Tangiers Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Venue History

The Tangiers Hotel and Casino is one of the most famous and iconic Las Vegas resorts that never actually existed. Created for Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino, the fictional property served as the mob-controlled centerpiece of the story and was modeled on the real Stardust Hotel and Casino during its turbulent 1970s era. In the film, the Tangiers is operated by gambling expert Sam “Ace” Rothstein, played by Robert De Niro. The Rothstein character was based on Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, the oddsmaker, organized-crime figure, and casino executive associated with the Stardust and other Argent Corporation casinos. The Tangiers storyline dramatized allegations that organized-crime interests secretly controlled casino operations and skimmed untaxed money from gaming revenue before it could be officially counted. Joe Pesci’s volatile and violent Nicky Santoro character was based on the much feared Chicago Outfit enforcer, Anthony “The Ant” Spilotro, while Sharon Stone’s Ginger McKenna character drew heavily from Rosenthal’s real-life wife, Geri McGee. Although the Stardust inspired the Tangiers’ history, filmmakers did not shoot the casino scenes there. The majority of the Tangiers interior was filmed inside the nearby Riviera Hotel and Casino, whose classic casino floor still conveyed the appearance of 1970s Las Vegas. In addition, the by-then shuttered Landmark Hotel and Casino was transformed into the Tangiers for exterior and entrance scenes, receiving temporary signage, lighting, and set dressing. The filming gave the once-renowned Landmark one final moment in the spotlight before its 1995 demolition. Within Casino, the Tangiers represents old-school Las Vegas: glowing neon, heavy mob oversight, packed gaming tables, glamorous showrooms, lavish suites, superb customer service, high rollers, hustlers, showgirls, and enormous amounts of cash moving behind the scenes. It also becomes a symbol of the city’s transition away from mob influence and toward corporate ownership. Because Casino blended fictional names with highly detailed real-life events, the Tangiers has oftentimes been mistaken for an actual existing Las Vegas resort. Hence, its cultural impact and significance to Las Vegas is very real. For generations of movie fans and Las Vegas history enthusiasts, the Tangiers has become visual fact-based shorthand for the dangerous, extravagant, neon-soaked era of 1970s Sin City. Though it existed only on film, the Tangiers remains one of Las Vegas’ most memorable “lost” casinos, a fictional monument built from the Stardust, Riviera, and Landmark resorts, as well as the mind of Martin Scorsese.