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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:

1. Opened April 20, 1955
2. Built in 1955 for approximately $10 million
3. Originally built by a group of investors from Miami
4. One of three resorts to open in Las Vegas in 1955
5. Designed by architect Roy F. France
6. Land originally purchased in 1920s
7. Opened with Liberace as the property’s featured performer
8. At the time of opening, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer on the Las Vegas Strip at $50,000 per week
9. Actress Joan Crawford served as official hostess for the property’s grand opening
10. First high-rise hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, with nine stories
11. Frank Sinatra lived in a suite while performing at the property in the 1990s
12. Harpo and Gummo Marx once held minority ownership in the property
13. Number of rooms in 1955 – 291
14. 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)
15. Notable performers in 1950s – Liberace, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Shecky Greene
16. Notable performers in 1960s – Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Red Buttons, Barbara Streisand
17. Notable performers in 1970s – Dean Martin, Steve Martin, Pia Zadora, Burt Bacharach, George Carlin, Phyllis Diller, Liza Minelli, Jimmie Walker
18. Notable performers in 1980s – Joan Rivers, David Brenner, the Village People
19. Notable performers in 1990s – Frank Sinatra performed two shows, including New Years Eve. Drew Carey, the Beach Boys, Dennis Leary, Pauly Shore
20. Barbara Streisand made her Nevada debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino
21. Dean Martin once held a minority ownership stake in Riviera Hotel & Casino
22. Ninth casino opened on the Las Vegas Strip
23. Charo performed at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 2009
24. Splash ran from 1985 to 2006
25. Splash featured a 20,000 gallon water tank
26. Solid Gold opened in 1984
27. Evening at La Cage ran from 1985 to 2009
28. The Riviera Comedy Club opened in 1986
29. Crazy Girls is one of the longest-running shows on the Las Vegas Strip, opening in 1987
30. Prince Albert attended Crazy Girls in 2000
31. ILLUSIONS Starring Jan Rouven opened in 2012
32. Men The Experience, Forever Doo Wop, Forever Motor City and PAWN SHOP LIVE! to premiere in early 2014
33. Versailles Theater was originally named the Clover Room
34. Kay Stevens recorded her album “Ruckus” at the Riviera Hotel & Casino
35. Englebert Humperdinck made his Las Vegas debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1969
36. Neil Scartozzi, the most iconic barber in Vegas, has been cutting hair at Riviera Hotel & Casino for more than 39 years
37. Famous clients at the Men’s Salon and Celebrity include MC Hammer, Burt Reynolds, Liberace and Joe Pesci, among others
38. Larry Holmes fought multiple matches at Riviera Hotel & Casino, including title fights against Michael Spinks (1985), David Bey (1985) and James Smith (1984)
39. Riviera Hotel & Casino was one of the first property’s in Las Vegas to attract celebrities to sit ringside
40. Unveiled bronze “No ifs, ands or…” statue in 1997
41. “No ifs, ands or..” statue is six feet high, 11 feet long and weighs more than 1,500 pounds
42. More than 30 pinball machines ranging from the 1960s to modern day featured in the Pinball Hall of Fame annex
43. Ann-Margret and Roger Smith married in 1967 at Riviera Hotel & Casino
44. Liberace cut ribbon during Riviera Hotel & Casino opening
45. Four championship tennis courts were added near the pool in 1972 – they were the site of the Dewar’s Celebrity-Pro Tennis Tournament
46. First Las Vegas Strip resort to have a fast food restaurant on its premises (Burger King)
47. Riviera Convention Center features more than 42,000 square feet of meeting space, including 12 skyboxes
48. 3 Lions Tattoo opened in 2008
49. 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.
50. The San Remo tower was added by 1977 and included an additional 200 rooms
51. In 1988, the 24-story Monaco Tower was completed, nearly doubling the property’s rooms to 2,100
52. Riviera Hotel & Casino is a pet-friendly hotel
53. It is said to be good luck to touch the bottoms of the Crazy Girls bronze statue in front of Riviera Hotel & Casino
54. 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
55. 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
56. Added a new sign in 1975, which was designed by Marge Williams, who also designed the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
57. The hit game show “Hollywood Squares” filmed its final syndicated season at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1980
58. The “Casino Suite,” was featured in the hit movie Casino (1995) and offers a vintage Vegas experience
59. 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.