Shenandoah Hotel, Las Vegas, Triblend Tee

Description

The Shenandoah Hotel (which was supposed to be Hotel and Casino…more about that in a bit) was a short-lived but intriguing chapter in Las Vegas history, located at 120 E. Flamingo Road, just east of the Strip. It opened in February 1980, envisioned as a $29 million luxury casino resort named after entertainer Wayne Newton’s ranch, “Shenandoah.” Though Newton was involved in the project early on, the hotel quickly ran into regulatory and financial trouble that ultimately derailed its original vision. The hotel was developed under the leadership of John Harlow Tucker, who served as president and principal backer. However, shortly before the property’s planned casino launch, Nevada gaming regulators uncovered Tucker’s 1975 securities fraud conviction. The revelation led the Nevada Gaming Control Board to deny him a license, halting casino operations before they could even begin and triggering a wave of negative publicity. While the hotel portion opened as scheduled in early 1980, the lack of gaming revenue severely impacted profitability. Reports indicated the property was losing as much as $500,000 per month, and Tucker was soon forced out. Wayne Newton, whose name had lent both star power and marketing appeal, exited the partnership soon after. Without a functioning casino or strong investor base, the Shenandoah struggled to stay afloat. Despite its elegant architecture and prime location, the hotel never recovered. Ownership passed to Allarco Holdings, a Canadian company, which kept the hotel operational while exploring ways to revive it. However, by 1985, Shenandoah shuttered and was rebranded as the Bourbon Street Hotel and Casino, with a new theme and new management. The Shenandoah name quietly disappeared, having existed for less than five years. The Shenandoah Hotel is remembered more for what it could have been than what it was—a failed dream tied to a beloved Vegas icon, emblematic of the challenges that even star-studded projects can face in the world of gaming regulation and high-stakes development. Here’s an interesting tidbt for you: If you look at old pictures of the Shenandoah, you will notice the sign says ‘Shenandoah Hotel &’ with a big empty white strip following ‘hotel &.’ The signs had already been built and attached to the building, and those signs read ‘Shenandoah Hotel & Casino.’ But because, at the eleventh hour, it couldn’t secure its gaming license, the ‘Casino’ portion was simply covered. Although intended, it never opened as a hotel and casino … just a hotel. Today, the site serves as a street-level parking lot supporting Harrah’s Las Vegas.