Former casino hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada
The Landmark was a hotel and casino located in Winchester, Nevada, east of the Las Vegas Strip and across from the Las Vegas Convention Center. Frank Caroll, the project's original owner, purchased the property in 1961. Fremont Construction began work on the tower that September, while Caroll opened the adjacent Landmark Plaza shopping center and Landmark Apartments by the end of the year. The tower's completion was expected for early 1963, but because of a lack of financing, construction was stopped in 1962, with the resort approximately 80 percent complete. Up to 1969, the topped-off tower was the tallest building in Nevada until the completion of the International Hotel across the street.
In 1966, the Central Teamsters Pension Fund provided a $5.5 million construction loan to finish the project, with ownership transferred to a group of investors that included Caroll and his wife. The Landmark's completion and opening was delayed several more times. In April 1968, Caroll withdrew his request for a gaming license after he was charged with assault and battery against the project's interior designer. The Landmark was put up for sale that month.
Billionaire Howard Hughes, through Hughes Tool Company, purchased the Landmark in 1969 at a cost of $17.3 million. Hughes spent approximately $3 million to add his own touches to the resort before opening it on July 1, 1969, with 400 slot machines and 503 hotel rooms. In addition to a ground-floor casino, the resort also had a second, smaller casino on the 29th floor; it was the first high-rise casino in Nevada. Aside from the second casino, the five-story cupola dome at the top of the tower also featured restaurants, lounges, and a night club.
During the 1970s, the Landmark became known for its performances by country music artists. The resort also played host to celebrities such as Danny Thomas and Frank Sinatra. However, the resort suffered financial problems after its opening and underwent several ownership changes, none of which resulted in success. The Landmark entered bankruptcy in 1985, and ultimately closed on August 8, 1990, unable to compete with new megaresorts. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority purchased the property in September 1993, and demolished the resort in November 1995, to add a 2,200-space parking lot for its convention center. In 2019, work was underway on a convention center expansion which includes the former site of the Landmark. The Las Vegas Convention Center's West Hall expansion opened on the site in June 2021.
History.
Frank Caroll, also known as Frank Caracciolo, was a building developer from Kansas City. In 1960, he and his wife Susan decided to construct a hotel-casino and shopping center in Las Vegas. Frank Caroll received a gaming license that year. In 1961, the Carolls purchased of land at the northwest corner of Convention Center Drive and Paradise Road in Winchester, Nevada, approximately half a mile east of the Las Vegas Strip and across from the Las Vegas Convention Center. Aside from a gas station, the property was vacant.
Construction (1961–1968).
Commencement.
The Landmark was initially planned as a 14-story hotel with a casino, although the floor count increased as the project progressed. Fremont Construction, owned by Louis P. Scherer of Redlands, California, began construction of the tower at the end of September 1961, under a $1.5 million contract. Frank Caroll's company, Caroll Construction Company, also worked on the tower. At the start of construction, the tower was to include 20 stories, while completion was planned for early 1963. The tower was built on a five-foot-thick base of concrete and steel, measuring 80 feet in diameter and resting on a base of caliche that descended 30 feet into the ground. Consolidated Construction Company was the concrete subcontractor for the tower.
By December 1961, Caroll had opened the two-story Landmark Plaza shopping center, built out in an L-shape at the base of the tower. The Landmark Apartments, with 120 units, were also built near the tower and operational by the end of 1961. In 1962, a bar known as Shannon's Saloon and a western music radio station, KVEG, began operating in the Landmark Plaza. In addition to studios, KVEG also had its offices in the shopping center.
By February 1962, the tower was planned to include 31 floors, making it the tallest building in Nevada. While plans for a separate hotel structure were being made, work began on the tower by pouring concrete on a continuous 24-hour schedule. The concrete pour was done with a slip forming method. With 21 floors expected to be added to the tower over a 12-day period, it was expected to reach the 24th floor by the end of the month. In March 1962, at the request of Caroll, Clark County Commissioners removed a restriction which specified that gaming licenses could only be issued for ground-level casinos, as Caroll wanted to open a casino on the second floor of the Landmark's shopping center. That month, Caroll received a $450,000 loan from Appliance Buyers Credit Corporation (ABCC), a subsidiary of RCA-Whirlpool.
Construction had reached the 26th floor by the end of April 1962. Upon completion of the floor, work was to begin on the tower's bubble dome. By June 1962, ABCC loaned an additional $300,000 to Caroll, who reached his $3 million loan limit with the company. Caroll ultimately owed ABCC a total of $3.5 million. In August 1962, the Landmark tower was designated as a civilian fallout shelter, with the capacity to hold 3,500 people after its completion. That month, work was underway on the steel framework base for the tower's glass bubble dome.
