At the close of the 1980's Las Vegas began to transform itself from a mere gambling mecca, to a city of destination themed casinos. My grandfather took me on a trip there in 1990 to 'cash in some change'. As a building lover and having never been there, I was kind of blown away.
Nonetheless, as a blossoming 13 year old building geek, I had some fun and took a few photos while grandpa was hittin the tables.
What's fascinating is that these photographs are just less than 20 years old, and a huge number of the buildings in them either don't exist or have been vastly overhauled.
Sorry about the lousiness of the photos...as I said I was 13 and didn't operate my borrowed Pentax SLR as well as I might now...
Vegas World...I think this became the Stratosphere? Not sure...
The Landmark, a true architectural loss for the city...
The Sahara...
Circus Circus (pre-giant purple lighted tent thingy)
An Arizona Bank no less...
Downtown Las Vegas from the parking garage at McCarran Airport...
Security Pacific Bank...dead since '92...
Desert Inn...
The Riviera...
The Frontier...
The Plaza in downtown Vegas (pre Fremont Street Experience)...
First Interstate...I miss that logo...
Fitzgerald's Casino...still the tallest in the CITY of Las Vegas I think...
Again from McCarran...
The Mirage, the newest (along with the Excalibur) mega casino on the Strip, circa 1990...
I saved the best for last...this is an expansion to the Stardust...this building was actually torn down about two years ago...amazing...
Threaded Mode