Parts of the story of Moulin Rouge was given to me by Dick Taylor in excerpts from his book Moulin Rouge Hotel History. Please click here for Dick's note to you regarding the Moulin Rouge and his book.
The Moulin Rouge resort which occupied 88,900 square feet of land, was the dream of Louis Rubin, a restaurateur from New York, Alexander Bisno, a real estate entrepreneur from Beverly Hills and heavyweight champ Joe Louis, who also played host.
The Rouge was situated at the edge of what once was the McWilliams Townsite, a bustling community of non-whites that existed in 1904. In 1905 U.S. Sen. William Clark convinced his railroad company to divert its water from McWilliams to his Las Vegas Ranch, creating a new town and scuttling McWilliams.
"It's water that makes the world go 'round. In 1905 (McWilliams) caught fire, and there was no water to put it out. The Moulin Rouge was built at a time when there were more educated and cosmopolitan people who were in a position to fight for the rights those residents had always been denied. The Moulin Rouge has become, somewhat unfairly, a symbol of that (fight)." - Michael Green, a Las Vegas historian, 2003
The area struggled economically until the the 1940s when black professionals brought their talents and sophistication to the neighborhood, Green said. The Moulin Rouge opened in the ensuing building boom.
The 110 room Moulin Rouge opened on May 24, 1955 (some say May 14, 1955). The opening lineup consisted of singer Dinah Washington, musician Lionel Hampton, The Platters, and community activist William Bailey. One of the attendees at the opening was Tom Bradley who later became the Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1973 to 1993.
The Moulin Rouge opened only a few days after the Dunes.
"...was a better piece of architecture than the original Dunes, which was basically just a large motel. It was definitely modern with a capital "M". While downtown's Golden Gate and El Cortez casinos still preserve the 1940s era of "sawdust joints," the Moulin Rouge "had the sophistication of the Strip, a very definite aesthetic and style." - Alan Hess, author of "Viva Las Vegas: After-Hours Architecture," an architectural history of the city.
In June of 1955, Rouge showcased Tropi Can Can.
The Moulin Rouge's opening made the cover of the June 20, 1955 Life magazine.
The Rouge was built around an enclosed patio garden and swimming pool. Many of the ground level floors facing the patio area had sliding glass doors which provided access to the pool area.
Overlooking the patio and pool area and adjacent to the lobby, is a modern restaurant for informal dining and pleasant get-togethers. Leading off from the lobby was the plush, modern casino attractively designed and richly finished in unusual detailed mahogany. Facing into the casino was a modern, brightly decorated cocktail lounge and bar, with the stage area for continuous lounge entertainment. Adjacent to the casino was the entrance to the Cafe Rouge, the beautiful theatre-restaurant, with a capacity for 350 dinner guests.
The exterior of the Rouge was modern, with beautiful landscaping, creating a setting of beauty and charm. Spacious parking areas, completely surfaced, were attractively bordered with curbing and plantings. Dominating the approaches to the Rouge was a variety of spectacular signs and displays which gave prominent identity to the hotel and its attractions.
This was Las Vegas' first integrated casino. It was located at 900 West Bonanza Road, well off the Strip. Since Las Vegas was racist during this period of time, blacks were segregated on the poor west side of town and only hired on the Strip as maids and busboys. Headliners Lena Horne, Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, Will Mastin Tri with Sammy Davis, Jr., were rarely allowed to stay at the hotels at which they performed. The Blacks had their own clubs (Harlem Room, Brown Derby) on the west side.
The Rouge was a nearly 40,000 square feet building which housed the above-described casino, ballroom, showroom, bakery, and tavern. The showroom which could sit 350 people, had a purple ceiling. Paintings of showgirls and the Eiffel Tower adorned the ballroom walls.
Someone enjoying the pool
"The Moulin Rouge has been set up as Las Vegas' first interracial hotel and may set the stage for several other such places in the community. The casino, bar and restaurant are beautifully decorated in rich cool colors and give the guests a warmth that is found in the best hotels across the nation.There are two pools on the grounds of the Moulin Rouge. One is an Olympic sized affair for the general use of the adult guests and alongside it is a junior size pool for the pleasure of the younger generation.
It is worth a visit to the Moulin Rouge just to see the uniforms of the security guards. They're pattern after the Foreign Legion and are bright and gaudy and one immediately feels as if he actually were a part of old France." - Las Vegas Magazine, June, 1955
"With the opening of the new interracial hotel, the Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas took another giant step forward. Though we went to press before the formal grand opening, we attended the Press opening and enjoyed ourselves tremendously to say the least.For the first time in this 'city of cities,' people of all colors mingled freely in a casino and much to the surprise of some, everyone joined in the spirit of good fellowship and had a lot of fun together.
Starting with a cocktail party, where the drinks flowed like water, you could notice an almost holiday feeling among the guests and this feeling permeated the employees of the Moulin Rouge so that they seemed to be having as good a time as the visitors.
