New Frontier Hotel and Casino

The New Frontier Hotel and Casino
File:Frontierlv.jpg
Opening date	October 30, 1942
Theme	Western
No. of rooms	986
Total gaming space	100,000 ft² (9,290 m²)
Permanent shows	none
Signature attractions	Gilley's Mechanical Bull
Casino type	Land-Based
Owner	Phil Ruffin
Previous names	Last Frontier The Frontier
Renovated in	1999 Atrium Tower
Website	The New Frontier

The New Frontier is a hotel and casino located on the famed Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada that has been operating continually since October 30, 1942. It was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip.

History

The property started as a nightclub called Pair-O-Dice that opened in 1930 and was renamed to the 91 Club for its location on US-91. It was subsequently rebuilt and renamed the "Hotel Last Frontier" in 1942. On April 4, 1955, it was renamed the "New Frontier," following a modernization of the resort.

The resort has the distinction of hosting Elvis Presley's first Vegas appearance in 1956, and the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on January 14, 1970.

On September 22, 1967, the resort was purchased for about $14 million by billionaire Howard Hughes, who then shortened its name to "The Frontier". Mr. Hughes purchased the resort from the previous owners, which had also included Steve Wynn in one of his early ventures when he first moved to Las Vegas.

Billionaire developer Phil Ruffin bought the resort in 1998 from embattled owner Margaret Elardi and her two sons. In 1999, the name was changed back to The New Frontier.

The New Frontier Hotel & Casino will be demolished to make way for THE PLAZA hotel. The demolition of the historic property is documented on the historic Las Vegas site http://www.leavinglv.net/demolitions.html

Redevelopment plans

In 2000, Ruffin announced plans to raze the current facility and replace it with a megaresort with a San Francisco theme, but high interest rates and the attacks of September 11, 2001 scuttled those plans. In March 2005, with Las Vegas' fortunes on the rise, Ruffin announced new plans to demolish the current facility and replace it with a new resort with 3,000 rooms. [1] With massive new development taking place on the Strip adjacent to the hotel, the not-so-New Frontier's days are almost certainly numbered.

Trump Tower

Donald Trump, in partnership with Ruffin, is building a high-rise luxury hotel-condominium on some of its property, to be named the Trump International Hotel & Tower.

Since part of the old building still exists, some call the New Frontier the oldest remaining Strip hotel and casino.

Montreux Las Vegas

Rendering of the proposed Montreux Resort intended to replace the Frontier.

Phil Ruffin planned to build a $2 billion resort, Montreux (IPA pronunciation: [mɒn tɹoʊ]), entirely funded by him (with no partners), on the site of the New Frontier. The name Montreux comes from the famed Swiss resort which sponsors the yearly Montreux Jazz Festival.

The upscale 2,750 room resort was intended compete with the likes of the Mirage and Paris. It was to use jazz music as a draw. Ruffin said, "We don't really have a Strip casino that advertises good jazz music." A second Montreux Jazz Festival could have been a yearly event at the resort.

The resort was to feature a 400 foot (122 m) tall Ferris Wheel similar in size to the famous London Eye.

The site has 38.5 acres (15.6 ha) left after selling 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) to Donald Trump for the twin Trump Towers condo project located at the back of the property.

The Montreux bears a striking resemblance to the nearby Bellagio (hotel and casino).

El Ad Purchase

On May 15, 2007 it was announced that El Ad Properties plans to purchase the New Frontier for $1.2 billion. El Ad, which also owns the Plaza Hotel in New York City, intends to demolish the New Frontier and replace it with a replica of the Plaza. [2]

On May 16, 2007, it was announced to the 1,000+ employees of the New Frontier that the property would be closing on July 16, 2007.

The longest strike

From September 21, 1991 until February 1, 1998 members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las Vegas staged a strike against the New Frontier and the Elardis. A settlement was reached on October 28, 1997 when Ruffin announced he would purchase the New Frontier from the Elardis for $165 million dollars. The strike ended when Ruffin officially took possession.

According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun, the following events occurred during the strike:

• 17 CWU Local 226 strikers died.
• 106 babies were born to CWU member mothers who have walked the picket.
• The Dunes, Landmark, Sands and Hacienda were all closed and imploded
• More than 21,340 hotel rooms were constructed in Las Vegas.
• Construction on an additional 19,000 rooms and suites was started.
• 235 of the original 550 strikers had walked the line in shifts manned 24 hours a day.

External links

• Official Site of the New Frontier Hotel Casino
• http://www.leavinglv.net/demolitions.html