DESERT INN Las Vegas Strip Hotel Casino - Built 1950

Desert Inn Implosion Video - Las Vegas October 23 2001

"A moderately gigantic temple of chance"(The New Yorker).

Pre-dating the Bellagio by 50 years, the Palm Spring's styled Desert Inn was the first Strip hotel to
use the unique 'water-in-the-desert' features of a front fountain, rear pool and Dancing Waters show.

The rear swimming pool was the first to use the 'curved' modern fifties shape, breaking away
from the 'square' pools of the forties El Rancho, Last Frontier, Flamingo and the Thunderbird.

The 1950 Desert Inn's front entrance, lawn and observation Skyroom,
(built in the shape of an airport control tower) offered the Strip's highest viewpoint.

The Desert Inn's registration desk and lobby.

"Glass enclosed on three sides, this lounge is reminiscent of an airport lookout tower.
The surrounding desert, mountains and far reaching tropically landscaped grounds are clearly
visable at all times. At night tiny electric stars twinkling in the ceiling of the lounge
make it seem one with the surrounding desert" (Architect and Engineer).

The Tournament of Champions was broadcast annually on NBC television, from the rear golf course.

Nightly cocktails and dancing under the Dancing Water's arch.

Ice swans, smiling servers and lots of food awaited DI buffet diners. Guests also had access to
barber and beauty shops, dress, apparel and curio shops, a soda fountain drugstore, and child care.

The 450 seat Painted Desert Showroom.

Night view of the Desert Inn entrance gate and the remodeled 1955 New Frontier,
looking northward down the Strip towards the 1956 Riviera (right) and 1958 Stardust (left).

View of Sunrise Mountain from the DI Skyroom.

The original Desert Inn in 1953.

A 10 story hotel tower was added north of the front entrance in 1963.

The Las Vegas version of the future St. Louis arch was the focal point of the pool area.

This 1964 aerial view shows the rear motel area. The New Frontier is across the street.

A 1968 view of the Desert Inn area of the Strip. The new 1967 Frontier
is at left replacing the 1942 Last Frontier and the 1955 New Frontier casinos.
The Desert Inn added a 'covered driveway' (porte cochere) and a new South Hotel Tower.

1977 photo shows the Desert Inn's palette shaped sign.


The 1978 Desert Inn's new glass-mirror tower addition and roadsign.

The 1963 tower and the 1978 re-modeling of the Desert Inn Hotel. A new hotel was
built on the site of the original casino and Skyroom Tower, south of the 1963 tower.

A 1980 view of the Desert Inn area of the Strip.