Riata Casino, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Description

The Riata Casino was a short-lived establishment on the Las Vegas Strip, operating from July 1973 through August 1974. Located at 3001 Las Vegas Boulevard South, it was part of the Las Vegas Plaza shopping center, developed by a group of Minneapolis investors who had acquired the property from the Kishner family. Despite its prime location across from the Stardust Hotel and Casino, the Riata struggled financially and closed a mere year after opening. In 1974, Major Riddle purchased the Riata and transformed it into the Silver City Casino, introducing an Old West theme to the property. Under Riddle’s ownership, Silver City became known for its affordable gaming options, including 10-cent craps and 25-cent roulette, and, in 1991 was the first casino on the Strip to ban smoking. Today, the short life and legacy of the Riata Casino is largely forgotten, but it remains an important part of Las Vegas’s rich history of ever-evolving entertainment venues. Las Vegas Plaza and the casino were demolished in 2004, replaced by Silver City Plaza, which remains to this day.