What Happens to the Interior Furnishings from Imploded Casinos?

What happens to the interior furnishings from imploded casinos? Is it available to purchase as memorabilia? I know when the Riviera was imploded, they sold off casino floor and room furnishings and I wish I had bought a piece as it was my favorite old casino.

There haven’t been too many implosions of consequence in recent years, other than the Riviera, which you mentioned. The Riv was imploded in 2015, just short of its 60th anniversary. Most of its furnishings, including 2,075 guest rooms and suites worth of furniture and fixtures, all the gaming tables and stools from the casino, the bar and restaurant furnishings, a vast array of commercial kitchen equipment, chandeliers, office furniture, pool and patio furniture, sports memorabilia, and on and on, were "re-marketed" by National Content Liquidators in a $3 million sale. This is what happens to the furnishings from most hotels that close for one reason or another; in its business life, NCL has conducted more than 1,000 such sales.

Everyone was welcome to buy the items over the four-day sale. Admission just to get in to see it all was $10.

In the case of the Stardust, brought down in 2007, Boyd Gaming spokesman David Strow says, “All of the furnishings (and most of the other items) were sold after the property closed [presumably by a liquidator], but we did keep a few items around. Most notably, we used some of the ‘stars’ from the Stardust marquee in the design of 90 Ninety, one of our restaurants at the Suncoast. We do have a few small items left, like dice, cards and matchbooks … but that’s about all that is left now from the Stardust.”

Another famous implosion, back in the day (1993), was Steve Wynn’s takedown of the Dunes. Recalls former Mirage Resorts spokesman Alan Feldman, “In those days, most old hotel furniture was sold to brokers like Guy Deiro, who ran a pretty big auction company in Las Vegas. (He was also quite a character, typical of old Vegas.). He, in turn, often packaged up the furniture in smaller lots and sold it to hotels and motels all over the country. I’m not 100 percent certain about the Dunes, but that’s my best guess.

“A few years later, when we remodeled Treasure Island, all of that furniture went to Deiro. I asked him what on Earth he would do with 2,800 sets of identical tables, chairs, headboards, etc. He told me he was putting them in lots of 30-40 sets and selling them to Best Westerns across the country.”

Though it hasn't been imploded, when construction on the Fontainebleau was shut down amidst bankruptcy proceedings, its furnishings were sold off to the Plaza; the Downtown Grand brought several of its fancy escalators at fire-sale prices.

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vegasdawn Mar-20-2021

Have much memoriablia

We started going to closings in 2005 with the closing of Westwood Ho. That was nothing formal, but got a few things and walked out in the conga line when it closed later in the day.  Then when Boardwalk went down, we walked about and bet on the "Caffe Boardwalk" neon sign and have it up in our home.  Other neon we got was the huge BINGO sign from the Frontier.  Others are the Crown Royal and Hennessy neon from the Clarion and Riviera.  We have a number of interesting furnishings, lamps, kitchen items, etc., from Riviera, Sahara and Stardust. Went to them all or did online.  Then we have an old slot machine from The Dunes (takes coins) and one from Boulder that we purchased from a private party.  We love Las Vegas, but can't wait for the buffets to reopen.  It would be disappointing if more did not and glad Anthony Curtis knows how important they are to Las Vegas.  We have friends who don't even want to visit until the buffets are back.  Time to get rid of the mask mandate too.

[email protected] Mar-20-2021

vegasdawn

You should post some pictures!  Sounds like you have some really cool stuff.

Vintagevegasfan Mar-20-2021

Love vintage memorabilia too

I too collect old Las Vegas memorabilia.  Mine is smaller stuff, hundreds of the vintage ashtrays, old lighters with casino logos, swizzle sticks, matchbooks, the old paper coin cups, and old hotel key fobs.  I have two old slot machines as well.  One room in my house is my "shrine to Las Vegas!".

Pat Higgins Mar-20-2021

Big tex

I have trouble breathing with a mask on.  I also have several of the clear shields .  Do any casinos allow you to wear a shield in place of a mask at specific casinos while playing table card games, craps & roulette?

Doug Bergman Mar-20-2021

One of my greatest regrets

In life was not bidding on the Stardust rocket.  The auction catalog showed it next to a showgirl in feather costume (not included) and opening bid was $400. I  had the money but was way too cheap in those days.  Dawn probably got it instead  

I also remember being in Vegas during the Sahara liquidation sale when you could just go into individual rooms and grab stuff. And somehow I just didn't make it there. So much self disappointment.

Luis Mar-20-2021

buffallo bill's

Buffalo bill's over at Primm benefited from Fontainbleau furnishings also, they "remoldled" the rooms and re-carpeted with all they bought from Carl Icahn when he bought and gutted the Blue building.

steve crouse Mar-20-2021

Sahara

We happened to be around when the Sahara remodel sale went down.
Best ten bucks for admission to anything, evah!
It was really neat to see back of house operations. (Without being dragged out for some nefarious purpose)

vegasdawn Mar-20-2021

Hey Doug

We did not get the rocket from the Stardust and don't even know what it is.  I can assure you though, if $400.00 was the starting bid online, it went for much higher.  They were doing in person and online at the same time, so the prices were going crazy. 
Love all the stuff Audrey has.  We had lots of that type of old stuff too that got lost or thrown out when we moved so many years ago.  That is a regret.
And to lschulz, we don't know how to post pictures on here.
And to Pat Higgins, I believe you can wear a shield instead of a mask; at least we can at the gym.

Dave in Seattle. Mar-20-2021

Casino furnishings.

I want the carpet that is in the Plaza.  
  I had some from the Circus-Circus in Reno for a while. Always got remarks. Wild colors!  I donated at least 20 ashtrays stolen from Las Vegas and Reno.

Question of the Day - 20 March 2021

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