Photograph was edited for publication purposes. Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn was a hotel/casino that operated from 1950 to 2000. It was designed by Jac Lessman and was the fifth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip, the property included an 18-hole golf course. Clark originally began building the resort but ran out of money before it was completed; word has it that the Cleveland mob took over the construction. The hotel's most famous guest, businessman Howard Hughes, rented out the entire top two floors on Thanksgiving Day 1966; on March 1, 1967 he purchased the resort for $13 million. In 1997 the Desert Inn went through a $200 million renovation and expansion. On April 24, 2000 the hotel turned 50 years old, three days later, the resort was purchased for $270 million by Steve Wynn, who closed it several months later. On October 23, 2001 the main tower of the Desert Inn was demolished to make room for a megaresort. Las Vegas visitors are Esther Stevens, famed producer-director Michael Curtiz, and Anitra Stevens, who are pictured in a restaurant at Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn on August 25, 1956, during their recent visit.
Curtiz, Michael,--1888-1962 Stevens, Esther Stevens, Anitra Desert Inn Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.) Restaurants--Nevada--Las Vegas Eating & drinking--Nevada--Las Vegas Motion picture producers and directors--United States Lost architecture--Nevada--Las Vegas Las Vegas (Nev.) Herald-Examiner Collection photographs Group portraits Portrait photographs
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