The Sahara Hotel and Casino will be closing on May 16. Initially, we wonder what took so long. No doubt it was long overdue.

The bigger picture includes over 1000 people that will be left unemployed, and the trickle down effect of not having a resort at that location.

Las Vegas doesn't need another 1000 unemployed people. If 10% of them are homeowners, that's another 100 homes that won't get paid for. Jobs are somewhat scarce these days.

While the Sahara hasn't been a crown jewel in decades, something has to be said for that location. The Sahara and Stratosphere are bookends for the worlds largest gift shop and other business in the area. The Sahara is a stepping stone of sorts for walking tourists who can see the Stratosphere from their strip hotel. I see the strip being redefined and Stratosphere (which just got remodeled) to be consumed by filth that surrounds it.

Looking around the Sahara, I wonder about the surrounding businesses. Not that the Sahara supported those businesses, but there is safety in numbers, and blight is not good.

And what about the Monorail, which I thought would close before the Sahara?

While I can't recall the last time I heard a positive trip report about the Sahara, I think the trickle down impact will be much bigger than just another casino closing.

I wonder if it will have an effect on the monorail. I know people who have taken the round trip from the MGM Grand down to Sahara and back again just to see some sights.

I always DID think the monorail should go all the way downtown. Maybe this will change things? Or is that just a pipe dream?

The monorail says that the Sahara stop will remain open. I wonder if they will open the parking lot under that station. The monorail hangar/garage is just past the Sahara station, so they have to go by there anyway.

Ladies in Monorail uniforms were giving out free Monorail passes this past week, so I took a ride.

And even though the ride was free, I was the only person waiting at the Imperial stop for the next 'train'.

And when it arrived, and when I got on .... there were only three other passengers in that particular 'car' and from my count along that round-trip track, a total of only about 20 passengers got on or off.

SAD .... but the only way this will be successful is when they stretch it from the airport and down to Fremont Street.

If they had allowed me to design it, I would have run it THROUGH the casinos elevated over the tables and slot machines .... not outside in the back where a lot of would-be riders figure it's too difficult to get to.

It is a shame to see the Sahara go. But as JMT stated I also wondered what took so long. Guess the dollar black jack didn't bring in enough gamblers.

saddened by this news. You are all right of course, its glory days have long since past her. I still beleive that $1 blackjack was a poison pill. It brought in too many lowlifes. I know the last few times inside, I was uncomfortable with a few of my fellow gamblers sitting aside of me. That speaks volumes, as those that know me, know I enjoy a good dive casino/bar.
The last Time we went in, Sharon and I looked at each other and agreed there was no reason to return. They offered nothing, I couldn't find better somewhere else. (I am not interested in playing $1 Blackjack).
I like being on the side of the underdog, and the Sahara has been that underdog since I can remember. I sure thought the Riv, would close long before the Sahara. Location, location, location, I guess.

I think one of the things that's kept the Riv going is it's shows. They always seem to have a wide variety of shows there and it probably keeps people coming in.

I know some folks that work for the Riv and work the show rooms. I sometimes go to the comedy club, and I usually check out each show that comes and goes. They haven't used their big showroom since the Russian ice dancers left. It must have an expensive price tag to 4 wall. Most of their shows are second and third rate, but one show that I didn't like with celeb impersonators has moved to the Hilton...which cycles through shows at a pretty fast rate.

Another thing the Riv has is convention space. They do a ton of smaller conventions. I see various archery, geological, paint ball, martial arts, and pool(billiard) conventions. I think that helps their occupancy rate.

I would not be at all surprised to see the Riviera follow suit.

I'd include the Circus-Circus but that seems to be the major Strip draw for young couples with four or five kids in tow. (And the family dog locked up in the car in the parking lot during the winter breaks.)

It has always surprised me that the CC Steak House continues to do good business in that place, but maybe there is something I'm unaware of.

I received a phone call from gambling friends who were under the impression that the Sahara will be torn down. It that simply a rumor or is there any truth to it?

The Riv seems to find away to hold-on. The casino and rooms have become run down over the years and the last time I stayed there, I knew it would be my last. I agree that the conventions bring a large number of people to the Riv and I remember seeing a lot of pool cues walking around the casino during the billiards tournaments.
I stayed a lot at the Riv years ago and many a New Years. They treated me pretty well for my level of play and comped a number of New Years Eve’s. I even spent the millennium at the Riv and enjoyed the power outage after midnight. Everyone thought it was Y2K computer failure, not the drunk that hit the transformer outside the casino. But, all of a sudden they quit sending me offers and when I called for a room they would not comp it. So, now I am a Diamond member as Caesar’s. Guess it was the Riv’s loss and my gain.