Former heavyweight champion Joe Louis, the official greeter, made all who attended feel as though he was their personal friend as he circulated from group to group. General Manager Sonny Bosewell, former globetrotter star, visited with our party and it was a real pleasure meeting such a friendly host. As the evening progressed all the Strip personalities from each hotel made their appearance to wish the Moulin Rouge success. Then at 8:30 we went to the theater restaurant, the Cafe Rouge, to see the Tropi Can-Can Revue. The filet mignon was the best and the revue was completely different from the usual strip show. Benny Carter and his orchestra, exponents of Blue Jazz and Clarence Robinson, producer-director, joined together in presenting one of the fastest moving shows ever set on a stage.
After the show we adjourned to the dancers in the land, Stump and Stump, comedy team, and Ann Weldon to sing the blues, this revue seemed assured of rave notices. After the show we adjourned to the "21" tables and even the cards seemed to get friendly. We reached home in the wee hours in the morning, tired by $40 happier. We would have been much more happier but someone has to teach my wife that you don't draw to a 17. It seemed to me at one stage of the game that she was working for the house. Seated at the gaming table with us was Dave Hepburn, editor of Our World, and Allan Morrison, New York editor of Ebony enjoying every minute of their holiday in Las Vegas. They promised to return again to this great city of ours. Probably the biggest hit of the evening was the cigarette girl, a real exciting personality who sold enough tobacco that night to advance the stock of American Tobacco at least six points. Her smile was enough to cause people to reorder unneeded cigarettes continually just for the opportunity of talking to her. Also very enjoyable in the Lucky Pierre Bar was the music of Wild Bill Davis, the Ahmad Jamel Trio, and Bill Johnson Quartet, all featuring the hot and heavy style of playing.
To describe the decor of the Moulin Rouge is almost impossible. You must see it to really appreciate it. Beautiful murals, copper tinted tables, polished wood walls are only a few of its eyecatching features. A great deal of time and study must have been spent in designing this hotel. Everything seems to blend into a panorama of color, even to the waitresses uniforms.
We in Las Vegas are proud to have the nation's first major interracial hotel. To wish owners Lou Rubin, Al Bisno, and Will Swartz success is superfluous. This success in this daring venture is assured." - Pat Walsh, Las Vegas Magazine, June 1955
The Rat Pack consisting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, and Sammy Davis, Jr., were regulars at the Moulin Rouge with the belief that if Davis couldn't hang out with them in their section of town after their shows, they would go to Davis' section.
James McMillan, Las Vegas' first black dentist was married at the Moulin Rouge, with Sammy Davis, Jr., and Frank Sinatra in attendance.
Among the top-notch entertainers who got their start at the Rouge were the Hines Kids (Gregory and his brother Maurice). It was also reported that comedians Jack Benny and Patti Moore won top praises as showstoppers when they performed at the Rouge.
The showroom featured "Tropi-Can-Can" under the tutelage of veteran producer Clarence Robinson. Jazz great Benny Carter conducted the original orchestra. Thereafter, Les Brown brought in his internationally band.
The Rouge closed its doors in September 1955. Some say business dried up when the Strip became integrated but others say the closure was because the Rouge's popularity was hurting business on the resorts on the Strip. Entertainers and showgirl contracts were changed to bar them from after-hours jam sessions which became frequent and a definite attraction at the Rouge with people leaving the Strip to attend and/or watch these sessions. Strip casinos probably pressured the holders of short-term notes because the Moulin Rouge was siphoning traffic and big players.
"The money was going out the back door as fast as it was going in the front." - Wally Ogle, Rouge State Manager, 2001
It was reported that Rouge was a $3 million investment, though the appraised value for the bankruptcy sale was $1.85 million.
In February, 1957, Mrs. Louise Carson, in her suit against Tom Foley, local attorney, was attempting to get herself out of the investor category with the resort and place herself on the list of creditors. Attorney Foley stated that because she was not licensed by the city of Las Vegas, after she received her state license, she claims taht was entitled to the return of her $12,000. The $12,000 was invested in the resort and Mrs. Carson was supposed to receive one-half of 1% of the limited partnership. However, in order to expedite the opening of the hotel, only eight of the investors were licensed by the City and the others were to be licensed later. However, before Mrs. Carson could be licensed, the establishment closed.
On March 26, 1960, the Rouge was the site of the historic meeting where an agreement was signed by Gov. Grand Sawyer, civic leaders and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that ended segregation in Las Vegas hotels.
Many people owned the Rouge after that, attempting unsuccessfully, to have the Rouge become as popular as her Strip and downtown siblings.
From December 28, 1956 until January 2, 1957, Dick Taylor leased the resort for the holidays, when all other facilities figure to be pushed beyond capacity, for $2,000 plus 20% of the net profits.
Please click here to see how the Moulin Rouge chip influenced the Last Frontier's chip.
In 1983, the Rouge was purchased by Waclaw "Walter" Czarnecky and Anders Brodelin from West Las Vegas Hotel Corporation.
In 1989, the Professional Black Women's Alliance presented the Third Annual PBWA Rose Awards Program at the Rouge. Theme of the event, which began at 6:00pm was "Black Women - Our Role, The Year 2000."
