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Kelley added a bowling alley in 1959, which soon became the Showboat's signature attraction, hosting nationally televised [[Professional Bowlers Association|PBA]] tournaments.<ref name=MoehringGreen2005 /> Showboat bowling leagues were organized in Los Angeles and Phoenix, offering winners free trips to Las Vegas for championship events. By 1979, the bowling alley grew to 106 lanes, making it the nation's third largest.<ref name=MoehringGreen2005 />
Kelley added a bowling alley in 1959, which soon became the Showboat's signature attraction, hosting nationally televised [[Professional Bowlers Association|PBA]] tournaments.<ref name=MoehringGreen2005 /> Showboat bowling leagues were organized in Los Angeles and Phoenix, offering winners free trips to Las Vegas for championship events. By 1979, the bowling alley grew to 106 lanes, making it the nation's third largest.<ref name=MoehringGreen2005 />

[[Ramada Inns]] agreed in 1969 to buy the Showboat for $15 million in stock,<ref>{{cite news|title=Ramada Inns agrees to buy Showboat Inc. for $15 million stock|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=December 8, 1969|accessdate=2012-05-12|url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/133343598|publisher=via ProQuest}} {{subscription required}}</ref> but negotiations failed because of conditions set by Houssels, who wanted cash for his 24 percent stake.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ramada, Showboat casino terminate negotiations|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|publisher=via ProQuest|date=February 4, 1970|url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/133450579|accessdate=2012-05-12}} {{subscription required}}</ref>


A 19-story hotel tower was built in two phases, with the first nine floors opening by 1973, and the remainder in 1976, bringing the property to a total of 500 rooms.<ref>{{cite news|title=Casino sinks into history|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|first=Howard|last=Stutz|date=January 12, 2006|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-12-Thu-2006/news/5303102.html|accessdate=2012-05-12}}</ref>
A 19-story hotel tower was built in two phases, with the first nine floors opening by 1973, and the remainder in 1976, bringing the property to a total of 500 rooms.<ref>{{cite news|title=Casino sinks into history|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|first=Howard|last=Stutz|date=January 12, 2006|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-12-Thu-2006/news/5303102.html|accessdate=2012-05-12}}</ref>

Revision as of 06:07, 13 May 2012

This article is about the Boulder Strip casino. For the Las Vegas Strip casino, see Castaways (casino).

The Castaways Hotel and Casino, formerly the Showboat Hotel and Casino, was a hotel and casino located at the north end of the Boulder Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The hotel consisted of a 19 story tower containing 445 rooms, a 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m2) casino and an adjacent RV park.

History

The Showboat was built by William J. Moore of the Last Frontier and J. Kell Houssels of the Las Vegas Club[1] for $2 million.[2] The first resort within Las Vegas city limits, it had 100 rooms on two floors.[3] While Moore and Houssels ran the hotel, the casino was leased by a group of managers from the Desert Inn, including Moe Dalitz.[2] The Showboat opened on September 3, 1954.[4] After several unsuccessful years, Joe Kelley took over management, and began successfully targeting local customers with forty-nine cent breakfast specials and other promotions.[1]

Kelley added a bowling alley in 1959, which soon became the Showboat's signature attraction, hosting nationally televised PBA tournaments.[1] Showboat bowling leagues were organized in Los Angeles and Phoenix, offering winners free trips to Las Vegas for championship events. By 1979, the bowling alley grew to 106 lanes, making it the nation's third largest.[1]

Ramada Inns agreed in 1969 to buy the Showboat for $15 million in stock,[5] but negotiations failed because of conditions set by Houssels, who wanted cash for his 24 percent stake.[6]

A 19-story hotel tower was built in two phases, with the first nine floors opening by 1973, and the remainder in 1976, bringing the property to a total of 500 rooms.[7]

The hotel was successful until the 1990s when it suffered the same fate as the downtown casinos, which were losing business to the new megaresorts on the Las Vegas Strip. Many visitors also believed that this casino was located on the Strip since the exterior of Harrah's Las Vegas resembled a showboat.

The casino complex also was home to the Showboat Sports Pavilion, famous worldwide during the mid to late 1980s as the home to ESPN broadcasts of the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and International Roller Derby matches.

The Showboat was sold in March, 2000 and took on the Castaways name along with a south seas theme. The new owners never did well and according to the Associated Press, the facility was crippled by a downturn in tourism that occurred in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. They lost the hotel to the mortgage company when they could not make the required payments. The mortgage company finally sold the hotel at auction to Station Casinos.

Castaways closed for the last time in 2004.

Demolition began in July 2005. On January 11, 2006, the structure was fully demolished in a controlled implosion.

In order to comply with state gaming regulations to retain the gaming license for this location, a trailer with 16 slot machines was opened on the site for 8 hours on January 8, 2008.[8] The casino, licensed and operated by United Coin Machine Co. took a single $1 bet with a $2.50 payout.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Eugene P. Moehring; Michael S. Green (2005). Las Vegas: A Centennial History. University of Nevada Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-87417-615-5. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  2. ^ a b "Shows to start at midnight for new Showboat". Billboard. September 4, 1954. p. 34. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  3. ^ Eugene P. Moehring (2000). Resort City in the Sunbelt: Las Vegas, 1930-2000. University of Nevada Press. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-87417-356-7. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  4. ^ Michael Newton (2009). Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz. McFarland. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7864-3516-6. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  5. ^ "Ramada Inns agrees to buy Showboat Inc. for $15 million stock". Wall Street Journal. via ProQuest. December 8, 1969. Retrieved 2012-05-12. (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Ramada, Showboat casino terminate negotiations". Wall Street Journal. via ProQuest. February 4, 1970. Retrieved 2012-05-12. (subscription required)
  7. ^ Stutz, Howard (January 12, 2006). "Casino sinks into history". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
  8. ^ "KVBC News at 4". KVBC. 2008-01-08. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "No wins, but 'casino' a success". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2008-02-09. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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