The Desert Inn actually boasted no less than three time capsules beneath it by the time it closed. The first was buried in 1985 to celebrate its 35th anniversary and was due to be opened on April 24, 2020.
In 1992, when the hotel was theoretically rebranded the Stars Desert Inn & Country Club, another time capsule was buried to honor Frank Sinatra’s 77th birthday. It was supposed to be opened on Dec. 12th, 2020.
Finally, in April 2000, the resort celebrated its 50th –- and what turned out to be its final –- birthday. To mark the occasion, a third time capsule was buried in a custom-built granite chamber right in front of the casino entrance. Its contents included: historic and contemporary employee photographs and property postcards; a section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal commemorating the event; menus; gaming chips; a media kit; a videotape of "Vega$," the TV show; a players club card; and a security badge. This one was due to be opened on April 25, 2050, the plaque reading:
TO BE OPENED 50 YEARS LATER ON APRIL 24, 2050.
However, during the week-long celebrations commemorating the resort’s golden anniversary, Steve Wynn bought the property, as you correctly point out. By the end of August that year, the DI had closed for good and the following year the dismantling process commenced, culminating in the final implosion in 2004. And, as far as we know and unless somebody secretly retrieved them, all three capsules now lie buried beneath the Wynn somewhere, where most likely they'll remain -- along with numerous other lost and forgotten time capsules scattered around town -- unless or until some future construction work should happen to unearth any or all of them.