The event honored 20 Las Vegas Women who personify positive images for local youth. Entertainment included poetry read by Wendy Nichols, a performance by harpist Janet Anthony and an African art display. Donation for the event was $10 which was used to help prepare economically disadvantaged individuals for the work force.
In 1990, Rouge entered into negotiations with Sarann Knight Preddy, and her husband Joe L. Preddy. They agreed to trade 1.87 acres on Desert Inn Road for the resort and negotiations began. The Preddys also owned the People's Choice restaurant and casino in Las Vegas.
Sarann Knight Preddy was at Rouge when it first opened, and her father was one of the construction workers who built it. She operated a nightclub-casino in Hawthorne and two clubs in Las Vegas before opening a gaming operation with her husband and son in the Moulin Rouge.
On February 7, 1991, Rouge filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Czarnecky and Brodelin listed in the petition that total assets of slightly more than $4 million and estimated liabilities at $2.5 million. Czarnecky died at age 41 on February 11, 1991.
By 1993, there were 15 slots and three gaming tables, and new owners Preddys boasted that they were the only blacks ever to own the Moulin Rouge while maintaining a non-restricted gaming license for the property.
In 1994, Liquor and gaming licenses were granted to the club and they fixed it up from its decaying state. The Preddys were the only African Americans to solely own the Moulin Rouge while maintaining a nonrestricted gaming license. (Sarann Knight was the first African American woman to obtain a Nevada gaming license, as well as being a dealer at the Cotton Club in West Los Angeles, California in 1948).
In April of 1994, Martin Luther King III spoke at a luncheon hosted by the Rouge to reward college-bound youths with scholarship money.
On March 25, 1995, County Commission Chair-woman Yvonne Atkinson Gate officiated the second annual Hall of Farm induction ceremony was hosted by the Rouge.
Unfortunately the Preddys couldn't obtain the funds to fully restore the Rouge. They thought that obtaining a gaming license would interest investors but it didn't. The Las Vegas City Council had promised to pay a $3 million loan for the Moulin Rouge from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Preddys and Walker had to come up with an additional $200,000 and meet a number of other conditions by mid-August of 1996. The deadline was extended another 60 days but the funds could not be raised.
While other resorts were being imploded and demolished to make way for the new, the Preddys, together with their son James Walker, were able to get the property placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted to a non-profit institution. The property was also deemed a historical landmark from the Nevada State Museum and the Historical Society.
In November, 1996, the Preddys and Walker closed the Rouge which at the time had a spacious snack and cocktail lounge. They were renting the hotel rooms for $300 a month.
In late 1996, the Mashantucket Pequot Indians, who operate the Foxwoods Resort Casino, travelled from Connecticut to evaluate the property and began negotiating with the City of Las Vegas to purchase the resort. Unfortunately, they backed out of negotiations.
On February 11, 1997, Steven Hill Gentis died at the Rouge after being stabbed in the head by a man with a mental disorder. Gentis was a transient who was living in one of the buildings at the closed resort.
In May of 1997, Bart Maybie, a local millionaire developer known for buying depressed properties and rehabilitating them, bought the Rouge for $3 million with the intent of leasing different parts of the building to various businesses.
"Nothing is going to change other than it's going to be upgraded. "We have carpet very similar to what is here now (in the ballroom) that will go in. We are going to put the ceiling in the showroom (theater) back like it was and maybe we can even clean the wallpaper and refinish the mahogany wood walls." - Bart Maybie
Maybie had stated that the name will remain lighted up on the front of the building, and he plans to open a neighborhood tavern that would have slot machines, but said there are several licensing regulations to overcome before then. A church and catering business specializing in wedding receptions and special events already are negotiating for the showroom and ballroom areas, respectively. In addition to the main building, Maybie bought the nearby Momart Apartments and business complex at the location just east of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The apartments will have a name change along with a face-lift. Tenants in the business complex will remain and also may get improvements which is also part of the plan.
Of course, what Maybie knows is that since the Rouge is now a landmark, the exterior of the Rouge needs to stay the same to keep the criteria for inclusion.
Nucleus Associates Local Development Co., a nonprofit organization was granted $72,000 by the U.S. Department of Commerce to oversee the study of the Rouge. The study surveyed the full range of possibilities, including a museum or cultural performing arts center. Nucleus Chairman John Edmond teamed with Maybie on a salvaging plan. Edmond talked about reopening the Rouge as a casino with card games, slot machines, theme restaurants and a bar, with growing interests in a museum or arts center.
"First, there has got to be a dream and if you can envision that, you can make it happen. A project like this would be a natural for me to be able to continue the vision of uplifting what is considered to be the old West Side . . . turning the Moulin Rouge back into a casino that would house eight to 10 gaming tables and 165 to 170 slot machines. We would redo the showroom back to its original state and create the restaurant back to what it was, and maybe go with a Cajun-style restaurant or something that would be unique to Las Vegas." - John Edmond
In May of 1997, ex-owner of Vegas World/Stratosphere and present owner of the Thunderbird Motel, Bob Stupak, announced that he was going to buy the Moulin Rouge for $20 million and plans to open it by December 26, 1999.
