Now and Then: The El Cortez in Vegas

OK, so it’s not a perfect match, but here are similar views of the El Cortez Hotel in Las Vegas from 1952 and 2018. Unfortunately, no vintage detail shots, as the photo is a bit blurry when you zoom in. Never heard of any of the “headliners” on the marquee.



The hotel itself looks very much the same on the exterior; it’s the neighborhood that has changed around it!



See more El Cortez Hotel photos at my main website.

Fremont Street District Neon

Las Vegas looks completely different at night as opposed to how it appears during the day. The Fremont Street District is no exception. Walking around the one night I stayed here, I found myself snapping vintage neon every block and going further and further away...until my Spidey sense began to tingle and I returned to the hotel. I usually listen to my Spidey sense.



I don't know what it is about vintage neon that gets to me. Maybe the retro-ness of it...the soothing glow...the saturated colors...



Atomic cocktails...do they come with a dose of radiation?



Bring your llama!



He’s not neon, but I got a kick out of this "person" climbing up the pole.



An old gas station has been converted into the Empty Club.



Yup. It’s empty alright.



Night:



vs. Day:



See more Fremont Street photos at my main website.

Fremont Street District, Pt. 1

Fremont Street has the distinction of being the first paved street in Las Vegas. Before “The Strip” took over, this was the area where most movies and TV shows filmed when they were using Las Vegas as a location, including “Viva Las Vegas,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “Vegas Vacation.”



The neon cowboy in this shot is known as Vegas Vic. Although his home, the Pioneer Club, is no longer a casino, this Las Vegas icon has survived since 1951, although I don’t believe he is turned on anymore. Some of the better known clubs still in existence include Four Queens:



and Binion’s:



As part of a program to renovate this downtown Las Vegas area, the “Fremont Street Experience” was created at the western end of Fremont Street in 1995.



If you like to live life for the thrills, how about the SlotZilla Zip Line?



Eating at White Castle could provide a different type of thrill:



Stay tuned: more Fremont Street on the way!



See more Fremont Street photos at my main website.

Old School Vegas at the El Cortez

Although it's a quick easy trip for me, Las Vegas is not one of my favorite destinations. Once you've seen the faux-chitecture of The Strip and the sad-looking people spending their last dollars on the slots, there's really not much else to go back for. It just feels like someone sucked the soul out of it. Still, it can be a great backdrop for a photo shoot (more on that later). Deciding to do something different, I went “old school” and stayed at the El Cortez, a hotel and casino near downtown Las Vegas and a block from the Fremont Street Experience (more on that later, too). In a city where things really don’t last, this place has continuously operated at the same location since 1941. Compare and contrast with the vintage photo below. It’s almost like time stood still.



The hotel quickly became so profitable that mobster Bugsy Siegel decided to muscle in on the property in 1945 and bought it from owner John Kell Houssels, who turned around a year later and purchased the hotel back from Siegel's group in 1946.

The hotel’s restaurant is named after Siegel. If you know much about this guy’s life, you would probably think twice about eating here just based on the name alone.



The food is actually pretty good, as I ate a late-night dinner here.



The decor is also right up my alley and really evokes the Rat Pack/mobster vibe you might expect.



While I understand the origin of the homage, naming your restaurant after a known killer/mobster and placing a picture of him and his moll in the dining room seems a bit in poor taste. But then again, it’s Vegas.



The hotel’s signature neon arrow, marquee, and large roof sign were installed in 1952. They still burn brightly today. Well, give or take a letter.



A vintage auto greets guests as they enter the nicotine-scented lobby/casino. I hadn't smelled that much cigarette smoke in years. The lady in line behind me at check-in was barely able to stand for the emphysema that riddled her body. Welcome to Vegas.



The suite I had rented for the night was large and decorated with flair; still, the fact that there was a $250 deposit for the in-room jacuzzi made me decided I shouldn't go anywhere near it. Why would the deposit cost more than the room itself?!?



What happens in the jacuzzi can stay in that jacuzzi...



Would I stay here again? Perhaps. For the money though, compared to the Strip, this place is a steal.

See more El Cortez photos at my main website.