Jewel of the Desert

Sad news from Las Vegas - the Sahara, the last of the Rat-Pack era hotel-casinos, is to close its doors in May, with no clear plan for its future.

It opened in 1952, as a development of the "Club Bingo" which was first on the site. The first night act was Ray Bolger.  In 1954, Louis Prima became a resident lounge act.  Marlene Dietrich performed, for big money, and got the crowds and photographers flocking in with her net dress, covered with strategic sequins. The Rat-Pack filmed scenes for Ocean's Eleven there, and probably laughed with Don Rickles, the "insult" comedian - whose 1950s material is a very hard listen in a pc world. The Beatles nearly played there in 1964; the Sahara management signed them up, but sold so many tickets, the show was moved to the Las Vegas Convention Centre. For years, Jerry Lewis hosted Labour Day telethons from the hotel.

Now the entertainment is a roller coaster and a NASCAR cafe, offering a speciality giant burrito - with it's own burrito cam.