1986 it bought the original MGM Grand on the strip at Flamingo Blvd. and renamed it the Bally's casino.
In 1988 Williams Electronics acquired the Bally/Midway pinball/video game division and continued to brand some pinball games as Bally.
In 1993 the slot machine division was spun off into Bally Gaming International, marking the end of manufacturing by the parent company. Alliance Gaming bought Bally Gaming in 1996, changed its name to Bally Technologies, then sold it to Scientific Games in 2014 (which had also acquired WMS Industries, formerly Williams, which had already purchased Bally/Midway).
In 1994 it became Bally Entertainment, since it was no longer manufacturing and owned several casinos at this point.
In 1996 it was acquired by Hilton Hotels, which in 1998 spun it off into Park Place Entertainment, which marked the end of the company being known as Bally.
Park Place would go on to buy Caesars World in 1998, and in 2003 changed its name to Caesars Entertainment. So note, Caesars Entertainment, which owns several casinos in Vegas, started life in 1932 as a pinball manufacturer.
In 2020, Twin River Holdings bought the Bally's brand from Caesars and renamed itself Bally's Corporation. (So note, this company never owned the earlier Bally's casino that is now Horseshoe.) In 2022 it bought the Tropicana casino and plans to rename it Bally's.
In 2022, since Caesars sold the Bally's brand to Twin River, Caesars renamed the Bally's casino at Flamingo Ave. to Horseshoe.

It's confusing

Casinos don't just change their names, sometimes they move, or take on names of older casinos. For example:

Bally's Casino was renamed the Horseshoe, but bearing no relation to the Binion's casino downtown that was formerly known as Binion's Horseshoe (1951-2005).
The MGM Grand used to be in a completely different location. The original MGM Grand was in the space now occupied by Horseshoe (formerly Bally's). See my Historical Map of the Strip to see what casinos used to be where.
The Hard Rock Casino on Harmon closed, andPla became Virgin. Then MGM Resorts sold the Mirage to the Hard Rock group which will turn the Mirage into a new Hard Rock Casino.
Sahara went out of business, then reopened as SLS (huh?), then changed its name back to Sahara.
The Flamingo is unrelated to the Flamingo Capri, which later became Imperial Palace (and is now Linq).
The casino companies change their names, too. Caesars Entertainment, which owns a bunch of casinos (not just Caesars Palace), used to be Park Place Entertainment, and then Caesars World. And MGM Resorts, which owns a bunch of casinos (not just the MGM Grand), started as MGM Grand, then became MGM Mirage after it bought the Mirage in 2000, then rebranded as MGM Resorts in 2010.
There are two Vegas casinos that have borne the Bally's name, and several companies with that name. See above.