Bird Cage Casino, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Venue History

The Bird Cage Casino was a short-lived but visually unforgettable chapter in Fremont Street history. Located on the famed “Lucky Corner” at 100 East Fremont Street (First & Fremont), it occupied the spot where part of Binion’s Gambling Hall and the Whiskey Licker Up bar sit today. The project was approved in late 1957, when Nevada’s Gaming Control Board recommended a license for the new $600,000 Bird Cage Casino. Backers Stewart R. Kennard Jr. and Maurice W. Fortney—described as former Los Angeles bakers—told regulators they planned to run seven table games and 102 slot machines, with a bankroll of about $218,000. The casino was scheduled to open around New Year’s Day 1958. The Bird Cage debuted on January 1, 1958, bringing a sleek, modern façade to the corner. Its most famous feature—and the origin of its name—was an enormous 10-foot birdcage sign mounted above the entrance, containing giant red dice. The illuminated cage became a downtown landmark, captured in postcards and photos alongside neighbors like the Mint, California Club, Nevada Club, and Boulder Club. Inside, the Bird Cage was a compact, slots-heavy downtown casino typical of the era: tight rows of machines, a handful of table games, and a bar that catered to both tourists and Fremont Street regulars. Positioned on a prime corner, it seemed poised for success. But competition downtown was fierce, and the Bird Cage struggled to generate enough play despite its high-visibility location. A Neon Museum retrospective notes that the casino closed after only about 16 months, never living up to the “Lucky Corner” reputation. In late 1959, the neighboring Mint Hotel acquired the defunct Bird Cage space and adjoining frontage along North First Street as part of a major expansion that would eventually cover the whole corner with the Mint’s pink neon façade. Though it operated for barely a year, the Bird Cage Casino remains a cult favorite among vintage Vegas fans. Its oversized caged-dice sign, scarce casino chips, and ashtrays keep its memory alive as a vivid symbol of 1950s Fremont Street—when even a tiny corner casino could make a big visual splash in neon. Today, the former Bird Cage Casino property is home to Circa Resort and Casino.