Riviera Hotel & Casino Celebrates 59 Years on Las Vegas Strip
Riviera Hotel & Casino is proud to celebrate 59 years on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Since opening its doors on April 20, 1955, Riviera Hotel & Casino has played host to millions of guests and established itself as one of Las Vegas’ most renowned and fabled properties.
In celebration of its anniversary, Riviera Hotel & Casino has put together a collection of 59 fun facts from the property’s near six decades on the Las Vegas Strip. More than $30,000 in free slot play will also be given away to Riviera Rewards Clubs members. For every 59 points earned Riviera Rewards Club members will receive an entry into a special drawing for the chance win cash prizes ranging from $59 to $5,959. Drawings will be held Saturday, April 26 every 15 minutes from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. adjacent to the casino cage. Entries are non-transferable and registration is automatic for all Riviera Rewards Club members who INSERT their rewards club cards into a slot machine from Sunday, April 20 at noon through Saturday, April 26 at 8:00 p.m.
Contestants must be 21 years or older with a valid ID and must be a Riviera Rewards Club member (membership is always free). Sign up for Riviera Rewards in-person at Riviera Hotel & Casino or online at www.rivierahotel.com.
RIVIERA HOTEL & CASINO FUN FACTS:
- Opened April 20, 1955
- Built in 1955 for approximately $10 million
- Originally built by a group of investors from Miami
- One of three resorts to open in Las Vegas in 1955
- Designed by architect Roy F. France
- Land originally purchased in 1920s
- Opened with Liberace as the property’s featured performer
- At the time of opening, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer on the Las Vegas Strip at $50,000 per week
- Actress Joan Crawford served as official hostess for the property’s grand opening
- First high-rise hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, with nine stories
- Frank Sinatra lived in a suite while performing at the property in the 1990s
- Harpo and Gummo Marx once held minority ownership in the property
- Number of rooms in 1955 – 291
- Notable movies filmed at Riviera Hotel & Casino include Ocean’s Eleven (1960), Casino (1995), Showgirls (1995), Vegas Vacation (1997), Go (1999), 21 (2008) and The Hangover (2009)
- Notable performers in 1950s – Liberace, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Shecky Greene
- Notable performers in 1960s – Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Red Buttons, Barbara Streisand
- Notable performers in 1970s – Dean Martin, Steve Martin, Pia Zadora, Burt Bacharach, George Carlin, Phyllis Diller, Liza Minelli, Jimmie Walker
- Notable performers in 1980s – Joan Rivers, David Brenner, the Village People
- Notable performers in 1990s – Frank Sinatra performed two shows, including New Years Eve. Drew Carey, the Beach Boys, Dennis Leary, Pauly Shore
- Barbara Streisand made her Nevada debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino
- Dean Martin once held a minority ownership stake in Riviera Hotel & Casino
- Ninth casino opened on the Las Vegas Strip
- Charo performed at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 2009
- Splash ran from 1985 to 2006
- Splash featured a 20,000 gallon water tank
- Solid Gold opened in 1984
- Evening at La Cage ran from 1985 to 2009
- The Riviera Comedy Club opened in 1986
- Crazy Girls is one of the longest-running shows on the Las Vegas Strip, opening in 1987
- Prince Albert attended Crazy Girls in 2000
- ILLUSIONS Starring Jan Rouven opened in 2012
- Men The Experience, Forever Doo Wop, Forever Motor City and PAWN SHOP LIVE! to premiere in early 2014
- Versailles Theater was originally named the Clover Room
- Kay Stevens recorded her album “Ruckus” at the Riviera Hotel & Casino
- Englebert Humperdinck made his Las Vegas debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1969
- Neil Scartozzi, the most iconic barber in Vegas, has been cutting hair at Riviera Hotel & Casino for more than 39 years
- Famous clients at the Men’s Salon and Celebrity include MC Hammer, Burt Reynolds, Liberace and Joe Pesci, among others
- Larry Holmes fought multiple matches at Riviera Hotel & Casino, including title fights against Michael Spinks (1985), David Bey (1985) and James Smith (1984)
- Riviera Hotel & Casino was one of the first property’s in Las Vegas to attract celebrities to sit ringside
- Unveiled bronze “No ifs, ands or…” statue in 1997
- “No ifs, ands or..” statue is six feet high, 11 feet long and weighs more than 1,500 pounds
- More than 30 pinball machines ranging from the 1960s to modern day featured in the Pinball Hall of Fame annex
- Ann-Margret and Roger Smith married in 1967 at Riviera Hotel & Casino
- Liberace cut ribbon during Riviera Hotel & Casino opening
- Four championship tennis courts were added near the pool in 1972 – they were the site of the Dewar’s Celebrity-Pro Tennis Tournament
- First Las Vegas Strip resort to have a fast food restaurant on its premises (Burger King)
- Riviera Convention Center features more than 42,000 square feet of meeting space, including 12 skyboxes
- 3 Lions Tattoo opened in 2008
- By 1975, Riviera Hotel & Casino added a 17-story tower called Monte Carlo, which cost $20 million and included 300 rooms, 60 suites and an elaborate penthouse.
- The San Remo tower was added by 1977 and included an additional 200 rooms
- In 1988, the 24-story Monaco Tower was completed, nearly doubling the property’s rooms to 2,100
- Riviera Hotel & Casino is a pet-friendly hotel
- It is said to be good luck to touch the bottoms of the Crazy Girls bronze statue in front of Riviera Hotel & Casino
- Riviera Hotel & Casino, The Dunes and Royal Nevada all opened within a month of each other and were the subject of a famous issue of Life Magazine, on June 20, 1955 with a Moulin Rouge showgirl on its cover
- In 1970, Riviera Hotel & Casino hosted the Friar’s Club Roast in honor of comedian Joe E. Lewis. Dean Martin hosted the show, which featured Marty Allen, Jack Benny, George Burns, Jimmy Durante, Buddy Hackett and Ed Sullivan, among many others
- Added a new sign in 1975, which was designed by Marge Williams, who also designed the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
- The hit game show “Hollywood Squares” filmed its final syndicated season at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1980
- The “Casino Suite,” was featured in the hit movie Casino (1995) and offers a vintage Vegas experience
- The Riviera Royale Wedding Chapel has been seen in movies such as Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Vegas Vacation (1997) and 3,000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
Celebrating more than 55 years of non-stop entertainment, the Riviera Hotel & Casino is one of the most iconic casino and hotel destinations in Las Vegas. With more than 2,000 hotel rooms and 140,000 square feet of convention space, the Riviera brings a rich tradition of quality, service and hospitality excellence. Located on the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, the Riviera features more than 100,000 square feet of casino space with all of the latest games along with award-winning entertainment and a variety of dining options. For more information on the Riviera’s amenities, visit www.RivieraHotel.com. Find Riviera Hotel & Casino on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
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