The founders of the Strip, Thomas Hull (opened El Rancho Vegas in April 1941) and R.E. Griffith (opened in October 1942), have long since been forgotten ,and remain in the shadows of flamboyant developer-showmen like Bugsy, Jay Sarno and Steve Wynn. Another major figure in the Strip’s modern transformation is Kirk Kerkorian, of MGM Kerkorian fame.
Kerkorian was an amateur boxer with a 29-4 record, before becoming a commercial pilot in 1941. After serving with Canada’s Royal Air Force during the war he went on to become a plane dealer, and eventually start his own airline. After selling Trans International Airlines for $104 million in 1968 he started investing in Vegas. Kerkorian had already invested in the Dunes by this time, and flipped 80 acres of land to Sarno’s Caesar’s Palace, but as his airline cash came in he wanted to place some bigger bets on Vegas.
In 1967 Kerkorian bought 82 acres on Paradise Road, and the Flamingo. By 1969 he had built and opened The International, a 30-storey hotel with 1,500 rooms and a 30,000 square feet casino. Maintaining his trading track record Kerkorian sold both The International and the Flamingo to Hilton Hotels a year later. The International set the standard for the mega-resorts to come, both in terms of scale and layout.
Next came the MGM Grand in 1973, which Kerkorian built in 1973 right next to the Flamingo. It was instantly the most stylish of the Strip hotels. Hardly surprising given the $104 million that was invested in this 2,100 room spectacle. Unfortunately the MGM Kerkorian hotel was engulfed in flames in 1980, killing 87 people. Although the hotel was rebuilt eight months later, Kerkorian’s plans for further expansion were on hold. The next phase of the Strip’s development belonged to Steve Wynn.
Further reading:
Read about Las Vegas Strip Condos.
