Orbit Inn, Las Vegas, Bella Ladies V-Neck Tee

Description

The Orbit Inn opened in 1963 at 707 East Fremont Street, a three-story, 73-room motel originally part of the Best Western chain. Built by the Franklin Brothers, it quickly stood out for its sleek, Space-Age design, featuring a rooftop swimming pool and “refrigerated” air conditioning—luxury touches for a roadside motel of the era. Its most memorable feature? A pair of over-the-top space-themed neon signs: first, a rocket circling a globe, then later, a more streamlined “Motel” marquee. These quirky pieces of roadside art made the Orbit Inn a poster child of Las Vegas’s “Late American Rich” aesthetic, as described by author Tom Wolfe. On January 7, 1967, the Orbit Inn was thrust into national news when an Army deserter deliberately detonated dynamite inside his room, killing himself, his wife, and four other individuals. The explosion devastated a wing of the building, collapsing floors and causing extensive damage. Despite the tragedy, the motel reopened later that year after significant repairs. By 1974, the Orbit Inn had evolved into a full-fledged Hotel & Casino, featuring a compact but elaborately decorated gaming floor swathed in kitschy sci-fi flair. Gaming chips from as late as 1986 are still prized by collectors today. The property changed hands multiple times through the late 1970s and ’80s and ultimately closed in 1987. The building remained standing for some years but was finally demolished in the mid-2000s. Today, its former parcel holds Downtown Container Park, a modern retail and dining hub.