Who Owned the Acreage That the Huge MGM Grand Was Built on?

Who owned the property that the MGM Grand was built upon? A friend of mine says that the property had been the golf course for the Tropicana Hotel, but that the Tropicana did not own the golf course.

The Tropicana opened way down at the south end of the Strip, all by its lonesome, in 1957. The closest hotel at the time was the Flamingo, a mile or so north.

The Tropicana Country Club opened in 1961 on 125 acres across Tropicana Avenue from the hotel.

Your friend is correct. The country club and golf course, when they were sold to Kirk Kerkorian in 1990, were owned by the family of Ben Jaffe, the original developer of the Tropicana, who had to sell his share due to mob shenanigans in 1959, but retained part ownership of the golf course.

Ramada Inc., which bought the Tropicana due to more organized-crime problems in 1979, was the other owner of the club and course.

Jim Aljian, a long-time associate of Kerkorian's who'd helped develop Caesars Palace, the International (now Westgate), and the first MGM Grand (now Bally's), then served for many years on the MGM's board of directors, owned a small parcel that was contiguous to the golf course.

So Kerkorian put together acreage from the Jaffes, Ramada, and Aljian to open what at the time was the largest hotel in the world.

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Comments

Jeffrey Small Jul-31-2022

South End of the Strip

You state that the Tropicana Hotel sat at the south end of the strip "all by its lonesome".  I remember my first trip to LAS in 1974. I recall seeing  The Hacienda Resort at the south end of the Strip "in the middle of nowhere" surrounded by the desert sand and nothing else!  It was on the other side of the street from the Trop but I would say it was the more "lonesome" of the early hotels.  Also, back then the "city" ended at Eastern Avenue--there was really noting on the other side!   Our local friend took us to the "new Mall" over there!

Roy Furukawa Jul-31-2022

Marina Hotel?

I thought the Marina Hotel & Casino was incorporated into what is now MGM Grand? If so, who owned that?

Ronald Kaim Jul-31-2022

MARINA HOTEL

Roy, you are correct. the Marina was at the Western edge of the golf course and part of the Marina building is part of the mgm.

Walter Dirzulaitis Aug-01-2022

MGM Marina

Not sure who originally built the Marina, but MGM bought it and renamed it the MGM Marina Hotel briefly. They even moved the Lion that you could take a picture with to the Marina.

Question of the Day - 31 July 2022

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