Memory Lane - First Vegas Trip - 1992 - Flamingo Hilton

Thought some of you might enjoy what I remember about my first LV trip back in November 1992. Here are some of the highlights of what I remember.

Four guys for a long weekend. Two Vegas veterans along with two Vegas virgins. We landed right at dusk so the lights were already starting to come on. Wow, what a site! One of my friends and I (the virgins) stayed at the Flamingo Hilton, the other two stayed at the old Aladdin. My gambling budget for the trip - $400. The Flamingo back then only had two sides (shaped like an L). Of course now there are three (shaped like an open box). It also had some of the original garden rooms standing from the original structure.

Our first stop was dinner. One of the veterans had rented a car, and since I didn’t really know anything about Vegas, we deferred most of the decision making to him. Went to Maxim’s for a $4.99 buffet dinner. After dinner, it was time for my first attempt at table games (BJ and dice). I had read John Gollehon’s book, “Pay The Line” from cover to cover. This is a great book and is still applicable in many circumstances.

Bought in at a $5/double odds dice table and starting playing. Within 20 minutes, I was down $80 bucks. My first thought was that this was going to be the shortest trip in HISTORY. Decided to play a little BJ and won a little bit of my money back.

Next stop, The Sands. I had always heard about this place, and being a big Sinatra fan, it was cool to be in there. Place had a good atmosphere but was small. Was really nothing more than a motel with a casino slapped onto it. I liked the photos of Frank, Dean and Jerry behind the front desk.

Ended the night at the Flamingo playing $2 dice and $3 BJ. Won a little more money back of the $80 I hosed at Maxim’s.

Day 2: Went to the Barbary Coast (they had a McDonald’s downstairs – you took the escalator – who remembers that)? Then went across the street and gambled a little bit at The Dunes (the Oasis casino I think). Then we walked down to the Aladdin to meet up with the other two guys. They stayed at the Aladdin because one of the guys was a serious card counter and the Aladdin had the best rules and penetration on the Strip. I remember thinking even then that the Aladdin was somewhat of a dump. Dingy red carpet and all of the dealers wore these off yellow shirts. The shirts sorta looked like they should have been white but were yellow from all the cigarette smoke. They were actually supposed to be that ugly color though. Later that day we went to the Mirage (wow, almost brand new) and Caesars (double wow). Then we went for a cheap lunch across the street at the Casino Royale snack bar (top floor). You could get a big, footlong, chili-cheese dog and beer for about $2.

More gambling at the Flamingo Hilton before we got ready for our evening outing. Stopped that evening at the Frontier (on strike) for $1 craps with $10X odds. That was pushing it for me on my limited budget. Funny thing is that the Frontier didn’t look any different last year before it shut down as it did in 1992. Next stop was The Desert Inn. What a GREAT place. ALWAYS liked it there. I remember how quiet it was. The sound was muted on the slots and even the craps dealers spoke softly. I had wanted to visit this place because John Gollehon referenced it many times in his book. Also visited the Sahara and played some $2 BJ. The Sahara lounge had some good music going.

On to DOWNTOWN! Wow, I had never seen so many lights. Gambled mostly at Fitzgeralds, Plaza and Golden Nugget. The Nugget had a $2.99 breakfast special starting at 10:30pm. People would line around the casino for it. The special was a (very good) all-you-can-eat breakfast (nothing fancy, just the basics) but also included a cooked to order NY strip. I couldn’t believe what I was getting for $2.99 – even back then. The Omaha lounge in the Plaza had a good band rocking the place that night.

Last day we gambled some at Ballys, Flamingo, Excalibur and Aladdin. Those $3 BJ tables and $2 dice tables at Flamingo were hard to beat. I remember the four of us all hated the Excalibur, even back then!

It was a great experience and I brought back $100 of my $400 budget.

As previously mentioned, the Mirage was almost brand new and Caesars was incredible. I think they were building Treasure Island at the time. Vegas World was there (the predecessor to Stratosphere) Here is a list of hotels that had yet to be built: Mandalay Bay, Luxor, NYNY, Monte Carlo, MGM, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Bellagio, Treasure Island, Venetian, Wynn. Harrahs still had the riverboat façade instead of the Mardi Gras façade that it currently has. Many other hotels that exist today were much smaller then and have been added onto since. The Sahara had one of the largest signs on the Strip.

Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed reminiscing.

LL

Memory Lane - First Vegas Trip - 1992 - Flamingo Hilton

Lemon Lime- I loved reading that!!! Thanks for posting!!

S=-)

Memory Lane - First Vegas Trip - 1992 - Flamingo Hilton

I forgot one major detail. A visit to the LV Hilton on NFL Sunday. The Sports Book blew me away. I still find it very impressive to this day. Also the crystal chandeliers in the casino were a sight to see. And I peeked through the showroom doors (no show going on) to see where the Elvis %26#39;69 comeback took place.

LL

I also enjoyed reading about your first time, especially as I went for the first time in %26#39;92, also staying at the Flamingo. I don%26#39;t remember my trip as well as you do, good for you!

Thanks for the memories....

Enjoyed your post!

Wow, that%26#39;s amazing that you remember so much detail. Very interesting read! I had a chance to go to Vegas around that time through work, but my EX husband wouldn%26#39;t let me go without him. jerk!

Thanks for the memories, LL. My first Vegas trip was in 1996 and the Frontier was on strike then. I don%26#39;t know if was continuous since 1992 or if they went on strike again.

What a great post! I wish I had been able to go to Vegas back then but I was broke and a single mother.

The strip must have looked empty compared to what it is today.

Memories%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

Thunderbird motel-- 1961.

Fremont street traffic-- 1961

The REAL Flamingo casino-- 1961

Patron%26#39;s post jogged my memory. There was no blocked off pedestrian area on Fremont street nor was there a canopy. Vehicles went down Fremont all the way to Main St. You had to cross the streets carefully as the cabs drove like bats outta you know where.

LL