On July 21, 1998 a midnight lightning strike caused minor fire damage to a tower at the Rouge.
On July 9, 1999, Joe L. Preddy, who worked behind the scenes while his wife took the spotlight in their efforts died of heart at Valley Hospital. He was 63. He had suffered from a heart condition for several years, his family said.
"My grandfather was the backbone of the business. "The work he did was in the background. For instance, he loved to buy the food for the Moulin Rouge (kitchen), whether it was at warehouses or in the grocery stores." - Stacy Walker"Joe was a loving, caring, giving individual who didn't mind going that extra mile for someone in need. ... He had a unique style and a special charisma that radiated and touched many." - Sarann Preddy
Born July 2, 1936, in Wilmar, Ark., Preddy graduated from Drew High School in Monticello, Ark., and came to Las Vegas in 1959. It was a time when Las Vegas was called "The Mississippi of the West" because of its policies banning blacks from Strip casinos and its efforts to keep blacks confined to run-down West Las Vegas. Four years before Joe's arrival, the Moulin Rouge had earned a place in Las Vegas history as the first Las Vegas gaming property to cater to an interracial crowd.
In addition to his wife, Joe Preddy is survived by a son, Avree Joey Walker of Las Vegas; a daughter, Ashley Nicole Walker of Las Vegas; three brothers, James Otis Lyles, of Waukegan, Ill., Paul Preddy of Kansas City, Mo., and Eddie Preddy of Detroit, Mich.; two sisters, Pattie Dailey of Wilmar, Ark., and Vickie Preddy of Kansas City, Mo; and seven grandchildren.
Obviously the Stupak sale did not go through as in May of 2001, Maybie announced that he has cleaned up the neighborhood, and plans to re-open the restaurant, sports book and lounge in October, 2001, with the casino opening later.
In March 2002, Chuck Takesian went to visit this sad lady and took the pictures seen above.
On May 29, 2003, just days after her 48th birthday, a fast-moving, three-alarm fire destroyed the Rouge leaving her a total loss.
When firefighters arrived around 1:15 a.m., they found heavy black smoke billowing out of the building and flames shooting as high as 50 feet into the air, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. About 100 people who live in the former Moulin Rouge hotel, which had been converted into apartments, were evacuated. The 110-room apartment building is separated from the casino by a small courtyard. It sustained smoke and water damage. Two residents were taken to University Medical Center -- one for smoke inhalation and one for stomach pains. Firefighters were unable to determine a cause, and there was not an immediate estimate of the cost of the damage.
The fire swept quickly through the casino. About 2:20 a.m., battalion chief Larry Wickliffe called for a second alarm. Within an hour, the flames had grown more intense, and Wickliffe called for a third alarm. About 75 firefighters fought the blaze.
The fire flared again about 3:30 p.m. on May 30, 2003, as a fire crew aimed a hose into the heart of the casino.
"We were putting 5,000 to 6,000 gallons of water on the fire per minute. We went into a defensive attack because it was just too hot to send in crews. Our main focus was to keep the flames out of the apartments. We'll probably never know what happened. Once in a while you get a fire like that, a fire that's pretty extensive and you can't determine a cause. It really took off. It was the perfect conditions for a fire." - Tim Szymanski
The famous Moulin Rogue sign remained intact, although the roof caved in. Firefighters had their ladders extended over the sign and were shooting water down onto the flames.
Maybie said he had the building insured for about $2 million and plans to rebuild. He said plans had been to open a casino, restaurant, 350-room hotel and museum at the site at the end of the year, but that will be delayed at least to the end of 2004 or maybe later. The site will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 24, 2005.
"Right now I'm in shock and, of course, very depressed. I'm just sick -- not just about losing the building, but really sick because I inhaled some of the smoke as I surveyed the damage this morning. We will rebuild it and we will rebuild it right. We are fortunate that the historic sign in front of the place -- the feature that I really like -- has survived." - Bart Maybie"I was devastated to hear it had burned. It had so much potential and so much history there. I think it's a great loss in this commununity. ... I lost my life savings in that place trying to make a go of it. It seems to me something has been against the Moulin Rouge from the start. They just can't get it going. It's too bad it had to burn like this but I'm looking forward to it coming back better than it was."" - Sarann Knight Preddy
Michael Green stated there is no replacing some of the Moulin Rouge. Its dancing girl murals, the old mahogany wall coverings and the chandeliers are gone forever. But we still have the photographs, written essays and historical accounts.
"So many people think Las Vegas has no history, but we have a lot of history. We ought to take advantage of it. History outlives a building. Just because the Moulin Rouge building isn't there, the history of its existence isn't gone." - Michael Green, Vegas historian"It's a great loss. It was a great piece of what Las Vegas was about then. It was the only place you could go and walk in and get a feeling of what Las Vegas was like in the heyday of the 1950s. It wasn't in good shape, but at least it was all there." - Alan Hess, author of "Viva Las Vegas: After-Hours Architecture," an architectural history of the city
Rod Bickerstaff, the company's general counsel and senior vice president, declined to say how much the deal would have been worth if it had gone forward. He did say that the deal would have been worth significantly more than the $2 million that Maybie stated that he had in insurance. Bickerstaff said black entertainers and sports figures from across the country had invested in the effort. He also declined to say who has invested in the project, explaining that any deal will have to be restructured and renegotiated, and the list of investors is likely to change. He said he thinks there is a "strong possibility" that drug dealers started the blaze in retribution for those cleanup efforts.
