The designer of the interior of the Marina was Larry Seitz of Larry Seitz Designs in Miami Florida. Click here for the artists' renditions of the lobby, guestroom, ballroom, and Shipwreck Kelly's Bar.
The Marina Hotel and Casino opened in 1975, at 3805 Las Vegas Boulevard, across the street from Tropicana.
Larry Seitz provided me with pictures and information on this resort. It is as follows:
The resort contained 714 rooms with individual climate controls, separate vanity areas, color TVs, and 24 hour room service, and customized facilities for businesses/conferences accommodating up to 680 people. The resort advertised Fred Harvey 1876 Coffee Shop which was opened 24 hours, Shipwreck Kelly's Galley advertising "build your own salad bar, steak, seafood, or other Island specialty, and Fred Harvey Southwestern Trading Post. Shipwreck Kelly's Lounge featured entertainment every night.
We have very little information on the Marina. If anyone has any information please e-mail me.
Click Here for more pictures also donated by Larry Seitz
I stayed at the Marina Hotel in 1975 and the Ink Spots were performing there, I was there for my father's 50th birthday, and I still have an ash tray. - Larry Franks
In 1976, Marina Showroom showcased Bare Touch of Vegas; and Up & Coming. Bare Touch of Vegas was a dinner show costing $9.95. Dinners were a choice of Prime Rib, Polynesian Chicken, or Brook Trout Almondine, with tossed salad, potato or rice, coffee and tea. Shipwreck Kelly's Lounge showcased Feelings. The Casino Lounge showcased Shampoux.
In 1979, Marina advertised that she was the third-largest casino on the Strip with 714 rooms. She contained Madamoiselle, a gourmet steak and lobster house, serving only prime aged beef, and the five time award winning Bare Touch of Vegas. She was advertised at $37 a day for two.
In 1979, Mirage showcased Bare Touch of Vegas. The Maitre d' was Fred Lombardi. Cocktail show was $9.95.
In 1980, the Showroom showcased Bare Touch of Vegas. The Maitre d' was Fred Lombardi.
In 1981, Marina's Mirage Showroom showcased Bare Touch of Vegas. The Maitre d' was Fred Lombardi.
"I have some recollections of the Marina in Las Vegas. I stayed there 2 or 3 times, but the best memories were when I stayed at the Tropicana and walked over there. The year was 1982. I was in town with my bowling team and our sponsor who had us entered in the world team championship at the Showboat (I still have the souvenir jacket given to us). I can remember walking across Tropicana Blvd with almost no traffic, and into an abandoned motel (I don't ever recall seeing the name of it). Amazingly it was open to walk through and when we walked through it wooden floors creaked as we walked past the abandoned coffee shop that still had salt & pepper shakers, and mustard & ketchup dispensers on each table in those silver holders that you find in diners, or other small cheap places to get a greasy burger. A left turn to go by the coffee shop, then a right to head to the exit which emptied into a parking lot.
It was in that parking lot by the side entrance that I remember the big snow white horse being lead down a ramp from a rented truck into the Marina. Melinda 'The First Lady of Magic' was performing that night. I don't remember the ticket price, (but something in my head says there were 2 prices), but I do remember that the 'showroom' was little more that an area of the casino separated by heavy floor to ceiling curtains. I also seem to remember being able to hear some of the louder portions of the show. I'm positive Melinda performed at the Marina.
I remember a $5.95 prime rib dinner with baked potato & salad. My wife had a childhood friend who had always worked as a waitress and her husband who was a bartender. They moved to Las Vegas a year prior to this visit, and we ate at the Marina, she was our waitress. I'm sure of the $5.95 price."
I also remember a corner of the casino (the southwest) that was the Keno Lounge that had a fishing net hanging. It was painted blue. - Bob G
In 1982, Mirage Showroom showcased Bloopers '82 musical comedy starring Fay McKay. The show was $5.95.
"I first came to Las Vegas in June, 1983 with the Marina being our hotel. It was my first trip to Las Vegas. I was awestruck by the flashing lights and "chinging" slot machines when my friends and I stepped inside the Marina - to our novice eyes, it was as big and glamorous as any of the current mega resorts. I remember the bar area on the far right side, and the coffeee shop restaurant along the back left of the ground floor casino area. In the front, far left, was the halls that lead to the elevators and rooms. Along the hall to the elevators was a small gift shop, and a ice cream shop. I also remember a restaurant that I believe was called "The Captain's Table".
In 1983 I do not believe the Marina had a sports book (I am almost positive of this.) I had to walk up the strip to either the Aladdin or to the MGM Grand (now Bally's) to bet sports. Or, there was "Little Caesar's" in the little strip center between the Marina and the Aladdin. There was also a gas station right next to the Marina, almost adjacent to their property. I remember in 1983 (I was there three times that summer) the Marina as a bustling place, very busy and obviously making money with good pit bosses and hosts. We were treated with suites on return trips and RFB privileges." - Bob Frischmann, St. Louis, MO, 2001
In 1983, Mirage Showroom showcased The Four Lads, Freddie Bell and Patti York. The Maitre d' was Fred Lombardi.
