Las Vegas is a city that is known for its grand casinos and hotels. The whole city is filled with legendary names like MGM Grand, Bellagio and The Venetian. However, one name stands out among the others, Caesar’s Palace. This spectacular hotel and casino is peak Las Vegas. Not only is it the best casino in Las Vegas, but it is also the place where numerous movies have been shot and numerous sporting events. Let’s find out more.
Best Casino In Las Vegas: Interesting Facts About Caesar’s Palace
The Caesar’s Palace Hotel And Casino was inaugurated in 1966
Over 50 years ago, there was nothing like it. The desert was even more visible than it is today. Soon, Caesar’s Palace and Las Vegas grew into a living, breathing hub of decadence and debauchery.
Caesar’s Palace was the first themed casino in Nevada
Construction began on the first themed casino in the state of Nevada, a replica of the Roman empire where decadence was the goal, a revolution in the world of hotels and gambling. Despite time and the visible decay in some of its vertebrae, Caesars Palace continues to be a reference on the Strip, a legendary casino that is still synonymous with opulence and celebrity, with famous faces that have helped to further forge its greatness.
Caesar’s Palace was founded by Jay Sarno
Caesar’s Palace’s founder, Jay Sarno, achieved it with a cunning combination of haute cuisine and grand entertainment, a formula that still works.
Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino had a grand opening
On August 6, 1966, the hotel opened with Andy Williams and Phil Richards running the show. They both played Julius Caesar in a play that night. Two days later, Spanish artists Xavier Cugat and Charo became the first couple to get married in the new establishment. In 1973, the Del Webb company was contracted to build a 16-story building adjacent to Caesars Palace. The project ended in 1974.
Caesar’s Palace is loved by entertainers
It was the Canadian Celine Dion who gave a twist to the concept of permanent residency in Las Vegas, modifying the existing notion of Sin City as a retreat for artists in decline. She landed at Caesars Palace, with a theater built especially for her show, at her professional peak. Dion paved the way for Cher, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. Of course, legends even greater than those mentioned passed through there before.
Caesar’s Palace hosted Wrestlemania IX
Caesar’s Palace was the venue for the WWE’s premier pay per view, Wrestlemania, The ninth edition of the event featured some memorable entrances and matches against the backdrop of Caesar’s Palace.
Frank Sinatra was threatened with a gun at Caesar’s palace
The best casino in Las Vegas, Caesar’s Palace is infamous for some undesirable events as well. Frank Sinatra performed at Caesar’s Palace when Sarno, the great Las Vegas visionary, was still the owner. He opened his show in 1968 at a rate of $100,000 a week, a fortune for the time, although everything would end after a heated argument with the casino manager, Sanford Waterman, who ended up pointing a gun at him. Sinatra would not perform at the casino until 1974 after the incident.
Evel Knievel tried jumping over Caesar’s Palace
On December 31, 1967, acrobat Evel Knievel unsuccessfully attempted to jump the Caesars Palace water fountain while riding his motorcycle.
A time capsule was stolen from Caesar’s Palace
Two years later, on July 29, some executives in an expansion area of the hotel buried a time capsule that, days later, was stolen.
Caesar’s Palace hosted the first two iterations of F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix
The 2023 edition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a fantastic event that was conducted on a street circuit around Las Vegas. The circuit went past all the iconic landmarks of Las Vegas. The race was held at night and won by Max Verstappen in the chilly conditions. However, things were quite different when Formula 1 raced at Las Vegas in the 80s. In 1980, the famous Watkins Glen Circuit was axed from the F1 calendar and the US Grand Prix was moved to Las Vegas. However, instead of holding the race at a purpose built track or a modified street circuit, the race was held in the parking lot of Caesar’s Palace. The race was held during day time in the desert heat. 1981’s race winner Nelson Piquet needed a lot of time to recover from heat exhaustion. F1 ran at Las Vegas once again in 1982 but the event was scrapped from the calendar from 1983 onwards. It was too punishing for the drivers and the attendance had reached rock bottom. It took over 40 years for the Las Vegas Grand Prix to return to F1. And what a return it was, providing viewers with one of the most exciting races of the 2023 F1 season.
Caesar’s Palace embodies the spirit of Las Vegas
The subsequent list of names is long: Liberace, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, Diana Ross and Elton John have passed through a casino that for Michael Green, a history professor at the University of Las Vegas, is a “monument.” to excess”. He says that Las Vegas, historically, pushed the idea that what you were coming to was a bacchanal and that Caesars Palace was the great banner of that concept. Hence the attraction for so many important people, from Barack Obama to Joan Collins, including Justin Bieber, David Hasselhoff and Zach Galifianakis, the protagonist of the now immortal “The Hangover.”That film chose Caesars Palace to summarize, almost better than anyone, what Las Vegas can mean, an endless party where anything is possible.
Caesar’s Palace has a casino tour inspired by The Hangover movie
Nowadays there is even a casino tour where you can discover the places where the film starring Bradley Cooper was filmed. It is the umpteenth reference for a hotel that opened its doors on August 5, 1966, with a printing party.
Caesar’s Palace started very small compared to its modern size
Sarno invested a million dollars with Johnny Carson and Jimmy Hoffa among the guests. Then it was a luxury hotel with 14 floors. Today it is a small city with six towers and 4,000 rooms, with a shopping center, the first of its kind, covering almost 60,000 square meters. Still a proud cult of excess and the best casino in Las Vegas.