I was at the Riv comedy club this week. Two local comics were talking about how this casino is next on the chopping block. The Riv was really hopping this week as were most places. The parking garage was over 80% full. Even the back valet was open. They are in bankruptcy, so they could shut down tomorrow if someone turns the money off or they could stay open much longer than they should.

JMT .... and if the Riviera closes shop, the Stratosphere may shortly follow.

Strange to say but the only thing that may be saving Circus-Circus is kids, kids, and more kids.

I'm sad to hear this news, and I've never really spent much time at Sahara. But I will stop in when we are back in town the end of the month to have a final look around.

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Las Vegas Restaurant

I visited the Sahara on Thursday to see what was going on, since it is closing on Monday. I decided against buying any chips, since they are selling like hotcakes and wont be rare for MANY years. The steakhouse was running on a limited menu, some of the stores were closed, and the escalators up to the convention rooms and to the old buffet area were closed off. About a quarter of the machines were gone. The Nascar Cafe and the coffee house were only places thriving. I went up the monorail area and noticed there is a new fence that will block monorail guests from entering the crosswalk going towards the Sahara. That, BTW was a great photo area for the Stratosphere.

On Friday, there was a "deal" to end all of the progressives. They had a drawing of 500 names that each won $500. Then the final name won everything that was left.

So it all comes to an end on Monday. I need to find out what time. I work on Monday and don't get off 'till later in the day. I'm not sure I'll see her again. I've already said my good-byes and that's why I did not go to the Friday giveaways.

I drove by The Sahara yesterday. There is a tall chain link fence around much of it that prevents you from getting to the doors or parking area. I thought it was interesting that the sidewalk on Las Vegas Blvd kinda weaves through the landscaping in front of the hotel and I'm wondering if the city will maintain the landscape and lighting. There are already bums setting up shop on the Sahara Blvd side in the shrubbery and grass. It's all very sad.

On a brighter note, if you want a piece of the Sahara, you will get a chance! On June 16, the property will have a liquidation sale where everything must go. Pieces of the casino, restaurants, offices, showrooms, and guest rooms will be sold. It should be interesting, if only for a walkthrough. I know I enjoyed walking through the Stardust in it's auction preview. But this is not an auction. It's a liquidation sale and should be fun. See the following link for details...

http://www.nclsales.com/liquidation-sales/current-sales-sahara-hotel-casino/

Thanks for the link JMT. That was really a sad walk down memory lane.

on a side note, with the current hotel bedbug influx, who in there right mind would by a used hotel bed?

Last time I was there you couldn't walk through the casino without tripping over strollers. The new thing, take gramma to the casino and let her baby sit the four screaming kids while you gamble away your welfare checks. Just say no to Circus CIrcus

I went to the first day of the Sahara liquidation sale. I got there at about 9:45 am for a 10:00 am opening. I arrived at the back entrance on Paradise and parked in the garage and there was a line that went out to the street and then north on Paradise. By the time the line started to move, the line went all the way to Sahara.

The line moved slow and none of us knew how long the line really was. It turns out the line ran past the rear entrance, along side the parking garage past the pool, to the front valet area, and on into the front doors of the casino. As we entered, we paid a $10 fee, received a free shot glass, and stood for a briefing. We were taken to a table and the rules were explained to us.

Basically, there are bulk items and individual items. A bulk item might be a hair dryer, an alarm clock, a gaming chair, or a sink out of a standard room. These items are marked with an item number and price on the sample table and you just pick out the one that you want. The individual items include most everything in the kitchens, the historic pictures on the walls, signs, chandeliers, and doors. They are all marked with a tag that has an item number and price. You write the item number down and go to the cashier. If it's available, you can buy it.

You have 24 hours to remove any item you buy. There is not assistance to help you detach, remove, carry, or transport the items.

Some of the memorable observations I made were lots of people with infant children out in the 100 degree weather standing in lines that took over an hour. I noticed a truck from the Colorado Belle and a truck from the Riverside hotel. I guess some Laughlin casinos are getting an upgrade. I noticed one of the security guards directing traffic while drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette. I saw her walking by 10 times in the two hour wait and she ALWAYS a lit cigarette. And most amazing is that her GUN which was in a holster had the hammer cocked back. I asked a metro cop about her and he said she is an idiot and welcome to Las Vegas where if you are licensed to carry a gun, there is no restriction forcing the hammer to be down.

