Bringing Back a Classic Name to the Las Vegas Strip
They say a classic never dies. In this case, the new owners of the SLS are changing things up a bit on the North end of the Strip. SLS stands for Service, Luxury and Style. Which did not get the clout that it was looking for when it opened its doors in 2013. The hotel struggled to get the traffic that the North end once had. In the early days of this property entertainment was the big draw.
Sahara is Where The Strip Starts
In 1954 jazz and lounge acts were a big thing back then. With acts like Louis Prima’s late-night lounge act and home of the Jerry Lewis Telethon in the 1970s and a brief time in the 1990s. This Landmark property was home of The Rat Pack members, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. Other entertainers also made a mark at the Sahara including, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, George Carlin, Wayne Newton, Don Rickles, Sony & Cher just to name a few.
By May 16, 2011, the Sahara was shut down due to economic viability. The assets where liquidated leaving the Flamingo, Riviera (closed 2015), Tropicana, Caesars Palace and Circus Circus remaining from the pre-1969 era.
In April 2018, the Meruelo Group purchased the SLS and announced plans to do a $150 million dollar renovation and also rebranding as the Sahara Las Vegas. Which celebrated it’s renaming ceremony on June 27th with a modest fireworks display and billboard reveal of the new name and logo.