In 1984, the Showroom showcased Break Dance Fever. The Maitre d' was Dee Dee Joseph.
In 1985, Mirage Showroom showcased Old Burlesque '87 starring "Top Banana" Bob Mitchell, and featuring Charlie Vespie, Teddy King, Angelique Pettijohn, and the exotic Bambi, Jr. Also showcased was Break Dance Fever. The Maitre d' was Dee Dee Joseph.
The manager of sport & racing was Lou Kopple, and the manager of gaming was George Bamban.
The resort held the Port of Call Restaurant which served prime seafood cuisine along with such specialties as prime rib, great steaks, veal and chick. The decor was authentic seafaring with colorful nautical trappings. Complete meals started at $8.95.
The casino held four poker tables with George Bamban as Manager, and the sports and racing book was managed by Lou Kopple.
In 1988, the Mirage Showroom showcased Dan Sin Dirdy featuring Michael Holly and Vykky Cave. Cave had previously starred in Magic Magic with Michael Darren at the Landmark Hotel.
In 1980, Kirk Kerkorian's dream, the MGM Grand, became a tragedy. Not only for the victims and witnesses but also for the visionary himself. Even though the MGM Grand's interior was now safer, Kerkorian knew that his dream would always be associated with death and tragedy. In 1985, Kerkorian sold the MGM Grand to the Bally Corporation. Kerkorian still wanted his dream to become reality, a tribute to Hollywood in Las Vegas, a place associated with success, happiness, and everything that Kerkorian envisioned his dream to be to the public and himself.
Dealing with Vegas for many years and seeing dreams comes and go, Kerkorian knew the ropes and was no quitter. He proceeded to buy the Marina Hotel and Casino in 1989, and promptly changed its name to the MGM Marina. Now the project of designing his dream was the next step. Seeing the Marina as a stable, solidly built structure, he decided not to destroy the it but to build around it, making Marina a part of his dream. The 100 acre Tropicana Country Club next to the property was also bought.
On November 30, 1990, the Marina was closed and on October 7, 1991, ground breaking occurred to recreate The City of Entertainment.
The Architect was Veldon Simpson, A.I.A., Henderson, Nevada; public areas interior designers were Henry Conversano & Associates, Oakland, CA; hotel guest rooms and suites interior designers were Miller & Jedrziweski Associates, Salt Lake City, Utah; the Managing Contractor was Taylor International Corporation, Las Vegas, Nevada, and the theme park consultant was Duell Corporation, Los Angeles, CA. Click Here to see an artist's rendering of the resort.
The resort committed itself to preserving the environment by installing energy efficient lighting, water conservation programs, comprehensive paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum recycling, computer controlled heating and air-conditioning, effective power distribution procedures, and extensive energy management methods. Click Here to see construction of the resort.
"I did all the photography for the MGM while it was being constructed. Kirk would fly renderings and such up from Los Angeles for me to copy and make quantity prints. The architect he used for the MGM was the same one that Mr. Bennett hired to design the Circus Circus North Tower, the Edgewater, Colorado Belle, Excalibur, and the Luxor. His name is Veldon Simpson, and I had told him that he would be doing a LOT of designing if Fred Benninger (Kirk's right hand man) was going to pass judgment. I used to kid Fred that any design he accepted had to look like a VA hospital. Fred was not into foo foo design. He wanted to be able to build quick and cheap.....Look at both the Bally's and MGM properties. They ain't gonna win any beauty awards. I photographed the six designs that Kirk sent up to me......I told Veldon which one would be picked.....Yup...That's the one they built. Anyone else would have torn the old Marina down....Not Fred." - Mike Christ, October, 2003
A total of 1,500 workers put in 12,000 hours per day with construction costs averaging $1 million each day.
On February 23, 1993, MGM celebrated a "topping off" ceremony with the placement of the last panel of emerald green glass hoisted onto one of the 30-story hotel towers. A total of 5,005 green balloons were released, each containing a gift certificate valid for one complimentary stay in one of the rooms.
On December 18, 1993, the $1 billion, 5,005 room (including 751 suites) dream became a reality making the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino the largest hotel in the United States. The MGM Grand sat on approximately 112 acres, with 171,500 square feet of casino (larger than Yankee Stadium's field) featuring four themed gaming areas, eight restaurants, five lounges and bars, 23 retail shops, and 158,000 square feet of meeting space.
When entering the resort, guests were greeted by the characters from the Wizard of Oz on the yellow brick road. Looking up at the ceiling one could see the silhouette of the Wicked Witch of West flying, and various jack-in-the-boxes on top of some of the slot machines would have munchkins popping out.