By September 1962, the Landmark tower was nearing completion and had become the tallest building in Las Vegas and the state, being visible from 20 miles away. By that time, many stores in the Landmark Plaza had closed due to falling debris that included welding sparks, steel, tools, rivets, and cement. A construction delay occurred in September 1962, when shipments of steel for the tower's dome were deemed inadequate and crews had to wait for new shipments. Construction was progressing rapidly on the tower's dome during October 1962, with steel and concrete still being added to the tower. Completion was still scheduled for early 1963. The Aluminium Division of Apex Steel Corporation Limited was contracted to install a $40,000 aluminum undershine on the tower's dome, to provide a maintenance-free and clean-looking appearance for viewers on the ground. Crews used scaffolding and hoists to reach the area where aluminum sheets needed to be placed. Each day, it took crews 18 minutes to be lifted up. Due to delays arising from strong winds, it took crews two months for the aluminium to be attached.
Delay.
In December 1962, construction of the tower was stopped when ABCC denied further funding and alleged that the Carolls had defaulted on payments. The 31-story tower had been topped off and the resort was approximately 80 percent complete, with $5 million already spent on the project. The tower's planned opening was delayed until April 1963, but it did not occur as scheduled. In May 1963, ABCC was planning a sale of the apartments, shopping center, and unfinished tower for the following month. The Carolls sought to halt the sale, and filed a $2.1 million damage suit against ABCC, alleging that the company stopped construction and refused to pay the contractors. An injunction against foreclosure was granted in June 1963, but was dissolved the following year. In October 1964, a sale of the tower was approved for later that month, after being requested by ABCC, which was still owed $3.5 million by Landmark Plaza Corporation. Up to that time, the tower had been appraised several times and was valued between $8 million and $9 million. Ownership subsequently changed, as did the resort's design plans.
In August 1965, Maury Friedman was working on a deal with RCA Victor to convert the Landmark's tower and apartment buildings into office space. By the following month, Inter-Nation Tower, Inc. – a Beverly Hills-based corporation – was negotiating with RCA-Whirlpool to develop the tower and adjacent land as an international market place, an idea that was supported by local retailers and resorts. In December 1965, architect Gerald Moffitt said the Landmark's design had gone through many revisions and that his design plans had been impounded by a court; a spokesman said there were no plans to resume construction in the near future. It was estimated that an additional six months were needed to complete the tower.
The unfinished tower became an eyesore for visitors to the nearby convention center. During its vacancy, people noted that the building appeared to be tilted, similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa; experts stated that this was an illusion caused when the building was viewed with nearby power poles, which were tilted rather than the building itself. Local residents nicknamed it the "Leaning Tower of Plaza", the "Leaning Tower of Las Vegas", and "Frank's Folly." Moffitt said, "It doesn't tilt. There is only three-eights of an inch difference in diameter from top to bottom." In May 1966, early negotiations were being held with a prospective buyer of the Landmark.
Resumption.
In July 1966, new design plans were filed with the county for the completion of the tower. Scherer planned to acquire additional property for use as a parking lot to accommodate the redesigned project. In August 1966, the Central Teamsters Pension Fund provided a $5.5 million construction loan for the project. By that time, ownership had been transferred to Plaza Tower, Inc., made up of several investors, including the Carolls and Scherer, whose construction company was awarded a $2.5 million contract to finish the Landmark tower. Because of legal problems involved with the project, the acquisition of title required over 5,000 hours of legal work and the settlement of more than 40 lawsuits. Construction was underway again in early September 1966, with completion expected in early 1967. The shops and taverns in the Landmark Plaza were closed, and the shopping center and gas station were demolished, so the land around the tower could be used to construct a casino, a hotel lobby, offices, and new shops. The adjacent Landmark apartments were to be converted into hotel rooms for the new resort.
In November 1966, Caroll planned to install two slot machines inside the Landmark Coffee Shop, which sold food to construction workers from inside a temporary structure that was to become the site of a permanent building eventually. Caroll's plans were denied as his gaming license did not apply to the coffee shop. At the time, Caroll was also accused by sheriff Ralph Lamb of being uncooperative with police officers who were searching for a hoodlum at the Landmark Apartments.
The Landmark had been scheduled to open on September 15, 1967, but its opening was further delayed because of construction problems. A new opening date of November 15 was announced, with an official grand opening to be held on December 31, 1967. In early November 1967, Scherer was awarded a $2.2 million contract for the final construction phase of the Landmark. Construction crews worked 24 hours a day for each day of the week during the final phase to have the 650-seat dinner showroom theater ready for the planned New Year's Eve opening. Also included in the final phase were clothing and jewelry shops, as well as a recreation area with swimming pools and a 20-foot waterfall.
By the time of its planned New Year's Eve opening, the tower was nearly complete, with an opening now scheduled for mid-January 1968. Two groups – Plaza Tower Inc., the property's landlord group; and Plaza Tower Operating Corporation, the casino operating group – submitted a request for a gaming license to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which investigates licensees and top casino employees prior to issuing gaming licenses. The Landmark's opening did not occur as scheduled.
During February and March 1968, the Landmark was declared as being completed, although it was stated the following year that some construction work remained unfinished. At the time of its stated completion in 1968, a total of 200,000 hours had been spent working on the project, which used 100,000 yards of concrete and 100 tons of steel. The tower occupied of the property, and remained as the tallest building in the state.
Further developments (1968–1969).
Gaming license.
In February 1968, an updated list of top casino employees was submitted to the gaming