Question of the Day - 28 June 2017

We haven’t received a “whatever happened to?” question for a few months. These are favorites of ours, being historians at heart and, thus, always interested in what people miss about Las Vegas.

It also reminds us of an e-book we like, Simplifying Las Vegas by Mike Attisano. It’s a cool guidebook that, this year, is in its 10th edition, available on Amazon for a bargain $4.99 (or free with Kindle Unlimited). Mike’s a young guy (compared to us QoD geezers), so his book is aimed at “travelers looking for bargains, boisterous parties, and the best of everything.” He has a great perspective on the town; he’s also a good writer with a fun style whose motto is “Go to Vegas. It’s that Simple.”

In the e-book is a section called “Whatever Happened To …?" Listed first is one of his favorites, the Elvis museum, and he’s graciously given us permission to reprint the whole list.

Whatever Happened To...?

Las Vegas doesn't let the grass grow below its feet. And that's not just because it's in the desert. Make way for the new, the modern, the hip. Out with the old. But in case you’re looking for something that you swear was just there yesterday, here’s a short list of stuff that either used to be there or is there in a different form now.

The Elvis-a-Rama Museum? It closed in 2006. But for seven glorious years, this cool museum adorned Industrial Road (now Dean Martin Drive), right behind the heart of the Strip. It was a great collection of Elvis clothes, cars, and other items that Elvis fans could see up close. Elvis impersonators also performed in a small showroom inside the venue. Viva Elvis!

The Liberace Museum? Another of my favorites, this museum was open from 1979 to 2010. Located on E. Tropicana Ave, it hosted lots of jumpsuits, cars, and pianos. Some of Liberace's cars are now on display in the Hollywood Cars Museum at 5115 Dean Martin Drive.

The roller coaster on top of the Stratosphere? The High Roller ran 900 feet above Las Vegas Boulevard. It was a tame ride, so it never really gained much favor with visitors. However, there are plenty of crazy rides atop the site that Bob Stupak built, so if you like your thrills at the top of the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, you won't be disappointed.

The Free Aspirin and Tender Sympathy sign? It disappeared in the mid-1990s when the Monte Carlo was built. The sign, which represented what Las Vegas is all about, sat next to a Union 76 gas station for many years. Now it’s in the Neon Museum Boneyard.

The White Tiger display at the Mirage? One of the coolest free attractions on the Strip closed in 2008 to make way for a restaurant. You can now see the white tigers as part of Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden, but it ain't free.

The Masquerade Show in the Sky show at Rio? In 1997, to the tune of $25 million, the Rio invested in a really cool carnival-themed show. Showboats and gondolas moved along tracks in the ceiling above the casino floor. Entertainers threw trinkets and Mardi Gras beads to onlookers. There was also a stage with a free performance. You could purchase tickets to ride in the floats. It ceased and desisted in March 2013, probably due to the cost of production.

The Lion Habitat at MGM Grand? The Strip has a thing for large dangerous cats. The Lion Habitat, another great free spectacle, was open from 1999 to 2011, when it made way for more profitable space in the enormous property.

The MGM theme park? Yes, MGM Grand used to house a huge amusement park behind its enormous hotel-casino. It was open from 1993 to 2002. Signature at MGM Grand, a trio of upscale condo towers, replaced the space in 2006.

The pirate show at Treasure Island? “Buccaneer Bay” was a major attraction that faced the Strip, right in front of TI. It depicted a battle between the Brit Navy and South Seas pirates. The pirates sunk the Brit ship and won the battle. This was the family-friendly show that ran from 1993-2003. In 2003, TI went with a sexier show, “Sirens of TI,” which featured scantily dressed mythological women battling scantily dressed pirates. This show ran from 2003-2013, when it closed to make room for more retail space. I guess 10 years was the maximum amount of time for any free water-based shows in front of TI.