The Emerald City Casino was a seven-story replica of the City of Oz, complete with The Wizard's Secret, a multi-media magic show. This casino was the largest of the four MGM Grand gaming areas with the Flying Monkey Bar contained inside. The Hollywood Casino contained bright lights & footlights, marquees, and celebrity look-alikes. One could play Keno with Betty Boop or have a drink in the Center Stage Lounge. The Monte Carlo Casino contained Baccarat with traditional table games with the Betty Boop Bar contained inside. The Sports Casino contained horse-racing, race cars, baseball, football, and basketball. This sports book utilized state-of-the art equipment specially designed for the MGM. Its bar was the Turf Club Lounge.
All rooms contained color cable TVs with remote and in-room movies, AM/FM stereo clock radio, baths with marble tub and shower, and a choice of king or two queen size beds. The suite amenities included a VCR, stereo, refrigerator, wet bar, and electric shoe buffer. Non-smoking rooms, handicap accessible facilities, and 24-hour room service were available, and beverage/ice service were on every floor. The rooms also contained lavish thick carpets, bedding, and drapes.
Restaurants included Haagen Daz' Ice Cream Shoppe; Oz Buffet Studio Cafe Coffee Shop, which was opened 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; Coyote Cafe for Santa Fe-style cooking; Wolfgang Puck Cafe for gourmet pizza & California cuisine; Sir Reginald's Steakhouse, Leonard's for Italian food; Dragon Court for Cantonese and Schezuan food; and Ocean Grill & The Cracked Crab for seafood. The One Liners Food Court contained Mama Ilardo's Pizzeria, Hamada Orient Express, McDonald's, Nathan's and Taco Bell.
Parking was accessed underneath the five-story domed porte cochere accessed on Tropicana Avenue. There was valet parking for 1,200 cars and self-parking for 4,800 vehicles. The video wall in the guest registration lobby featured 60 TV monitors screening original entertainment videos.
Stores included MGM Grand Adventure Store, Emerald City Gift Shop, MGM Grand & Co., Grand Spirits Liquor Shop, Front Page Newsstand, Marshall Rousso Collection, and Kenneth J. Lane.
The Grand Spa was a state-of-the art fitness facility which featured six Jacuzzi spas, steam and sauna, personal trainers, and pro shop. The resort held four tennis courts, all lit for night play. The Grand Oasis pool area was 144,000 square feet with a sandy beach entry, luxury cabanas, and the Sand Bar snack bar.
The 30,000 square foot Oz Midway and Video Arcade was located next to the Food Court. This area contained games such as Fascination, Balloons-in-a-Row, Flying Brooms, Wack-E-Witch, Dorothy's Race, Kansas Pig Skin, Wiz, Tin Pin Alley, Bowler Rowler, Emerald Derby, Haunder Forest, and Ruby Slipper's Pitch. King Looey's Youth Activity Center provided supervised play for registered hotel guests ages 3 to 16 years, seven days a week.
The Youth Center was given to Director Mike Messner who helped create the Youth Hotel previously at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Youth Center had $30,000 of renovations before the center could be licensed by the county as an accommodation facility. The original designers failed to include two exits for each room, a handicapped accessible toilet, no water fountains and other things necessary to secure licensing.
The Adventures Theme Park was advertised almost as a separate entity from the resort. The park sat on 33 acres of land with 8 themed areas leading to 7 action rides and attractions, 4 incredible theatres with 4 shows, 9 food and beverage outlets, and 12 retail shops. The themed areas were called Casablanca Plaza, New York Street, Asian Village, French Street, Salem Waterfront, Tumbleweed Gulch, New Orleans Square, and Olde England Street.
The Casablanca Plaza contained everything from guest services, lost & found, lockers, and stroller & wheelchair rentals to the Park Rangers security staff. Every morning the park held its Opening Ceremonies that featured MGM Grandmosphere cast and dancers in a patriotic parade concluding with the raising of the American flag and rousing rendition of the National Anthem. Performers also sang Good Morning, Good Morning from the MGM musical Singing in the Rain.
One of the shows was the Dueling Pirates which was performed in the 950 seat Pirate's Cover Theatre. Other attractions included the Lightning Bolt three-dimensional video projections theatre, King Looey Theatre to learn cartoon animation, Deep Earth Exploration, and Backlot River Tour
On December 31, 1993, Barbra Streisand christened the opening of the 16,325 seat Garden Arena with her first concert in more than 20 years. During this year the Grand Theatre showcased Frank Sinatra, and the Hollywood Theatre showcased Kenny Loggins.
It has also hosted boxing events such as Holyfield v. Tyson and Foreman v. Moorer. Making its debut in the Hollywood scene, it hosted the FOX Billboard Music Awards for 1997 and 1998, and the Professional Bull Riders Bud Light Cup Championships.
It is also the annual host of the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children Benefit.
1999-2003, Deanna DeMatteo - All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission of the owner!
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