Downtown Vegas' El Cortez casino celebrates 80° anniversary with a $25M renovation

Las Vegas-based casino El Cortez will celebrate its 80° anniversary with a $25 million renovation and a fireworks show which will take place on November 6, featuring a speech by Mayor Carolyn Goodman. 

The property will be throwing the festivities in celebration of 80 years of running the hotel and casino downtown, thus becoming the only casino listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Built in 1941, the casino was downtown Las Vegas’ first major resort with 59 rooms designed in a Spanish Ranch theme. Those original rooms can still be rented today in the Vintage tower with stairway access from the casino floor. 

According to an official release, in 1945, the El Cortez was sold to Gus Greenbaum, Meyer Lansky, Moe Sedway, and Bugsy Siegel, who purchased the property for $600,000. Geoff Schumacker from the Mob Museum has confirmed that El Cortez was the first hotel casino in Las Vegas to be owned by the Mob.

In 1963, El Cortez was purchased by Las Vegas icon, Jackie Gaughan, who maintained ownership of the hotel & casino for five decades and resided at the hotel until his death in 2014.

The old facade.

According to the release, "Gaughan’s residence at the hotel is a time-capsule, with much of the suite preserved as it was since the 1980s. With its pale pink-and-gold interior, dramatic lighting, statement furniture pieces, and more, the Jackie Gaughan Suite transports guests into a different era reminiscent of Vegas in the 1980s."

The luxury suite is located on El Cortez’s 15th floor and is available to book by special request only. 

In 2008, Gaughan sold the property to his long-time family friend, partner and gaming pioneer, Kenny Epstein. He also celebrated his 80th birthday this year, and his daughters, Alexandra Epstein-Gudai and Katie Epstein-Fine, are the family credited with keeping the downtown landmark relevant.