Monthly Archives: May 2017

On This Date May 14, 2015 Blues Legend and Las Vegas Local B.B. King passes away

May 14, 2017
B.B King in 2009

B.B King in 2009 Photo by: Tom Beetz

On this date May 14, 2015, B.B. King passed away in Las Vegas. Born, Riley Ben King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), but known by his stage name B.B. King, was an American Hall of Fame blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. also,King had been a long time Las Vegas resident since 1975.

His biggest hit was “The Thrill Is Gone,” which won him the first of 15 Grammy awards. King was also known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing at more than 200 concerts per year on average into his 70s.  His famous guitar was named  Lucille which was a Gibson ES-355 “Lucille”.  B.B King was 89.

Photo by: Tom Beetz – http://www.flickr.com/photos/9967007@N07/6577873073

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Top Vegas Attractions Other Than Casinos

May 10, 2017

stratosphere las vegasThere stays a common disposition among the people for Vegas as they totally mix the place with gambling and gambling only. As a result of that those who do not have interests in gambling do not visit the place. But the truth is that Las Vegas is truly extraordinary and there are certain things that can be done other than Casino matters as well. Still if you are a casino lover then you can enjoy it online on the go with Betfair New Jersey.

Grand Canyon Visit
There happens to be a number of companies that offer the tour options to the Great Grand Canyon. There are the day trips as well as the joint helicopter rides also that you can have there. Other than that there are also options for staying there as well.

Visiting the Hike Red Rock
The wonderful Red Rock Canyon happens to be a much visit for you if you make a trip to Vegas. There are roads from Vegas to the Canyon and in case you are a lover of the mountain and canyons, this is the best place for you to visit.

Enjoy the Time At the Hoover Dam
You can pay a visit to the world famous Hoover Dam when you visit to Las Vegas. Only an hour’s distance from Vegas, the place is worth a visit because of its scenic beauty as well as the museum that was there. For the History lovers this is a great place to be at.

Wonderful View of the Lake Mead
Just by the side of the Hoover Dam you will find the Lake Mead where you can spend your time without any kind of nuance.  You can search online for more details of the place.

Have a Stay at the Boulder City
When you make a visit to the Hoover Dam you can also pay a visit to the famous Boulder City, its famous “Milos” restaurant and so on.

Mob Museum Visit
The past relics of bygone times when mob battles and crossfire between the criminals and law enforcements used to take place are present at the downtown Mob Museum.

Local Eateries
The dim restaurants of the Chinatown are also good places to gather up some experiences. With cheap and quality food items as well as fine atmosphere, these eateries are the perfect areas. Have a nice time with the world class cheap food items right here.

Pay a visit at the Fremont Street
The wonderful neon lit environment of the Fremont Street in the downtown part of Las Vegas is sure to stun you.  The dim and the glitz along with the small bars and good cheap drinks are the perfect options for your stay there. So far entertainment is concerned; there are great options as well. You can also see the shark tank of the golden nugget there.

Other than that there are the places like the Shadow Creek Golf Course’s rolling hills when you can play golf, the Neon Museum, where you can have a look at the artifacts and collections of the long gone times of the first casinos also. Then there are the places like the Bonnie Springs and the art hubs like First Friday as well. With all these places to visit and be at, your Las Vegas visit would be perfect in every respect.

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On This Date: May 9, 2006 Boardwalk Hotel & Casino Was Imploded

May 9, 2017
Boardwalk Hotel & Casino in 2004

Boardwalk Hotel & Casino in 2004

The Boardwalk Hotel and Casino was a Coney Island style hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip. It started out as the Holiday Inn on the Strip in 1968 and later became the Boardwalk Casino in 1988. In 1994, after acquiring the Holiday Inn hotel portion of the property, the hotel went public. Steve Wynn acquired the property in 1998, and finally the MGM Mirage in 2000.

The hotel and casino closed on January 9, 2006, and the main hotel tower was imploded on May 9, 2006, at 2:34 A.M. PST in order to prepare make way for CityCenter.

Photo By: Wikipedia
Date Taken: 2004

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On This Date: May 6, 1950 Benny Binion opened the Westerner Saloon in Downtown Las Vegas

May 6, 2017
Photograph of the Westerner Gambling House (Las Vegas), circa 1950s

Photograph of the Westerner Gambling House (Las Vegas), circa 1950s

Before the famous Horseshoe, Legendary Texas gambler Benny Binion opened the Westerner Saloon & Gambling House at the location of the former Las Vegas Club, on May 6, 1950. The Westerner Saloon was located next to the Pioneer Club where the famous Vegas Vic neon sign still stands. Minion, then sold the Westerner Saloon in less than a year to buy the Eldorado Club and Apache Hotel where he opened the Horseshoe Club.

The Westerner Saloon & Gambling House had other owners until 1960 when it became Club Bingo.

The Westerner 21-23 Fremont St. Opened 1950 – Closed 1960

Photo by: UNLV Digital Collections

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On This Date: May 5, 1931, The Pair-O-Dice Nite Club was issued a Gaming License.

May 5, 2017
Pair-O-Dice Nite Club Las Vegas

Photograph of the exterior front and side of the Pair-O-Dice Club (Las Vegas), 1930s

The Pair O’ Dice Nite Club, sits aside Highway 91 in this 1930s photo. The Pair O’ Dice was the first nightclub on the Las Vegas Strip. Its main attraction was gambling before gambling was even legal in Nevada.

On May 5, 1931, the county issued the Pair-O-Dice’s manager, Oscar E. Klawitter, a license to run a roulette table, a craps table, and a blackjack table. Weeks later, the club was opened to the public. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the county permitted the club to serve beer.

The property was bought and turned into the 91 Club in 1939, which itself was rebuilt as the Last Frontier in 1942.

Photo by: UNLV Digital Collection

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On This Day: May 4, 1988: PEPCON Explosion and Fire

May 4, 2017
PEPCON Explosion 1988

PEPCON Explosion 1988

PEPCON Explosion and Fire

On this day May 4, 1988,  an explosion at the Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON) perchlorate plant in Henderson, Nevada killed 2 people and injured 372.  A large portion of the Las Vegas Valley within a 10 mile radius of the plant was affected, and caused an estimated damage of $100 million to the surrounding area.

A total of seven explosions occurred involving various containers of ammonium perchlorate, with the two largest occurring in the drums, followed by the aluminum containers. These two explosions were measured at 3.0 and 3.5 on the Richter scale by the National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado, some 600 miles away. Over eight million pounds of perchlorate were consumed in the fire and explosions. A crater estimated at 15 feet deep and over 200 feet  wide was left in the storage area.

The nearby Kidd & Co. marshmallow plant was nearly destroyed and numerous homes, schools, and businesses suffered varying degrees of damage. Property damage to buildings other than the plant was estimated to be $74 million. Windows shattered as far as the Boulevard Mall and UNLV.

Clark County Fire Department Fire Investigators determined that sparks from a welder’s torch ignited the ammonium perchlorate. Poor housekeeping contributed to the fire and the resulting explosions.

The first explosion was the smallest and provided a warning to company employees to evacuate the complex. Two more detonations obliterated the property, but by then, all but two management members of the company had escaped.

After the explosion, the plant was renamed Western Electrochemical Co. and relocated to southern Utah. It operates now in Iron County, approximately 14 miles northwest of Cedar
City, Utah.

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