Howard Hughes, the famous aviator and business tycoon, allegedly bought the Silver Slipper casino in Las Vegas because its bright, rotating shoe sign disturbed his sleep at the Desert Inn hotel. However, this popular myth has been definitively debunked.

According to Paul Winn, Hughes' director of corporate records from 1957-1976, this story is "complete nonsense." Here's why:

1. Hughes kept his curtains permanently drawn, making it impossible for any casino sign to disturb him
2. The purchase timeline doesn't match the myth - Hughes bought the Silver Slipper in April 1968, well after starting his casino buying spree in March 1967
3. The nearby Frontier's sign was actually larger and brighter than the Silver Slipper's

The myth originated from a Las Vegas Review-Journal gossip column that was later quietly retracted. The true story behind Hughes' casino purchases began when he refused to leave his Desert Inn suite, leading him to purchase the hotel to avoid eviction.

Hughes purchased several Las Vegas properties in quick succession:

• Desert Inn ($13.2 million)
• Sands ($14.6 million)
• Frontier ($23 million)
• El Rancho Vegas ($7.5 million)
• Castaways ($3 million)
• Landmark ($17 million)
• Silver Slipper ($5.4 million)

The iconic Silver Slipper sign, designed by former Disney animator Jack Larsen Sr., featured 900 lightbulbs on the shoe and 80 on the bow. After the casino's demolition in 1988, the sign was preserved and now stands restored in a Las Vegas Boulevard North median as part of the Neon Museum's collection.

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