Random Vegas
The Fountains of Bellagio are not the first dancing fountains to exist in Las Vegas. The original debuted in 1955 at the Royal Nevada. They were simply called the Dancing Water’s and consisted of 4,000 jet streams and lights revolving and swaying in sync with waltz music. They could accomplish heights has high as 50 foot. The attraction was universally liked however the Royal Nevada thought they could offer this show instead of headliners. The property struggled and closed 3 years after it opened. (The Strip: Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream)
TwitPic of the week
What’s so great about this picture by @Summacorp is the collection of properties long gone. Here we see the Landmark tower to the left and the Thunderbird pretty prominently. What you don’t realize you're looking at is a bungalow at the original El Rancho in the foreground. You even get a glimpse of the Riviera to the far right. None of these properties exist today. In fact, from this perspective, today the only thing you would see would be Fontainebleau. The rest is a convention center expansion, a parking lot and a concert festival grounds. I’m grateful for both the original Thunderbird Neon Bird marquee as well as the revised frontage of the property. This picture isn’t going to dazzle you but it’s a welcome addition to our collection.
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This is another property I have an irrational affinity for. Like the Fontainebleau today, the Landmark was a project that stalled for almost a decade before it was completed. Unfortunately, she wasn’t finished by someone who had a passion for her and therefore she struggled. Once it did open it was no longer the tallest building in the city so the cache of that concept was lost. But still, something about her casino in the sky that just sounds appealing. Probably why it still exists for high rollers in properties like Encore. Regardless, I never got to see the Landmark and therefore she will remain idealized to me, like she is in this picture shared by