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>> New Frontier Hotel and Casino
The New Frontier is a Las Vegas, Nevada
resort that has been operating continually since October 30,
1942. It was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas
Strip.
Originally beginning as a nightclub called
Pair O’Dice that first opened in 1930, it was rebuilt
and renamed the "Hotel Last Frontier" when it opened
in 1942. On April 4, 1955, it was renamed the "New Frontier"
following a modernization of the resort.
On September 22, 1967, the resort was purchased
for about $14 million by the billionaire Howard Hughes, who
then shortened its name to "The Frontier". Mr. Hughes
purchased the resort from the previous owners, which had also
included Steve Wynn in one of his early ventures when he first
moved to Las Vegas. In 1999, the name was changed back to
New Frontier.
It is of note that the resort has the distinction
of hosting Elvis Presley's first Vegas appearance in 1956,
and the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on
January 14, 1970.
From September 21, 1991 until February 1,
1998 members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las
Vegas staged a strike against the New Frontier and it's owners
Margaret Elardi and her two sons John Elardi and Tom Elardi.
A settlement was reached on October 28, 1997 when Kansas City,
Kansas hotelier and industrialist Phil Ruffin announces he
will purchase the New Frontier from the Elardis for $165 million
dollars. Officials from the Culinary Workers Union Local 226
say that they will end the strike on the day that Phil Ruffin
officially takes over the property.
According to an article in the Las Vegas
Sun Newspaper the following events occurred during the strike:
- 17 CWU Local 226 strikers died.
- 106 babies were born to CWU member mothers who have
walked the picket.
- Las Vegas has witnessed the closure and implosion of
the Dunes, Landmark, Sands and Hacienda hotels.
- More than 21,340 hotel rooms were constructed in Las
Vegas.
- Construction on an additional 19,000 rooms and suites
was started.
- 235 of the original 550 strikers had walked the line
in shifts manned 24 hours a day.
There have been plans since 2000 to close
the New Frontier and implode it in order to make room for
another megaresort, but as of today, it is still operating.
There are, however, plans by Donald Trump, in partnership
with the casino's owners, to build a high-rise luxury hotel-condominium
on some of its property. The Trump International Hotel &
Tower is slated to begin construction sometime in early 2005.
Since part of the old building still exists,
some call the New Frontier the oldest Strip hotel and casino.
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