He Built the Stratosphere — Then Lost It in 9 Months

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An Old Fashioned, some red lipstick and a black dress…sigh, there’s just something undeniable about a good ol’ classic. The beloved Vegas showgirl may be an endangered species these days (insert tear), but “VEGAS! THE SHOW” preserved those feather-clad beauties and the likes of an era when everything was flashier and dripping with sophistication. What’s that you ask? Can a show filled with gorgeous and talented women a la Rat Pack era really exist in the here and now? Oh yes my friend, it sure can and all we have to say is raise that curtain and let the good times roll. With a little song, a lot of dance and that certain sultry allure that only old timey Vegas could pull off, this is a trip down memory lane and, well, it’s pretty legit. The costumes are fun, funky, sexy and so real. Ok, well maybe not the candy-themed costumes but hell, their Sammy Davis Jr. sure had us pining for an autograph. For a city that was built on pure, raw talent and obviously dolla dolla bills, this show celebrates iconic moments from the city's rich entertainment history through the decades that made the Vegas we know and love today. And we’ll tip our top hats to that.
RockSinCity
Published
On April 29, 1996, Bob Stupak walked through the opening night of the Stratosphere — the tallest structure in Nevada, a $550 million resort with his name all over it. Nine months later he'd lost the casino, the company had filed for bankruptcy, and Carl Icahn held the keys. This is how the man who turned 15 slot machines into a Las Vegas empire built the defining monument of his career — and lost control of it almost the moment the doors opened.

From Bob Stupak's World Famous Million-Dollar Historic Gambling Museum and Casino (1974), to Vegas World and its outer-space theme and mail-order jackpot packages, to the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower, the Big Shot, the construction fire, the motorcycle crash, the $313 million bankruptcy, and Icahn's takeover — the full rise and fall, told through the record.

???? Full story of Vegas World, the Stratosphere Tower (now The STRAT), and one of the most audacious operators in Las Vegas history.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Opening Night, April 1996
1:02 It Started With 15 Slot Machines (1974)
2:03 Vegas World & the Sky's the Limit (1979)
3:01 The Casino Was the Fine Print
4:50 An Empire Built on Publicity
5:31 The Million-Dollar Stunt, the Bet & the $125K Fine
7:22 The Sign That Became a Tower
9:49 The Tower Catches Fire
10:35 Grand Casinos and the $550 Million Bet
12:45 The Motorcycle Crash
13:33 Racing to Opening Day
16:10 The Doors Open
16:58 The Casino Nobody Gambled In
19:01 The Losses Begin — Stupak Resigns
21:00 Bankruptcy: $313 Million in Debt
21:35 Carl Icahn Takes the Keys
22:48 Stupak's Final Years
23:16 The Tower That Outlived Everyone
23:58 Return to Opening Night

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#BobStupak #Stratosphere #LasVegasHistory #VegasWorld #TheStrat
Category
Vegas Untold
Tags
bob stupak, stratosphere, stratosphere las vegas
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