"We should be able to work through this. The most important thing is not to lose sight of the ultimate objective -- to bring back the Rouge to its original glory. Over the last eight months we have been on the property, involved in cleaning up the criminal activity. "We've made several major attempts to clean up the property. - Rod Bickerstaff
Paul Wilkins, City Building Department Director, said he expects to tell Maybie to have the building demolished because it's structurally unsound.
Security personnel told fire officials that they checked the casino around midnight and found nothing unusual. The casino had utilities, but it did not have any working sprinklers. Wilkins said the casino was not required to have sprinklers because it was not open for business.
"It's been closed for so long, they weren't required to keep up with the current codes." - Paul Wilkins
Residents milled around outside the building, many in night clothes and slippers. About 10 people laid down on the ground in the parking lot of the Desert Breeze apartment complex, next to the Moulin Rogue, using the curb as pillows. The Red Cross arrived about 3 a.m. and arranged for residents to go to the Dula Senior Center via CAT bus. Charles Hubert, 29, who lives in the Moulin Rogue apartments, said he and other residents tried to get out the emergency exits, but they were locked. When he came out the front door of the apartment building, the flames were about 20 feet from him.
"There's also a 10-foot tall fence around the outside and that was locked, too. I guess it was pretty lucky that everyone got out. You could feel the heat coming off them. I had a notebook that I used to shield my face." - Charles Hubert
Anita LeGault, 47, another resident, was outside holding a large brown teddy bear. She said her roommate, who works as an electrician for the apartment building, had locked some exits to keep drug dealers out. When they saw the fire, they unlocked the exits and started banging on residents' doors, she said.
"The people who live here were fighting against the drug dealers. There's a real sense of community here and everyone looks out for each other." - Anita Le Gault
Nathan Miller, 41, who had lived in the Moulin Rouge apartments for about a month, said he was reading the book "Patriot Games" when someone banged on his door and told him there was a fire.
"I think someone probably set this fire. We have people sneaking in and out of there all the time." - Nathan Miller
Desert Breeze resident Annette Bradey said she left for work at 5 a.m., and was returning about 7 p.m. Thursday, exhausted.
"I was smoked out, me and my son. I didn't get much sleep. "I've been up almost all night." - Annette Bradey
Desert Breeze resident Joann Ostrowski, heard children's voices after 1 a.m. There's a curfew at the complex, so Joann and her husband, Jerry, got up to investigate. Upon seeing the fire, the Ostrowskis packed their car in case of an evacuation. Ostrowski said she saw one woman standing in the parking lot in the middle of the night wrapped in a blanket.
"The whole thing was engulfed in flames. The first thing I put in the car was this beautiful gown for my granddaughter's christening this July. I said, this is not going down with the fire. I guess it's lucky we all survived - Joanna Ostrowski
If anyone cares to contribute funds to help the displaced people, they can call the Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter office at 791-3311 or bring donations to the office at 3672 N. Rancho Drive near Gowan Road.
In April Moulin Rogue property managers met with city building department officials and asked about locking some exits to increase safety for apartment residents, Wilkins said. The building department permitted the apartment managers to lock two exits, leaving four open. The apartment building has six exits, but it's only required to have two, Wilkins said.
Dale Scott, chief executive officer of the Moulin Rouge Development Corp., which was set to become co-owners as early as tomorrow, agreed that the Moulin Rouge project will go on.
"It is devastating. Our plans are still to go ahead and rebuild it to its original luster. The investors will be meeting to discuss what our next move will be. This is a very, very sad day for West Las Vegas and the entire community because an historical monument has gone up in flames. We have over two years of research and development in this project. We felt that this was going to the flagship of the revitalization of West Las Vegas. This means we may have lost the battle, but we will win the war." - Dale Scott
Katherine Duncan, an administrator with CBC Financial Corp., said that one month ago her company put up a fence around the property, essentially turning the casino and adjacent apartment complex -- once the casino hotel -- into a gated community.
"The fence was an effort to stem drug sales on the property. Mostly drug sales is the war we've been fighting. We don't know what our losses are because we haven't gotten to go in yet, but we fear the worst. We may have lost the original dance costumes, a lot of photographs that cannot be replaced, waiters outfits and even original table placemats and silverware." - Katherine Duncan, founder of Moulin Rouge Museum
Duncan, whose group is a nonprofit organization, said a special number has been set up for donations of money or Moulin Rouge memorabilia: (1-866-557-6843).
