Thunderbird (resort)
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The Thunderbird Hotel was a Paradise, Nevada, hotel and casino that operated from September 2, 1948 to July 6, 1992, and was the fourth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel was founded by developer Marion Hicks and attorney/Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Clifford A. Jones. In 1955, the hotel came under investigation, as it was believed that Meyer Lansky had an ownership interest. In 1964, the property was sold to Del Webb, and in 1972 to Caesars World. For the last 15 years of its existence, the site changed names twice and buildings. First as the Silverbird in 1977 (when it was sold to Major Riddle, owner of the Dunes Hotel), and then the El Rancho Casino in 1982 (when it was sold to Ed Torres, owner of the Aladdin Hotel), borrowing the name of the very first resort that opened on the Strip.[1]
The Thunderbird has the distinction of being the resort where singer Rosemary Clooney made her first appearance in Las Vegas in 1951, and where Judy Garland made her final Vegas appearance in 1965.
On July 6, 1992, the resort permanently closed its doors. The property was purchased by the International Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., founded by notorious penny-stock operator Robert E. Brennan. Like many other legendary resorts, it became a throwback to the old days and could not compete with newer resorts. For eight years the building lay vacant while developers competed with one another for the land. Among the proposed projects included a casino called Starship Orion where the resort would be shaped like a huge star ship, and for several years the marquee claimed that "Countryland USA" would be coming soon. During the time of the hotel-casino's closing and the implosion, there were local rumors of the building being haunted by ghosts. KVBC News 3 of Las Vegas did an investigation into the haunting and discovered that most of the structure was rotten, with a handful of operating slot machines and some rooms totally renovated and maintained. This report led to the State of Nevada ordering Turnberry Associates to consider a purchase of the property. In 2000 the land was purchased by Turnberry, and on October 3, 2000, the old resort was imploded.
The Turnberry Place condominium complex now occupies on a portion of the site.
This land is now slated to be the site for the $2.8 billion Fontainebleau Resort.[2][3]
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