Las Vegas Photos from the 1960's

Old MGM Grand Hotel

Vegas Interactive Map

Dunes Hotel Las Vegas

Old Vegas Pictures

Old Vegas Pictures

The following photos in this old Vegas pictures gallery trace the growth of the MGM Grand from its various locations and forms to its current day mega resort incarnation on Las Vegas Boulevard.

In addition to vintage MGM Grand photos, this classic gallery features images of Las Vegas resorts that no longer exist, such as the Aladdin, the Dune, the Stardust, the Desert Inn and the Tallyho.

There's also a great image of the Las Vegas location of the since departed Brown Derby Restaurant.

This page also details some of the fascinating history of Las Vegas from the 1960's - present.

Be sure to browse through the rest of our old Las Vegas photos for glimpse into Sin City's past.

1960's Las Vegas

The Sixties and Seventies saw the beginning of the real estate frenzy on the Vegas Strip, as future casino magnants like Howard Hughes, Kirk Kerkorian and a young Steven Wynn raced to create The Next Big Resort. As the decade of the Sixties culminated with the moon landing, two new casinos were also in a race to open by the time man reached the moon (on July 20). The Landmark, which was inspired by Seattle’s Space Needle, opened its doors first on July 1. The International, Las Vegas’ first 3-winged hotel, opened the next day - July 2, 1969. Other Las Vegas milestones in the Sixties and Seventies include:

• In 1965, the 1,000 room Stardust was the largest hotel in the world until the opening of Kirk Kerkorian's 1,500 room International Hotel in July 1969.
• The 2,100 room MGM Grand Hotel opened as the Strip's first super-resort in 1973. The MGM Grand set a new standard of size for early Las Vegas, unmatched for 16 years - until the 1989 opening of Steve Wynn's Mirage.
• The parking lot between Flamingo Road and Caesars was purchased by a young Steve Wynn from Howard Hughes - and would give him his first good fortune in its sale to Caesars.

Recent Vegas History

Today, the Las Vegas Strip is in a constant state of reinvention. Classic destinations like Caesars Palace compete against new mega-resorts like the Venetian and the Wynn for an international crowd of Las Vegas visitors looking to experience the glitz and glamour of Sin City. Historic casino resorts like the Frontier and the Stardust are demolished and quickly replaced by a new generation of Las Vegas Mega-Resorts.

• The Landmark operated from 1969-1990. The Convention Center was demolished in 1990. The Landmark was imploded in 1995. The Stratosphere Tower would open in 1996, becoming the new towering landmark for Las Vegas - influenced by the original Landmark.
• The original MGM, then located at the south-east corner of Flamingo & the Strip, was sold to Bally's in 1986.
• The current, 5,005 room MGM Grand Las Vegas opened at the north-east corner of Tropicana & the Strip in December 1993, becoming the largest hotel in the United States and currently the second largest in the world.