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The Sahara Hotel and Casino is located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The hotel has 1700 rooms and a 80,000 square foot (7,000 m²) casino with a Moroccan theme on 43 acres (174,000 m²). The hotel is the northern most stop for the Las Vegas Monorail. The Sahara is the last remaining rat pack hotel. The porte-cochere entrance is designed to set the Moroccan theme as soon as you drive up to the hotel.

History

The hotel opened in 1952 just outside of the City of Las Vegas, and was the sixth resort to open on the Strip.

In late 1954, the hotel hired jazz musician Louis Prima to be their latenight lounge act, one of the earliest ones on the Las Vegas Strip. Along with his then-wife Keely Smith and sax player Sam Butera, they created one of the hottest latenight attractions on the Strip.

A 24 story tower was added in 1963.

Ownership changed in 1995.

The 26 story tower addition was added in 1996 and a new porte cochere was added by the relocated pool.

In 1999 further renovations added a roller coaster and the Nascar restaurant. The roller coaster, called Speed, shoots riders from the hotel outside along the Las Vegas Strip, where it loops and goes through the grandoise Sahara sign in front of the hotel, and then straight up, stop and then takes a return trip backwards. Pedestrians along the Strip can walk right next to the roller coaster as it goes along the track.