The Sahara Las Vegas: A Northern Strip Icon That Reinvented Itself Through Seven Decades

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Anchoring the northern edge of the Las Vegas Strip since 1952, the Sahara has survived fires, ownership shifts, and total identity makeovers. From its origins as a modest bingo hall to its current status as a modernized resort, this historic property reflects the evolving ambition of the Las Vegas gambling industry.

The site began in 1947 as Club Bingo, a successful venture by Milton Prell. Recognizing the potential for a grander destination, Prell and his partners replaced the bingo parlor with the Sahara, which debuted in October 1952 as the sixth hotel-casino on the Strip. Its early aesthetic leaned into an African desert theme, complete with fake camels and statues of Arab guards. Over the following decades, the resort expanded rapidly, adding high-rise towers and amenities like the first Olympic-sized swimming pool in the city. By the 1960s, it had become a premier destination, hosting celebrities like the Rat Pack and even welcoming President Lyndon B. Johnson.

However, the Sahara faced significant challenges as the Strip shifted southward and larger, more modern competitors like Caesars Palace and The Mirage emerged. The property struggled with aging infrastructure and financial instability, leading to multiple ownership changes. In 1995, Bill Bennett acquired the resort and initiated a major Moroccan-themed renovation to restore its appeal. Despite these efforts, the resort eventually closed in 2011, deemed no longer economically viable. It underwent a massive transformation, reopening in 2014 as the SLS Las Vegas, before being acquired by the Meruelo Group and rebranded back to the Sahara in 2019.

The resort's history is marked by dramatic incidents, including a major 1964 rooftop fire that Sheriff Ralph Lamb described as potentially the most destructive hotel blaze in the city's history. It also served as a testing ground for innovative business strategies, such as Del Webb's workaround for gaming license regulations and the introduction of the first casino-based limited partnership to trade on the New York Stock Exchange in 1987. Today, the Sahara stands as a testament to the resilience required to maintain relevance in the hyper-competitive landscape of Las Vegas, having evolved from a simple desert-themed motel into a complex, multi-tower entertainment hub.

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