
LOST VEGAS: The Brief Rise and Fall of Royal Nevada Casino, 1955-1958
The Royal Nevada Casino Hotel, operating from April 19, 1955, to January 30, 1958, stands as one of Las Vegas's shortest-lived casino resorts, marked by mismanagement and misfortune.

Royal Nevada casino exterior view
Frank Fishman, a millionaire hotelier, initiated the $2.5 million project in 1953. Located between the Last Frontier and the future Stardust site, the property was designed by renowned architect Paul Revere Williams, featuring distinctive royal crown insignias.

UNLV campus lit up at night
The casino's troubles began early when Fishman's gaming license was denied in February 1955 due to his partnerships with known mafia associates. New owners took over, though Fishman remained as landlord.

Vintage Royal Nevada $5 chip
Despite opening with Metropolitan Opera soprano Helen Traubel, the casino struggled against fierce competition from the simultaneously opening Dunes and Riviera. With just 10 table games and 54 slots, the Royal Nevada could only attract minor entertainers, relying heavily on its Dancing Waters fountain show.

Man and woman dancing together
The property closed three times: first on New Year's Day 1956, again in December 1957 following cheating allegations, and finally in January 1958. The hotel closed in March 1958 due to unpaid taxes.

Vintage Stardust casino auditorium Las Vegas
The Stardust eventually acquired the property in 1959, converting it into their convention center. The building was ultimately demolished in 2006, and its location is now part of Resorts World.

Vintage royal nevada sign at museum
While originally thought to be the shortest-lived Vegas casino, this distinction actually belongs to the Desert Spa casino, which operated for only 57 days in 1958.
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