Your 1st Vegas hotel?

1970 we drove from Camp Pendleton to Vegas for our 1st Chistmas together (married in Sept right after promotion to Sgt E5). Staying at the "largest motel in the world" over 1000 rooms according to the ad. The luxurious.......Westward Ho! They had no casino at the time, however at check-in we were given a bag with a lot of coupons most good for
"1/2 roll" of nickels (not something you see anymore). Gas, motel, and 3 days of eating, drinking, 2 headliner shows, and gambling cost us $180. Have been going back every since in an attempt to get our $180 back.

November 1985 , Holiday Inn, The "Ship on the Strip" Now Harrahs, been going back every year since , Switched Base Hotel in 1991 to Excalibur and 1999 to the Orleans

In 1986 I visited Las Vegas for the 1st time and stayed at The Riviera (complete with bright red carpet, bright red curtains and and huge "R" embroidered on the bed spread. I think I still have the ashtray!

1990 Lady Luck Memorial Day Weekend. Flew Am West, 1st airline flight ever too. 6 of us hung out downtown drinking and gambling all day and night.

I don't remember the year but it was the Marina Hotel and Casino where MGM is now....that was a long time ago.

April 1992 - when I booked it, it was Holiday Inn - by the time I got there, it was Harrah's.

Late 70's on United Airlines, arrived at 11:30 p.m. - checked into Lady Luck and wasn't smart enough to go to bed. By 4 am I was up a couple of hundred dollars (Only took $500 with me, as I recall.), and was permanently hooked on Las Vegas. Lady Luck continued to be my/our hotel of choice until they closed. Roy

1987 The Aladdin. Loved it...room was ice cold at night.

What a difference, Vegas then and now.

I would play 2 nickels or 2 quarters (playing "full" took 3 coins).

$200 would get me through a "3 days/2 nights" trip.

The only penny machines around were at Little Caesars next door...real creepy place but looking back I wouldn't have missed it.

1976 - Riviera Hotel.

Flew from Philly via Chicago on a DC-10 with a total of 10 people and then it was about 80% full from Chicago to Vegas.

We stayed 8 nights and lost $300 all in nickle machines and $1 BJ at Slots o fun across the Blvd from the Riv.

I've been back about 20 times since then and still stay at the Riv !

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1978, the Hacienda. It was actually pretty classy hotel/casino back then.