Circus Circus Turns 50 (October 18th)

Interesting read.

I’ve said it before and will say it again, I have never really been a fan of the Vegas location but used to stay at the one in Reno ALL THE TIME!

For a person with my bankroll I was treated VERY well there.

 

Must be the end of construction season in Vegas. Luxor turned 25 yesterday and Bellagio 20. Weird they all open around the same day, albeit years apart.

 

Good read! We definitely have a soft spot for visiting the place. It's a change of pace from the themeless boredom that most casinos offer. Also unluke most of the MGM portfolio, they still offer very competitive video poker at the quarter level, and even a positive game at the 50c level.

 

I love watching the old Vegas and Dan Tanna driving his car into his studio right behind Circus Circus. Interesting article.

 

I haven't read all of Dr. Dave's article, but my recollection is that until relatively recently, it was actually the single most profitable property within the MGM portfolio, largely because it didn't have any debt (one of the, if not the, only properties on the Strip where that was the case) and was in a busy area. I think they wound up taking out some sort of mortgage on it to pay down some of the CityCenter debt, but it still attracts a very reliable crowd. Obviously families, but it's also their top property among Hispanic visitors. I think a lot of their recent financial decline is attributable to factors outside their control, mainly the demise of the Riviera, the fact that the Fontainebleu never came to fruition, and the slow progress on Resorts World, but if and when that part of the Strip bounces back they're very, very well-positioned.

 

Upscale it by renaming it cirque cirque.

 

CC was the first casino I ever visited. Large men in black suits kept removing me from the nickel slots while telling me to go back upstairs to the arcade. I was 14.

 

So I know you're being tongue-in-cheek, but it's funny, Circus Circus is often-times a destination job for Vegas-area circus performers. I have friends in the industry who've told me they'd rather perform there than with a Cirque show, because it's far less regimented and closer to the old-school big top acts. Especially now that traveling circus shows like Barnum and Bailey have essentially disappeared, it can be a pretty decent gig.

 

I like to visit CC ones every few visits.

Still want it eat at the steakhouse

 

Thank You for the link, NIck.
My first real Las Vegas stay was in 1990 when passing through to south Texas, but after that I vividly remember returning one night a few years later and (somewhat) sleeping on the commercial carpeted floor wrapped in a bedspread in one of the C.C. "Manor" units along with friends located at the rear of the casino/tower. The military vets said it was pretty much like their old barracks.....
Long night led into an late morning. All fun.
I have eaten at the Steakhouse more recently (Great), and Bungee-Jumped multiple times off the Aussie-managed crane (Exciting, and I jumped both over the small pool and over the concrete when the wind got too high) way back in 1995 and 1996.
Maybe my last jump was the same night as the Sands implosion. I might be off a bit, but I think so.
The crane is still there, and would love to jump again.
I still am convinced (and hope) that C.C. guests are having as much fun per dollar spent as anybody else on the strip, Wynn/Venetian/Ceasar's,Bellagio, Downtown etc.
Just where we find it, and what we can afford.

 

Interesting read.....LOVE to learn about Vegas history!

 

David Schwartz wrote Grandissimo, the first Emperor of Las Vegas. It’s a good read about Jay Sarno and how he started Caesars and Circus Circus. If you enjoyed this article you would likely enjoy the book. I did for sure.

 

Here’s one I’m about 40 pages into, and its very interesting so far. Lots of info on the people involved.

 

Dr. Dave's books are generally great. I'd also recommend Roll The Bones for a cool overview of the history of gaming. I sometimes disagree with him on his business takes but the man is a consummate professional and an excellent writer.

 

I'm going to have to check that one out. I read Whale Hunt in the Desert last year and it was pretty good.

Thank you @NickPappageorgio for posting this. Because you did I made my first trek down to CC last week and got one of the 50th anniversary chips for my collection.

 

It’s a must visit for me, just love the contrast of a dark paneling, leather accents, big cocktails against wanna be hoods in sideways caps and low hanging jeans, pushing strollers with their baby mommas. Really, it’s a good time and I’ve stayed at a Casino Tower room for 5 nights, very basic but clean, cheap and unremarkable. Got two weekend nights comped for my stay when it would have been $175 for just a Saturday night.

 

Been there when I was little, cool fun memory on the carnival games.

I gotta go YouTube and look for walk thru video now, so curious

 

And to think i always thought circus circus was like 75 years old. Being out in the sun all day is probably creating the wrinkles and age spots.

 

Not only is it not all that old, but the big top predates the hotel towers by a few years. Caesars Palace is older.