Las Vegas is renowned internationally for being an important touristic destination. Gambling in large casinos, live performances, burlesque shows, luxurious resorts, nightclubs… all these are symbols of Las Vegas, where adult entertainment and fun prevails. In fact, that is why it is popularly referred to as the Sin City. But, of course, Las Vegas wasn’t always the city that we know today. Important hotels were raised decades ago; this progressively forged the city into what it is in our days.

The importance of the Riviera Hotel & Casino in history

One of the most relevant hotels in the past was the Riviera Hotel & Casino, which set a milestone as to innovative design and amenities. Before, Las Vegas hotels resembled roadside motor courts. But the Riviera transformed these standards into more spectacular buildings, with bright and striking lights that attracted clients like never before. Plus, it turned gambling in Las Vegas into a higher level, with larger casinos and more games. It was a perfect blend of classic and modern Las Vegas.

The decade when the Riviera was inaugurated was very important for the development of Las Vegas into the city it is now. When the city was going through its first upswing, “the Riv” was reaching its heyday; the time when casinos were gaining relevance in Las Vegas, and gambling was something completely new.

When was the Riviera sold

After the Riviera started to slope, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority thought it was the perfect moment to bid in order to acquire the property. It would play an important role in the expansion of the Las Vegas Global Business District, because the space was needed to do so.

The Riviera Hotel and associated land was sold to the LVCVA in February 2015, for a total amount of $182.5 million.