Back in the day when Las Vegas first started to reinvent itself with a string of implosions to make way for new resorts, auctions were not uncommon. Both the Sands in '96 and the original Aladdin in '98 sold off their contents prior to demolition, with everything from chandeliers and grand pianos to ashtrays and shampoo up for grabs.
In more recent years, when financial hardship rather than modernization was the impetus behind many closures, it became more the norm for the liquidators to get their hands on any fixtures and fittings that might have some monetary value. No public sales took place when the Westward Ho, Castaways, Bourbon Street, or Boardwalk closed their doors in the mid-2000s.
With the exception of the Westward Ho, which held a place in many people's hearts, primarily for its cheap margaritas and obscenely-sized hot dogs, none of the aforementioned properties was particularly mourned in its passing. The next two properties to succumb to the march of time were a different story, however.
The Stardust remains perhaps the most missed property from the Vegas of old, for a number or reasons. Its association with the city's "mob" past and colorful characters like "Lefty" Rosenthal; its iconic race and sports book; its classic neon signage; and the free room offered to LVA members year after year are just a few of the reasons for which the 'Dust is fondly remembered. The fact that it was imploded to make way for a property which, five years on, shows no signs of coming to fruition anytime soon, also makes the demise of an old familiar that much sadder.
Hence, it was welcome news to many when it was announced that prior to its implosion, a five-day public auction would be held in November, 2006, in which everything from furniture to palm trees was up for grabs, enabling fans to pick up a souvenir of their old friend before the building met its date with dynamite.
While the New Frontier was not as beloved as the Stardust, it was another of the few remaining historic properties on the Strip and its passing was symbolic to those visitors who've been coming to Las Vegas for years and feel nostalgia for the days when everything was smaller and more personal. They were given a chance to pick up a keepsake when that property also held a public auction in the summer of 2007.
Which brings us to the Sahara, another iconic property from Vegas' past that had undoubtedly seen better days by the time it closed last month, but which in its heyday was one of the glittering jewels of the Strip and whose showroom and lounge hosted a string of stars, including Louie Prima and Keely Smith, the Rat Pack, Don Rickles, Johnny Carson, Tina Turner, Judy Garland, Wayne Newton, Shirley Bassey, and Liza Minelli, to name a few. Elvis hung out at the Sahara and the Beatles stayed there when they played their only concert in Las Vegas, back in 1964.
Despite its rich history, there was no ceremony to mark the end of an era when the property finally closed its doors on May 16 after a protracted decline that commenced with the closure of two of the hotel towers back in 2009. And just as the historic casino went out with much more of a whimper than a bang, the traditional auction of inventory will be substituted by what sounds more like a giant yard sale.
For one last time, on Thursday, June 16 at 10 a.m., the doors will open to the public to sell off goods remaining inside the hotel, including lamps, chandeliers, TVs, chairs, kitchen equipment, pool furniture, and neon signs. The hotel-wide sale will be a first come, first served affair and will go on until everything's sold, or June 19, whichever comes first. There will be a $10 admission charge and payment must be by cash, Visa, or MasterCard. Purchasers are responsible for removing any items they buy.
For more information, and photographs of many of the items up for sale, click here.