"It's a landmark...the chief cornerstone of the black community in Las Vegas," said Rev. Marion Bennett, of the Zion Methodist Church, who came to town 43 years ago." - Rev. Marion Bennett, Zion Methodist Church
"Had a lot of history ... it was a place where African-Americans were allowed when they weren't allowed anywhere else." - Rev. Spencer Barrett, president of the recently revived Las Vegas chapter of the NAACP
Both leaders of the Las Vegas Valley's black community hoped the site could be restored and rebuilt, to be set aside as a museum that would help teach others about the role blacks have played in local history.
Former Sen. Richard Bryan, who sits on the board of Preserve Nevada, a group that listed the Moulin Rouge among the 11 most endangered sites, said the Moulin Rouge reminds the generations of people that Las Vegas was called the Mississippi of the West.
"In a community that is as new as Las Vegas, to lose a part of history is particularly difficult." - Former sen. Richard Bryan
Jean Bennett, longtime manager of Ram's Platters and other singing groups, said the Platters' first engagement at the Moulin Rouge helped get them noticed by entertainment directors at Strip resorts. But when they made it to the showroom at the Flamingo, the Platters found a much different atmosphere than the integrated Moulin Rouge, where blacks and whites mixed freely on and off stage.
"They were told not to accept drinks, and when they were off stage we had to sit in the kitchen." - Jean Bennett
Bennett went on to state that the loss of the Moulin Rouge is "heartbreaking". She has lived less than a mile away in Bonanza Village for more than 35 years and who planned to contribute a great deal of Platters memorabilia to the museum.
Bob Bailey, the master of ceremonies at the Moulin Rouge when it opened, said the original owners patterned the hotel after the jazz clubs of New York.
"We often thought that segregation ended when you entered the Moulin Rouge. Opening night was thrilling. We had been thoroughly aware of the fact that this was the first effort to integrate Las Vegas and that Las Vegas was an interracial town. We were very focused on putting on a very good show that night. It showed that people of all colors could come together in a harmonious fashion without being burdened with discriminatory practices. I was dismayed this morning when I heard of the fire. It kind of brings an end to an era. It was certainly a memorial to all the things it represented during the time it did exist. It brought the city into the 20th century. It was exciting and different, a breakthrough in the social mores of the town. Other places in town didn't have that aura. It was an atmosphere you could only get at the Moulin Rouge." - Bob Bailey
Regarding the history of the resort, opening-week advertisements billed the Moulin Rouge as "a truly cosmopolitan hotel," but Bailey says people were surprised how true the ad would prove. Strip hotels took out the typical "welcome to town" newspaper ads, but the real reason for supporting the new casino was "they thought it would be a home for black patrons, so they wouldn't feel bad about telling them no" to staying on the Strip, where Jim Crow attitudes still held sway, Bailey says. Bailey said in the Moulin Rouge blacks stood shoulder to shoulder with whites and the audience at time was 80 percent white.
Councilman Lawrence Weekly said that though the heyday of the Moulin Rouge were before his time, the city lost something special. He said he would do what he can to help rebuild the property.
"It feels like a piece of history is gone now. It's sad to see it go. I wouldn't want to open a can of worms with this comment, but all government entities, from the state level on down, especially because this is listed as a historic site, should be involved in trying to restore it. I urge and encourage the entire state of Nevada to participate." - Lawrence Weekly
The blaze gutted the dreams of hundreds of people along with the casino, said Stephen Rybar, a Las Vegas private detective who has been part of the campaign to restore and preserve the Moulin Rouge as a museum and cultural center.
"It's really a sad day for the people who have being trying to re-energize that area. So much money and effort, and in a few hours it's all gone. For decades, bringing financial viability to the Moulin Rouge has been an elusive dream. - Stephen Rybar
A state official said redevelopment tax credits that would have assisted the effort are now likely impossible.
Ron James, Nevada State Preservation Officer stated they were standing ready to assist them applying for and getting tax credits. He explained that his office plays the critical role in approving those credits, and a staff member was already working with the would-be developers.
"This, of course, precludes our involvement. "We can't help a structure that doesn't exist." - Ron James
Bob Stoldal, chairman of the city of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission, said the property's importance is hard to exaggerate. He is also vice president for news at KLAS-Channel 8, and oversees operations at Las Vegas ONE, a cable news partnership of KLAS and the Las Vegas Sun.
"At a bare minimum, it was a community icon. It was an architectural icon of the West in the sense that it stood for a point in U.S. and Las Vegas history where the racial challenges, racial opportunities were moving forward. We have to save the sign. There have to be other pieces of that building that we can save. There has to be a monument to the Moulin Rouge and what it stood for." - Bob Stoldal
Federal and local investigators were joining forces today to try to determine the cause of the three-alarm blaze that destroyed the historic Moulin Rouge, the city's first racially integrated casino. The U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives activated its national response team, bringing 18 special agents to work with nine investigators from the Las Vegas Fire Department, said Keith Heinzerling, ATF resident agent in charge of the agency's Las Vegas office. The investigation could take a week or more, Heinzerling said. The local fire department invited the ATF team to investigate the blaze because of the amount of the damage and because of the historic significance of the building. ATF agents are trained to put clues together that local investigators might miss.
