| There is a revival occurring in
Vegas, a return to Glitter Gulch. Local hipsters refer to it as the renaissance of the
"neon neighborhood," the real Vegas, downtown Vegas. We all know Las Vegas
Boulevard for its cavernous hotels and theme park casinos humming under fake cerulean
skies. Sure, there's that flashy upscale-for-everyone culture on the Strip, with its
roller coasters, circus acts and celebrity chefs, but locals agree that the overpriced
nightclubs and faux gourmet meals on the Strip soon wear thin. True Vegas aficionados tend towards the classic joints, the older downtown joints
with history and charm, so you may run into your landlord's wife breathing into an oxygen
machine, dropping dollars into a dodgy Keno game. At least you know that the casinos on
Fremont have seen real winners and losers, have weathered the mob days, the Elvis days,
the dirty 1980s and even the megopolis resorts of the new millennium. The old neon signs,
the classic carpet joints. Old Fremont Street, now known as the "Fremont Street
Experience," remains true to its cheap drinking and heavy gambling roots.
Olden Times in the Gulch
Home to Nevada's first hotel (now the Golden Gate), Fremont
Street has been the heart of Las Vegas' gaming culture since the 1920’s Depression.
What started as a two block stretch of prostitution and penny slots, Freemont drew crowds
of men working on the Boulder Dam project and later at military camps in the area. At the
time, Vegas was barely a railway stop between Salt Lake and Los Angeles, but there was
deregulated gambling and cheap booze to take the edge off that desert sun. The boys
flocked to Fremont, risking most of their paychecks on Blackjack and cheap thrills.
Times changed. By the 1930s, gone were the legalized
prostitutes and dusty road. Fremont Street was the first in Vegas to be paved in 1925, but
it retained that rugged cowboy feel thanks to its sawdust saloons. By the time the mob
arrived in Vegas near the end of World War II, Fremont was a cluster of gritty (but legal)
gaming joints, the perfect environment for a big bankroll lacking moral values. The
syndicate brought a touch of class to the downtown casinos, introducing carpets and lounge
entertainment to the rough Reno crowd.
Blasts from the Past
The downtown casinos that managed to survive from that
tumultuous era read like Vegas history books, each one with their own story.
Best known of the Fremont hotels is the high-end Golden
Nugget. First built in 1946, the Nugget is the largest casino on Fremont, boasting 1,914
deluxe guest rooms and a 38,000 square foot casino. The Nugget was Steve Wynn's first
casino purchase in Las Vegas, made possible by his "Caesars Palace Parking Lot"
deal with Howard Hughes in 1973. Wynn gave the area a huge lift with the Nugget's massive
renovation, including the addition of the Golden Nugget's classy hotel and pool. Featured
in several Hollywood films, the Nugget is famous for the highest table limits in Vegas, up
to $15,000 per hand.
One of the real classic Fremont Street spots is Binion's
Gambling Hall, originally known as Horseshoes. Opened in 1951 by Vegas legend Benny
Binion, a Texan bootlegger and esteemed felon, the Horseshoes was known for its impeccable
service. Binion was known to say, "If you wanna get rich, make little people feel
like big people." And he treated his clients with care. The first to offer free booze
at the tables, first to showcase $1 million behind glass and the first to allow no max
bets, Binion was a favorite among gamblers. He was also mastermind and host to the first
World Series of Poker in 1970 in his famous poker room.
On the other side of Main Street (and on the low end) is
East Fremont's infamous El Cortez. First purchased by Meyer Lansky's gang in 1945, the El
Cortez remains today on the shady side of the Fremont Street Experience, a relic of days
passed. With their frontman manager and profit skimming, the mob financed major projects
with its El Cortez cash. Now in a steady state of disrepair, some of the direst gamblers
in the world frequent the dark and dingy tables. Despite its faded charm, the El Cortez is
a local favorite for one-deck Backjack and video poker. Lined with ancient black and white
photos of a bygone era, the El Cortez manages to maintain its air of sullen dignity thanks
to friendly staff and die-hard regulars.
The Rebirth of Cool
In Las Vegas, Fremont Street is known best for its
reincarnations, falling into seedy times through the 1970s and again in the 1990s only to
be revived again. Most mobsters, and eventually gaming tycoons (like Steve Wynn), used the
downtown casinos as a jumping point for their major construction projects on the Strip.
Too often, the tourists would follow, flocking to the newer bigger resorts, relegating the
downtown casinos to junkies and derelicts.
But perhaps, now things are different. Renamed the
"Freemont Street Experience" in 1995 and rejuvenated into a pedestrian mall,
downtown Vegas has made yet another comeback. Featuring outdoor stages with nightly
performances, vendors and showgirls on street level and the world's largest lit sign,
today’s Fremont attracts millions of tourists each year. Most recently revamped in
2004, the overhead canopy screen contains over 12.5 million (LED) lights, accompanied by a
550,000 watt sound system through 220 speakers. The Fremont Street Experience boasts 60
restaurants and several renovated casinos in its four block stretch, a far cry from the
dusty strip of brothels of its past.
Unsurprising, too, that Fremont Street is the new hipster
hangout. With such local hot spots as the Beauty Bar and the Griffin, Fremont East is not
afraid of the ghosts of Vegas past but seems to relish in the legend. Lined with retuned
neon signs and independent eateries, the tattooed rockabillies and fashionistas love the
cheap all-night breakfast after rowdy rock shows. They dig the dingy carpets.
After all, Fremont Street is one part of Vegas that you
can't implode and begin again. This part of Vegas will just find a way to survive, despite
it all. |
