Gamblers Hall of Fame Casino, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Venue History

In 1974, at 32 Fremont Street, Las Vegas welcomed the Gambler’s Hall of Fame Casino, taking over the site of the former Carousel Casino. Designed as a tribute to poker heroes and gaming luminaries, its name evoked the reverence of new halls of fame—but it was no museum; inside, you could gamble, drink, snack, and bask in the era’s Vegas flair. Despite its starry concept, the casino had a fleeting lifespan. By January 1976, less than two years after opening, Gambler’s Hall of Fame shuttered amid financial struggles. Its winding path through court landed it under U.S. Bankruptcy Court oversight, and in December 1975, Las Vegas Sun reported that Al Sachs—former Stardust Hotel GM—placed the winning $135,000 bid for the property. The casino’s default loan was tied to a Teamsters Pension Fund, hinting at murky affiliations typical of the era. After Sachs closed the chapter, the site reinvented itself—with Herb Pastor of Golden Goose fame later taking the helm, renaming it Sundance West, then Sassy Sally’s, and eventually Mermaids Casino for most of the 1990s. Collectors keep its colorful legacy alive through rare chips, matchbooks, and memorabilia—like the striking red-and-black $5 chip from 1974. That piece alone can fetch around $100, a testament to the casino’s cult following. Though its tenure was brief, Gambler’s Hall of Fame reflects an era of downtown Las Vegas defined by bold themes, rapid turnover, and whispered mob ties. It served as a bridge between mid-century glitter and the massive downtown resurgence. The original structure is long gone—demolished in 2017-2018 during redevelopment. Its footprint now lies beneath the expansive Circa Resort and Casino complex, which opened in 2020.