Are There Any Art Deco Casinos in Las Vegas?

I love Art Deco. Has there ever been a Deco-themed hotel/casino in Las Vegas? I think it would be a great idea for a new casino to have an entire Art Deco theme. Who can I write to suggest the idea to and what does the editor and staff think of it?

Art Deco was all the rage between World War I and World War II, roughly 1915 to 1945, though it took its name from an expo of the decorative and industrial arts in Paris in 1925, where it was first exhibited as a style that encompassed interior design, architecture, furniture, textiles and fashion, jewelry, and to a lesser extent painting, sculpture, and graphic arts. It featured materials that were modern at the time: glass, chrome and other metals, plastics and other synthetics. And it was defined primarily by geometric motifs, with sleek curvilinear forms, bold colors, and zigzags, chevrons, and stepped patterns used as ornamentation.

The Chrysler Building in New York is a prime example of Art Deco. It was completed in 1930, near the height of the Deco movement, and the building's crown, with seven terraced arches ribbed in a radiating sunburst pattern, is highly characteristic of the style.

Which brings us to New York-New York, where the Chrysler Building is part of the "skyline" of the hotel towers, along with the sunburst neon sign, numerous Deco touches in the lobby and registration area, Deco detailing on the elevator doors, Deco panels that flank the main entryway, even the pool promenade themed like an Art-Deco ocean liner (at least it was the last time we were there). As far as we know, New York-New York is the Las Vegas hotel-casino that employed more Art Deco elements in its design than, probably, all the other themed casinos combined.

There's plenty of Art Deco in greater Vegas. For example, the Metropolis condo building at 360 E. Desert Inn Rd., though it was built in 2006, has a distinctive Deco architecture. The Huntridge Theater at 1208 E Charleston Blvd. was completed in 1943, at the tail end of the era, and combines Deco and Art Moderne styles.

But perhaps the most magnificent use of Deco was Hoover Dam itself, completed in 1935, with distinctive Deco sculptured turrets rising from the face of the dam and the two large cast-concrete panels at the inner towers depicting flood control, irrigation, and power in a semi-classical cubist style that typified Art Deco sculpture.

As for an Art Deco-themed casino, it seems a bit sophisticated or obscure -- too subtle, perhaps -- for a clientele that seems to prefer big bold statements such as the Luxor pyramid, the Eiffel Tower, the Bellagio fountains, the Strat's thrill rides, Excalibur's spires and turrets and parapets and corbels, Mirage's volcano, the Circus Circus midway, the Grand Canal at Venetian, the waitresses at Hooters ... need we continue?

Besides, themed megaresorts are, for the most part, a thing of the past. You might have better luck with small boutique off-Strip hotels that could conceivably consider some Deco touches and flourishes in the architecture and interior design. Keep your eyes on Vegas News in the lower right corner of this site's home page; that's where we report that such properties have been announced.

Has there ever been an Art Deco hotel-casino in Las Vegas?

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KRock S Dec-23-2019

Smith Center

When I first saw the Smith Center I could not understand it's art deco style.  I would have expected something more "Desert Modern" instead of a style from long ago and far away.  Instead of fitting with what was here it seemed as unlikely as an Eiffel tower on the strip - inauthentic.  Anyway, eventually I read something about the Smith center design being based on the Hoover dam - as good an explanation as any.  It's a beautiful building but the style doesn't make sense to me in a desert city with Las Vegas's history and 40 miles from what it was based on . . .

Albert Pearson Dec-23-2019

Red Rock Station

I too have always been a fan of Art Deco, and the first time I went into Red Rock Station I felt a distinct Art Deco vibe to the place. The Hotel Apache at Binion's also has an Art Deco theme to it.

Dan McGlasson Dec-23-2019

Art Deco outside of LV

It is not in Las Vegas, but the Eldorado Hotel and Casino in Shreveport is decorated in art deco.  The front of the building is a good example.  You can use Google maps street view to see it.  Not sure about the interior - the VP was not as playable as other casinos so I did not stay long!  Hope this helps.

Reno Faoro Dec-23-2019

art deco ?

LOL, i'm 77 , been to vegas , many, many times --and NEVER -NEVER was thinking about a place featuring ART DECO !!!! I GUESS I'M A SLOB . BTW, i have no piercings , tattos , died hair , etc . GO DEARBORN FORDSON . AGAIN -- ART DECO IN THE 2000 ???? Call mark -hall patton at the museum.

Deke Castleman Dec-23-2019

This in from Jeff via email

This is a reply to KRock S

I think a big reason The Smith Center is Art Deco is the history of the principals: The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation did most of the heavy lifting and funding, but they did not want to put his name on a building in Las Vegas (for various reasons). So they named it for Reynolds lieutenant and Foundation leader Fred Smith and his wife Mary. All these people came from Oklahoma and Arkansas before the mid 1950s. There are many Art Deco civic buildings in Oklahoma and Arkansas that were built with WPA funding in the 1930s. Also, the prime era of "resplendent movie palaces" in the same area was the 1930s. I think in the mind of the Reynolds Foundation, the great performance hall in the central part of Las Vegas needed to look like it had been there over 75 years, and Art Deco fits their mental image of what it should look like.

Kevin Lewis Dec-23-2019

Little known fact

Early Geico commercials featuring "The Art Deco Gecko" were released in select markets but were never really popular.

Dec-23-2019

Art Deco School Bldg

Several years ago, when I had my car, I drove all over central Las Vegas, because generally speaking, the distinctive old architecture of any city is usually located in or near the city's downtown. I remember that, east of LV Blvd and south of Fremont St., in a residential neighborhood, I was surprised to come across what appeared to be an old (but now closed) school that was done up very ornamentally in Art Deco. It was beautiful. I just now tried to pin down its location (and maybe its name) via Google Maps, but was unsuccessful. Perhaps someone who lives in Vegas knows of this building I'm referring to, and can swing by and snap a photo of it, noting its name and address, or let us know that the building has been razed. Las Vegas doesn't appear to have much Art Deco left, but this building was a true jewel.

Question of the Day - 23 December 2019

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