Here are some sample prices on items that I noticed. This is just a tiny sampling of items.
The S shaped door handles on the casino entrance $250 each….all sold out.
Overhead "Valet", "Taxi", and "Parking" signs $225
Sahara Sign over rear porte cochere $4500
Potted palm trees $325
Camel statue $12,000
House of Lords booths $1100
Coffee shop booths $810
Money counting machine $22,000
Professional Coffee makers $12,000…both sold.
Electric paper towel dispensers $45
Cooking salamanders $275
Microwave ovens $15-40
Walk in freezers $910-15,000
Vulcan deep fryers $425
slushie/margarita machines $325….all sold
Pots and pans $4-50
Plastic coffee carafes $10 used $15 new.
Restaurant glasses and stemware $2
Flatware $1
Dishes $2-8
Shufflemaster card dealing machines $4200
Blackjack tables $810
Small chandeliers $1100
Large chandeliers $6700
Gaming chairs $75
Gaming stools $95
Basic chairs $10-up
Poolside lounge chairs $35
Alarm clocks $3
Irons $10
Ironing board $5
Iron holder $3
Blow dryer $3
Electrical power strip $3
Toilet $25
Sink/faucet/countertop $25
Curtain rod $3
Curtain $5
Shower head $2
Toilet paper holder $2
Towel bar $2
Towel rack $5
Closet door/mirror $22
Twin bed assembly $55
Wall lamp $5
Bedside tables $15
Various paintings in rooms $25 (6 varieties)
Dresser mirror $28
And the most popular item that sold on this day were lamps with a metal camel as a base. These sold for $150. Many of commented that we could have stayed in the hotel for $19 and stole most of this stuff and they wouldn't have noticed.


BTW, there is a 10% buyers premium and a 8% sales tax, in addition to the $10 entry fee which is charged during the first 4 days.

It was very interesting. I went to showrooms where all the lights and sound equipment and even the showroom seats were for sale. A roll of seats was going for $310. I went to the security rooms, the hard count rooms, the soft count room, the cashier room, and a lot of the back hallways, offices, and rooms.

I'm looking forward to going back in a couple of weeks and see what's left and what prices have changed. And maybe go back a few more times as the sale winds down.

The sale will continue for a couple of months or until everything is gone.

JMT - have all the slot machines been removed? Is everything displayed on the casino floor? Are you allowed to go into any guest rooms? I wonder what they do with the beds.

I was surprised at the cost of the card shuffling machines and the money counting machines.

Thanks for sharing this - it was fascinating.

BTW - did you buy anything?

Sorry about that Mike. It was an overwhelming experience and it was easy to leave out important details. Feel free to rattle my cage if I forgot anything else.

There were no slots or video poker games. Nothing to gamble with except tables. The shuffle machines were not part of any tables and it would take someone with talent to figure out how to make them work. They appeared to be old school in the life of shuffle machines. They each had a separate black box controller. With the gaming machines out, there is a lot of floor space. The south half of the main casino area was entry, staging, and briefing area. To the north of the long bar was a lot of bulk stuff like dishes, flatware, alarm clocks, candles, coffee pots, glassware, and chafing dishes. Up near the poker room and security was a lot of chairs. The poker room and it's equipment were all for sale. Across from the poker room was a lot of housekeeping support. This area had fold away beds, vacuums, carpet cleaning equipment, bug sprayers, maid carts, etc. The check in desk was used as a cashier station to check out and pay for the items bought.

Also of importance, the NASCAR area was blocked off. Nobody was allowed around it or the roller coaster as there are plans in the works to move it keep it all together. IMHO, the NASCAR stuff is way outdated junk. The cars are just old shells with insignificant paint jobs. There is very little stuff to capture the attention of a real NASCAR fan and there's little or nothing that a racing museum would be interested in.

There was a new Corvette that was parked in the NASCAR area that was part of the penny slot progressive. I thought that would have been given away in the drawings for progressives. Maybe they gave away the cash value and kept the car?

There were several floors open in each of the towers including suites. I did not visit any rooms as I ran out of energy and my feet were tired. The twin beds were sold as bulk items. I think the suite beds were going as individual items. I'm not sure about the regular queen beds.

I was really torn on buying stuff. On one hand, I wanted a piece of history. Anything with REAL historic value or monetary value was overpriced or gone. I already have too much junk. On the other hand, I would like some practical items like stainless steel kitchen prep pans, skillets, and other non-logo items. But I already have too much junk. And finally, I though that maybe I could get a small trash can with a logo, but I don't need or want it. So I bought nothing. It will be interesting to see what this stuff goes for on eBay.

I noticed a few things missing and I've heard that they are holding back on some stuff for later. I noticed there were no little bathroom mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, etc. I saw no utility, maintenance, workshop items. There was very little business equipment such as desks, office chairs, file cabinets, etc. I heard that there chips for sale. I saw none. Either they sold out quick, or I missed them, or they weren't for sale yet.

One big mistake I made was that I forgot to take my reading glasses. I found final paychecks and layoff notices for some cocktail waitresses and for a dancer in the StripTease show and was unable to read the details. I found a deposit book for Bank of America that left carbonless copies in the book. I saw deposits from as low as $1500 to as high as $165,000, but without glasses, I have no details. I found a lot of interesting paperwork in the count rooms that I couldn't read. And there was interesting paperwork in a lot of places that I would have liked to check out.