Where Was the Mint and Why Did It Close?

I finally watched the Johnny Cash movie Walk The Line last night. In one scene, Johnny and his soon-to-wife, June Carter, performed in Vegas at a casino called the Mint. I haven't been going to Vegas for all that long, but I've never heard of the Mint. Was it a real casino or made up for the movie? If it was real, where was it, when was it in business, and why did it close?

Yes, it was a real hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas. It opened in 1957 on Fremont Street between First and Second, right next to Binion's Horseshoe. The owners of the Mint and the Sahara on the Strip merged the two properties and received some financing to build a hotel tower on the property, for which ground was broken in 1962. It took three years to complete; when it was done, it stood 26 stories and at 290 feet tall was the second tallest building in Nevada at the time, seven feet shorter than the Landmark on Paradise Road. it cost $6 million all told.

In 1971, Hunter S. Thompson put the Mint on the map by staying there for one night on his trip to cover the Mint 400 off-road race for Sports Illustrated. The Mint, the 400, and the whole Vegas experience served as the basis for arguably the all-time most famous book about Sin City, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

The Mint's other claim to fame was its behind-the-scenes tour. It was free and open to the public and granted access to areas what would be unprecedented today, given the lack of red tape and rules and regulations, particularly when it came to matters of security and surveillance.

The tour took visitors into the slot repair shop, the hard-count room with its giant coin-counting machine, and up to the eye-in-the-sky catwalk for a peek through the one-way glass onto the casino floor.

The Mint proceeded into a long slow decline until 1989, when the property was purchased by the Binions for $36.5 million and was turned into what they called "the Horseshoe West." All the Binions had to do was cut a big hole in the shared casino wall to incorporate the Mint into the Horseshoe. For a long time, the two casinos were a contrast in '50s' and '60s' design and decor.

Finally, the hotel tower closed in December 2009, right around the time that City Center was opening out on the Strip. And there it stands, a dark hulk, whose owners mention it from time to time, but always in the context of it being too costly to renovate and reopen.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Has Clark County ever considered legalizing prostitution?

Comments

Bob Nov-08-2023

Top o' the Mint

I believe sitting on top of that 26 story "Dark Hulk" is the ever so popular Top of Binion's Steak House, which once was the "Top o'the Mint"  I wish they would restore/repair the Glass Elevator!

VP4LIFE Nov-08-2023

Hotel Tower

With the continued development and popularity of downtown, there's only so many much more time that it will be viable to let that building sit there. Hopefully TLC is making plans to either bite the bullet and take on the renovation or sell the property.

Hoppy Nov-08-2023

What a Sign

The Mint had what has to be the most memorable sign on Freemont. Notice that the Horseshoe is connected to Paris much like it was connected to the Mint.

Esloth Nov-08-2023

Pool

I read that Binion bought the Mint because the Horseshoe did not have a pool. Can anyone confirm that?

Reno Faoro Nov-08-2023

a MINT

recall ,the mint , looking at my old slugs , i have one !!  any offers ?????????????

Bob Nov-08-2023

Roof Top

36.5 Million in 1989 would buy you a LOT of pools!  I'm guessing it wasn't the reason, But quite literally just the Cherry on Top

Raymond Nov-08-2023

Tower

The problem with the tower is that of asbestos remediation.  This would be extremely costly to do, whether as part of a remodeling/reopening or if it was to be removed.  So unless there's some substantial increase in demand for rooms downtown and overall, I doubt that the tower rooms will reopen.

Kevin Rough Nov-08-2023

The rooms

I stayed in those rooms six months before they closed in 2009.  There was no soundproofing, so you heard everything from Fremont Street.  The air conditioning barely worked and the room was a good 10 plus degrees warmer than what I wanted.  Every ice machine was out of ice.  The linens looked like they were purchased by Benny himself.  Nobody is missing those rooms.  They are going to need some major investment to bring them up to standards that people expect.

Roger Gallizzi Nov-09-2023

Mint

I remember as a child, signs along Interstate 15 advertising the Mint's 90  foot long buffet.  And we went to it once; I can still remember what I ate. When I  was old enough to gamble and was still exploring what game I liked I played Keno in the Keno Lounge.  The chairs were a scarlet velour and I thought it was the most elegant Keno lounge in Las Vegas.  I won there as well, 8 out of 8; I thought those were my lucky numbers and for years while I was playing other games would buy a Keno ticket (the old kind when they still used ink and brushes) never won on them again! If you go to Binion's and walk through the front of the casino you can still feel the elevation of the floor change slightly and that's when you know you are entering the old Mint.

AL Nov-10-2023

Photo?

Hey, you LVA folks, how come you didn't post a photo of the Mint?  Its pink/purple/mauve facade (I'm not sure which color you'd call it) was a glorious design, leaving every other facade in its dust.

Question of the Day - 08 November 2023

Comments