Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Venue History

Bally’s Las Vegas was one of the Strip’s classic resort names, born from reinvention and forever linked to one of the city’s defining events. The property opened on December 4, 1973, as the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, a 26-story, 2,100-room megaresort that was then one of the largest hotels in the world. On November 21, 1980, disaster struck: a catastrophic fire swept through the casino and lower levels, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds more—still the deadliest event in Nevada history. Rather than demolish the building, MGM rebuilt. After an eight-month restoration and major upgrades—sprinklers, alarms, and extensive life-safety systems—the resort reopened in July 1981, eventually adding a second hotel tower that brought the room total to more than 2,800. In 1986, Bally Manufacturing purchased the resort and rebranded it Bally’s Las Vegas, removing MGM’s lion logos and giving the property a new identity. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, Bally’s operated as a classic Strip casino-hotel: a big gaming floor, multiple restaurants, showroom entertainment, and a strong emphasis on value compared to some of the newer themed megaresorts. Bally’s became especially famous for Jubilee!, a lavish, topless showgirl spectacular that debuted in 1981 (in the MGM era) and continued under the Bally’s name until 2016—one of the longest-running productions in Las Vegas history. In 1999, the resort gained a French-themed neighbor when Paris Las Vegas opened directly next door, linked to Bally’s via interior corridors and shared amenities. Over the 2000s and 2010s, Bally’s underwent a series of refurbishments, including room renovations, an updated casino floor, and the addition of the Grand Bazaar Shops along the Strip frontage in 2015. Despite newer, flashier properties rising around it, Bally’s retained a reputation as a centrally located, no-nonsense casino hotel with a strong value proposition and a deep well of Vegas history behind its walls. In December 2022, owner Caesars Entertainment retired the Bally’s name and rebranded the property as Horseshoe Las Vegas, honoring the legendary downtown Binion’s Horseshoe brand. But for more than three decades, Bally’s Las Vegas stood as a bridge between classic Strip heritage and the modern resort era—reborn from tragedy, rooted in old-school casino culture, and beloved by generations of visitors.