Las Vegas Hotels - Hilton
he Las Vegas Hilton is not located directly on the Strip but its expansiveness and presence is felt way down the Strip. The Las Vegas Hilton is the largest Hilton hotel in the world.
The Las Vegas Hilton is undoubtedly one of the most impressive entertainment resorts in the area of the Las Vegas Strip. While it is not located directly on the Strip, its presence and influence is certainly felt all the way down this exciting area of the world. The Las Vegas Hilton is one of the largest hotel and casino resorts in the area and is the Hilton's largest hotel. The hotel boasts 3,174 rooms and is located on 80 acres of land with a 100,000 square foot casino complex.
The hotel was built in 1969 by Kirk Kerkorian, a famous Nevada billionaire. Kerkorian is known for his expansive purchases of land of the Las Vegas Strip and subsequent selling off to investors wishing to purchase land for hotels. The hotel opened up under the name of the International Hotel and was, at the time, the largest hotel in world.
The hotel's fame spread in the very early days because of the superb performances which were held at the complex. The opening night saw Barbara Streisand performing and she continued to provide entertainment at the hotel for a number of weeks. Following Streisand's engagement, King of Rock 'n Roll, Elvis Presley, took the stage and wooed the overflowing complex's audience with 58 consecutive sold-out shows. Presley managed to break all previously held Vegas records by attracting 130,157 customers in a one-month period. Presley continued to perform at the Las Vegas Hilton on a regular basis, always breaking his previous records – February 1970, August 1970, August 1972 and so on, until his final performance in December 1976.
In 1971, International Hotel was sold to the Hilton Hotel's Corporation and was renamed the Las Vegas Hilton. Due to the growing popularity and demand for more accommodation on the Strip, the Hilton added on two more towers to cater for the need – the east tower in 1975 and the north tower in 1978. One of the hotel's major features is the race and sportsbook which was added in 1996. The sportsbook is said to be the largest in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Hilton has also had its share of problems with fires and collapsing signs. On 11th February 1981, a fire broke out in the entertainment complex, ironically while modern fire safety equipment was being installed. The fire was well-controlled due to experience gained in a similar fire a few months previously at the MGM Grand Mirage. This fire only cost the lives of 8 patrons, compared to 85 who died in the MGM's fire. In July 1994, the hotel's famous sign collapsed in a severe windstorm and was rebuilt a few years later.
The hotel is now one of the major attractions in the Strip area, currently featuring signature shows such as Barry Manilow and Star Trek: The Experience.
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