Maxim! You closed down! Yikes!!!!

I remember visiting you when you were only a small, twelve stool, bar with maybe six slot machines! You were way behind the Strip with desert all around you. Your big come-on was “The Coldest Beer in Las Vegas”. You served it frozen on a popsicle stick..... Nah! Only kidden about that popsicle stick. But it was a darn cold beer!

You were the proud child of the courteous bartender who proudly claimed that you would be the neatest little hotel and casino by the time you were three! And sure enough you grew and prospered a short hop down Flamingo Road behind the Barbary Coast.

The Desert Rats would turn off the Strip to walk through the heat for the "Coldest Beer in Town" because the coldest beer in town was worth the five to ten minute hike through the desert.

Years later I stayed with you a few times because you offered me a free winter night for every summer night I booked a room and your rooms were as nice as any others so I took advantage of your generous offer a couple of times.

After check-in I would check-out your small casino that would always have some new and weird table game that I was always interested in watching and trying to figure out.

You had a game called something like “Murder” and we did in fact get murdered when and if we played it for any time over three minutes. Instead of Mrs. Green in the kitchen with a hatchet, it was Frowning Dealer with some cards in the casino.

I'm sure you remember that.

I also remember some weird “Pyramid” type game in which we rolled the dice and this large and well lit “Pyramid” board would light up according to the dice combination we rolled. It involved some strange rules based on dice permutations (?) in which the odds were greatly in your favor at all times. Very colorful though!

I would always manage to spend a few dollars in your slot machines and have my share of “coldest beers in town” and then head outside and up the Strip to visit your nearest neighbors such as the Barbary Coast, Caesars, Flamingo, etc.

Come to think of it, I never did manage to spend any real serious gambling/ entertainment time with you. Even though you offered a great comedy show followed by an outstanding magic act, I never was available to take advantage of your free entertainment.

The Strip was just too much of an attraction for me and it was just too easy to walk outside and head on up to the excitement it had to offer.

I think that was your main problem from the very start. It was just too convenient to walk up to the Strip and you were not enough of an attraction to get the foot traffic flowing in the opposite direction.

Your “Coldest Beer in Town” could no longer compete against the likes of white tigers, flowing volcanos, upside down roller coasters, and pirate battles. I never heard anyone say, “Let’s go down to the Maxim for the Coldest Beer in Town!” unless I was the one to say it.

Now that your doors are closed, I sit and ponder and wonder why I didn't take full advantage of all the great things you had to offer.

Sure, I had my fair share of your coldest beers in town, but I never did see your comedy and magic shows and I don't recall ever taking advantage of your free winter room nights and there are probably a few of your casino games of chance I’ll never have the chance to see again!

Good bye, Maxim! I hope you rise again! I hope you return to offer the coldest beers in town and free or very inexpensive, late afternoon/early evening magic and comedy entertainment, and free winter room nights.

It was a good time while you were here. I only regret that I did not get to know you better.

Sincerely yours,

Will800

Great Post!!!

I'm in Vegas now, and if I had a printer, I would print out our note, and go tape it somewhere on the property where passers by could read it.

We've missed you her. Thanks Again for the great note!

Thanks, JMT! That would have been nice! Maybe someone will get a chance ot do it in tribute to another old casino crapping out.

I recall reading an article two years ago forecasting the bankruptcy of a good number of the smaller Las Vegas casinos.

It hasn't happened as swiftly as the forecast predicted, but it is proving to be a slow grind and inevetable.

Which one will be next? I'll stick my neck out and make an uneducated guess . In order to protect my "innocents" I will refrain from nameing the hotel/casinos I have in mind and let you take a chance at guessing which ones I am referring to -

Strip hotel that has seen better days and used to be the home of the Sigfred and Roy Show. I have not seen any noticeable effort to get this place moving again.

Out of town hotel/casino where you could originally pan for gold.

Out of town hotel/casino where its real cold inside.

Remember - these are only uneducated guesses.

I'd include a north end Casino named after a desert but they do appear to be marketing sufficiently in an effort to keep the casino and the hotel occupied.

Any educated comments out there?

Will, glad to see you back posting on the bb. Good job on this one.

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

Hey Joe!!! Win some money!!!

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

Will800,
Glad to see your post! <S>
We had always walked down to the Maxium for many years, but stopped lately. Anyone could plainly see, they where spending no money on the place. Everything was ratty looking a few months back when I last walked through the place, looking for breakfast, only to find out the resturant was closed and all that was available was the buffet. We went to Ellis island instead!


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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com