Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel lost the "hotel" part of its operation on Dec. 14, 2009, when it closed its 365 rooms located in a relatively modest structure (the former Apache Hotel) and the 26-story tower that formerly belonged to the Mint and was absorbed into Binion’s in 1988. The final blow preventing a reopening of those rooms was likely the coincidental opening of 500 new rooms at the Golden Nugget across the street. In addition to axing the hotel rooms, owner TLC Casino Enterprises dropped keno and closed Binion’s Original Coffee Shop. "This is a result of this brutal economy that has affected Las Vegas. We looked at every aspect of our operations and the hotel rooms are no longer competitive in this market," then-company spokeswoman Lisa Robinson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
As for Room 400, it indeed takes up the entirety of the fourth floor and, in the early years of the hotel was known as "the Penthouse." Despite the name, you can see from the accompanying interior photo that these weren't the poshest digs in town, though it was a notch or two above the other matchbox guest rooms. Like those other rooms, the Penthouse has sat vacant now for several years.
The former Apache Hotel dates back to 1931, when Pietro Ottavio Silvagni of Salt Lake City bought land at the corner of Fremont and Second, and began to erect a three-story steel-framed building (strong enough to support a potential two additional stories) clad in brick. The hotel received its gaming license, initially just for a single roulette wheel, on Jan. 6, 1932. It also had Las Vegas’ first elevator.
"The hotel was colorful and comfortable with a decor of the old west. Windows were draped, hand-carved divans and arm chairs were randomly placed throughout the hotel. Deep carpets covered the floor and there were rich oil paintings and unique chandeliers with an Indian motif throughout the hotel," recalls John Yee in a 2002 reminiscence published in Casino Chip and Token News. The casino has changed names and ownership more than 15 times over the decades, but the hotel remained the Apache until 1960, when Benny Binion turned it into Binion’s Horseshoe, imprinting a brand name that would stand for years to come.