"They deal with (these kinds of cases) on a day-to-day basis. I don't know how long the assessment will take. Until fire crews douse hot spots, and until it's safe to enter the building, the investigation cannot begin" - Fire Chief David Washington
"If it was an arson, there should be some clues." - Keith Heinzerling
Another lady has died prematurely:
Donated by David Snetsinger
From Tim Szymanski, PIO, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Firehouse.com
Donated by Looking Glass
R. Marsh Starks
On June 11, 2003, it was reported at a news conference that Moulin's fire was deliberate:
"Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set and believe the fire was an act of arson. Some findings are still being pieced together that may take some time." - Las Vegas Fire Marshal Ken Riddle
Riddle declined to say what sparked the blaze or pinpoint the origin of the fire. A Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman said no arrests have been made. Property owner Bart Maybie said he suspects the fire was in response for cracking down on drug activity at the apartments.
"It didn't seem like it could be anything but arson because the building went up so fast. We think its retaliation. "We're still pushing ahead. We're going to make the best of a bad situation." - Bart Maybie
Maybie put damage at $5-$6 million, and said he carried a $2 million insurance policy on the Moulin Rouge.
Officer Jose Montoya of Metro Police said the Moulin Rogue area is known not only for drug activity, but other crimes. Metro records show police were called to the Moulin Rogue property, which includes the casino and hotel which has been converted into apartments, 75 times in May and 69 times in April. The calls involved burglaries, fights, assaults, narcotics offenses, family disturbances, attempted sexual assaults, car thefts and juvenile disturbances. On Christmas Day last year, a woman was found dead in one of the apartments in what had once served as the casino's hotel. Another woman was killed there in 1997, police said.
Dale Scott, chief executive of the Moulin Rouge Development Corp., said plans to renovate the casino in 2005 and the hotel in 2006 were up in the air.
"We've been doing our best to clean up the area in the past few months in preparation for the new Moulin Rogue. It's going to take substantial amounts of funds to revitalize the Moulin Rouge." - Dale Scott, Chief Executive Moulin Rouge Development Corp.
- Dale Scott
Maybie pledged to rebuild the casino. Because the property is listed on the national historic registry, the arsonist responsible could face federal prosecution, said Joe Riehl, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and its western National Response Team that was called in to assist local investigators.
About 30 fire investigators with the National Response Team, an arm of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, went to Las Vegas to help with the probe. Some traveled from Florida, Maryland, Washington state. Fire Chief David Washington asked federal authorities to come to Las Vegas to help with the investigation because of the amount of damage and because of the historic significance of the building.
Riddle praised the ATF's speedy effort, saying the probe could have lasted months without the help of the highly trained team of investigators. Las Vegas ATF agents and fire department investigators would continue to piece together what happened at the Moulin Rouge. He did not say how long the investigation could last or whether a suspect had been identified.
"The enormity and the complexity would have overwhelmed us." Ken Riddle
It was reported on June 17, 2003, that a man sought for questioning in the arson fire had been located, but investigators have refused to release any more information about the case.
The Las Vegas Fire Department asked news media to publicize photographs of Fred "Bubba" Ball, who was seen outside the Bonanza Road casino shortly after it erupted in flames. Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said that Ball was sought as a witness, not as a suspect, and that Ball was the only one of more than 110 witnesses who could not be located. Szymanski confirmed Monday that investigators found Ball, but much about the case remains unclear. He would not say whether Ball was in custody, whether he had been questioned and whether he had shed light on what destroyed Las Vegas' first racially integrated casino. He refused to answer when asked what has prompted the Fire Department's secrecy about the case.
"We're not saying anything about it." - Tim Szymanski
Maybie said he wasn't surprised that the fire that destroyed his landmark casino was arson, but he said he was relieved that many key features of the building are structurally sound enough to incorporate into a new building. Structural engineers determined that part of the front wall, the marquee, the vintage neon sign, three mosaic-tile covered columns and a tower that looms above the casino can be retained.
"Isn't that something? It wanted to stay there." (referring to the front wall) "I'm kind of a nostalgic nut and it was completely important that the building keep some of its historic integrity." - Bart Maybie
It's unclear if the building will maintain its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Federal Investigators wrapped up their work at the scene of the fire. The federal investigators have turned the case over to Las Vegas fire officials so they can continue their probe.
Katherine Dunn, founder and board member of the Moulin Rouge Museum and Cultural Center, said she applied for a $1 million America's Treasures grant in May. But in order to be eligible for the funds, the building must be on the National Registry of Historic Places. She's hoping that enough of the original building will be preserved to maintain its place on the registry.
"Before (the fire) we wanted to bring in a preservation expert to look at the wallpaper. Now we need them to look at the whole building," - Katherine Dunn
In mid-June of 2003, Vegas residents John "Antman" Caver, 29, and Fred "Bubba" Lewis Ball, 45, were arrested near the Moulin Rouge, taken to Clark County Detention Center, and were expected to be charged with first degree arson, local and federal authorities said at a news conference. The men also could face federal charges because the Moulin Rouge was listed in 1992 on the National Register of Historic Places.
