Hidden Treasures of Vegas: Mysterious Relics Not Open to Public View

By Blog


Published on: December 17, 2024, 05:20h.

Last updated on: December 17, 2024, 05:51h.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Sometimes, it’s more cost-effective for Strip casino resorts to wall off attractions that are no longer popular rather than completely tearing them down. This is especially true when there are no immediate plans for the space.

Spiegelworld’s DiscoShow at the Linq currently occupies a former sportsbook that was walled off when the Imperial Palace closed in 2012.

Here are three examples of remnants from Las Vegas’ past that still exist, and some daring individuals have taken the risk of trespassing to confirm their existence.

The Dragon, Excalibur

Murphy the dragon still resides in his lair in the old Excalibur moat. (Image: YouTube/Freddy Trap)

Set in the moat outside the medieval resort, “Merlin v Dragon” was a popular animatronic show that featured Merlin battling a dragon named Murphy. Despite being closed off to the public, Murphy still remains in his original lair inside the Excalibur, as confirmed by a YouTuber in 2023.

Hunter S. Thompson’s Hotel Room

Journalist Elmo Keep trespasses on Raoul Duke’s boarded-up Mint Hotel room earlier this year. (Image: escape.com)

Room 1850 of The Mint’s tower, where Hunter S. Thompson stayed, remains closed to the public after the Mint was absorbed into Binion’s Gambling Hall. In 2009, all hotel rooms at Binion were closed, and when Hotel Apache reopened, none were in the Mint’s tower.

Adult Theater, Circus Circus

At left, Jacqueline Douguet enters the Hippodrome Theatre to star in Frederic Apcar’s French Love Connection. At right are the theater’s original blueprints. (Images: Las Vegas Showgirl Museum, UNLV Special Collections)

The Hippodrome, an adult theater at Circus Circus, has been walled off since 1973. While dusty and creepy, the theater still exists and can be accessed by employees from back-of-house corridors.

“Lost Vegas” is an occasional series on Casino.org highlighting Las Vegas’ forgotten history. Click here to explore other stories in the series. Have a Vegas story to share? Email [email protected].



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