The Mint Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Version 2, Triblend Tee

Description

The Mint Hotel & Casino was a swanky mid‑century modern icon rising on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. It opened its doors on July 12, 1957—conceived by partners Milton Prell, Al Winter, L.B. “Tutor” Scherer, and J.D. “Joe” Hall, with Sam Boyd serving as the first general manager. Overshadowing all other landmarks with its soaring 16‑story neon pylon, The Mint boasted nearly 3 miles of neon tubing and a 16‑foot star visible up to 30 miles away—a quintessential show of Vegas spectacle. Its roadside sign and sweeping, ribbon-like chaser lights unified the original casino with its annexed Birdcage neighbor, becoming one of Fremont Street’s most photographed landmarks. In 1961, Prell sold The Mint along with his Sahara and Lucky Strike properties to Del Webb Corporation, forming Sahara‑Nevada Corp. Under Del Webb ownership, a 26‑story hotel tower was added in 1965—then briefly the tallest building in Nevada—along with expanded dining and entertainment facilities like the Top of the Mint restaurant and the Merri‑Mint Theatre. The Mint was famed for hosting early country stars—Patsy Cline performed there in late 1962 alongside Kitty Wells, while Loretta Lynn played with the Wilburn Brothers in October that year. It also served as a performance venue for Johnny Elvis Foster and Peter Urquidi in its Top of the Mint lounge during the late 1960s and early ’70s. Recognized nationally for promoting The Mint 400—Del Webb’s off‑road desert race established in 1968—the hotel served as the race’s start/finish line and headquarters. The event became legendary, attracting racers such as Parnelli Jones, Steve McQueen, and others, and echoing in American motorsport lore until the late 1980s. Hunter S. Thompson’s first night in Las Vegas on his famous 1971 trip with Oscar Acosta was spent at The Mint—and that very weekend inspired Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Pop culture further immortalized the hotel: it appeared in Viva Las Vegas (1964), Diamonds Are Forever, Starman, and more, and even the 1987 U2 music video “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” In 1988, The Mint was acquired by the Binion family and merged into Binion’s Horseshoe. After a nearly 37-year run, The Mint closed its doors on July 1, 1988, and was sold to Binion’s, which demolished most of the structures and expanded Binion’s Horseshoe onto the land. Today, the land is home to Binion’s Gambling Hall.