Las Vegas Fire Marshal Ken Riddle declined to discuss a motive or the fire's cause, citing an ongoing investigation. Authorities later said that Ball had been seen near the casino shortly after the fire started and was wanted for questioning.
Keith Heinzerling, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said an arson dog, named Wren, played a key role in the case. Authorities said they interviewed more than a 100 people.
Dale Scott, of the Moulin Rouge Development Corp., said Thursday that plans to renovate the casino would continue. Scott said he was "elated" that the investigation had moved so quickly
On June 20, 2003, Arson and conspiracy charges were filed against Caver and Bell. A federal conviction for first-degree arson carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison. State penalties for first-degree arson are two to 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine, and the conspiracy charge carries a penalty of one to six years in prison.
The criminal complaint, filed in state court, did not specify a motive for the fire, but it did accuse Caver of barrying a bag containing "a gasoline-type substance" into the casino and setting it aire while Ball remained outside "operating as a lookout." Both men may still face federal charges.
"They're still pretty early in the investigation as to motive," Bill Hehn said of local fire officials and federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Ball occasionally did maintenance at the old hotel, said Lynn Purdue, spokeswoman for a company that plans to rehabilitate and rebuild the property. Purdue said Caver lived in a nearby apartment complex.
"Both have an extensive criminal history," said Police Officer Jose Montoya. He cited drug and traffic offenses against both men, and said each had been sought at various times on warrants for failure to appear in court. Caver also has been arrested on domestic violence, resisting arrest and weapons charges.
It was reported that the casino district was gutted, but the apartments, and the distinctive Moulin Rouge marquee, were spared. Fire officials put damage at $5.5 million.
Caver was freed on $3,000 bail. Ball remained at the Detention Center. After his release, Caver returned to his apartment in the Treeline complex at 920 W. Bonanza Road, behind the Moulin Rouge, Katherine Duncan, property manager of the Moulin Rouge Development Corp., said. The Moulin Rouge Development Corp. owns 50 of 59 units at the Treeline complex, but the unit Caver rents is one of the nine belonging to an out-of-state owner. Moulin Rouge officials have no power to evict Caver, Duncan said. If Caver lived in one of the apartments owned by the Moulin Rouge, Duncan said "he would have been evicted a long time ago, and I say that emphatically." Caver was "under the security's scrutiny" and was being escorted to and from his apartment.
Some residents aren't happy to see Caver. Ruby Mingo, a resident of the Moulin Rouge apartments, said she has been trying to stay away from him.
"It doesn't make sense for him to come back here if he set the fire. He'd have to have ice water in his veins." - Ruby Mingo
A resident who asked not to be identified said he didn't know that Caver was back. "I hadn't heard that, but if it's true, it's making me a little paranoid to live here," he said.
District Attorney David Roger would not comment directly on a possible motive, but the court documents give a sketchy outline of the events authorities believe unfolded May 29th. Other court documents say two separate witnesses observed Ball at the scene minutes before the fire. According to an arrest affidavit, Ball admitted to investigators that he helped set the fire, and implicated Caver as his co-conspirator. "The U.S. Attorney's office has expressed interest in prosecuting the case," Roger said Thursday. Federal charges had not been filed this morning, U.S. Attorney's office spokeswoman Natalie Collins said.
Damages from the fire were estimated at $12 million, the court documents stated. The building was insured for $3 million, its owners have said. Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the official damage estimate was $5.5 million.
Over the course of the 20-day investigation, federal and local authorities "worked on the case day and night" and interviewed more than 110 witnesses, Las Vegas Fire Marshal Ken Riddle said.
Ball and Caver have extensive criminal records, according to Metro Police. Many of the arrests were made after the court issued warrants for failing to appear in court, Officer Jose Montoya said. Ball has been arrested at least 10 times since 1989, Montoya said, mostly for drug-related offenses, including bringing drugs across state lines, possession of drugs for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of drugs.
His only felony conviction was in 1998. He pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sent to Drug Court after he was caught with marijuana and cocaine near the Moulin Rouge, according to court records. He was put in jail after he failed to follow through with court-ordered drug treatments.
Metro Police have arrested Caver at least 15 times since 1992 on charges such as battery domestic violence, possessing an unregistered firearm, possession of drugs for sale, driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property, Montoya said. He pleaded guilty in District Court in 1996 to carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, a gross misdemeanor, and was sentenced to time served.
On June 23, 2003, Justice of the Peace William Jansen set Ball's bail at $25,000 during Ball's initial arraignment. Jansen said he would appoint a public defender to handle the case after Ball told the judge he could not afford to hire a private attorney.
Deputy District Attorney Melissa Saragosa told Jansen that Ball has not entered into negotiations with prosecutors. "There is no offer at this point," she said.
In September of 2003, First-degree arson charges in state court have been dropped against Fred Ball but he could still face federal charges. Deputy Public Defender Lynn Avants said state prosecutors dropped one count each of first-degree arson and a conspiracy to commit arson against Ball. He said Ball would likely face charges in federal court. District Attorney David Roger had said federal charges could come because the hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Ball is in federal custody but any charges pending against him are under seal.
Caver still faces arson and conspiracy to commit arson charges.
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