Published on: February 9, 2026, at 09:00h.
Updated on: February 9, 2026, at 12:18h.
- A Nevada Landing enthusiast utilized AI and vintage footage to recreate the casino’s original 1999 website
- This digital homage celebrates the now-demolished property in Jean, Nevada, where Canadian Tibor Szekely experienced significant life moments
- Guests can simulate booking rooms at 1999 rates
Tibor Szekely, a 44-year-old manager at an electronics recycling firm in Canada, cherishes his childhood moments spent in a budget-friendly, smoke-filled Nevada casino that he believes has been unfairly overlooked. He took it upon himself to revive Nevada Landing’s online presence — bringing back the nostalgia of its former website.
“As a child, I spent every summer there with my family,” Szekely shared with Casino.org. “My parents would hand me $50, a room key, and let me loose in the nickel arcade all day before picking me up for dinner at the buffet.”
“Those were some of my happiest moments.”
Reimagined Landing Page
In fact, nvlanding.com has transformed into a superior website. The images featured are enhanced digital versions of the original low-resolution .GIFs Szekely found on the “Wayback Machine” internet archive and promotional materials. He also incorporated screen captures from his own recordings.
“I have always felt compelled to document moments on video,” he said. “I’m not sure why, but I’m grateful I did, as I preserved photos from some of those VHS tapes.”
While AI technology may still struggle with deblurring human faces, its ability to enhance blurry images of objects—like hotel rooms and amenities—is truly remarkable.
“I couldn’t help but shed a tear when I uploaded a frame from my old 1996 video and watched it come to life again,” Szekely recounted.
This tribute site even allows users to simulate booking the accommodations it showcases — all featuring “comfortable bedding, climate control, cable television,” and even “direct-dial telephone.”
A romantic pretend getaway for two over Valentine’s Day from February 13-15, 2026, for instance, costs just $90 (reflecting genuine early 2000s pricing). Clicking the “book now” button provides a booking confirmation along with a “Thanks for participating!” message.
The Legacy of Nevada Landing
Nevada Landing (without “the”) commenced operations in March 1989 in Jean, Nevada, an isolated highway stop approximately 30 miles from the Strip. It was one of two sister casinos developed by Gold Strike Resorts, with the Gold Strike across Interstate 15 being the other. The Herbst and Whittemore families led this company, which focused on mid-market casinos located outside major urban hubs.
Designed to resemble a riverboat casino, complete with a paddle wheel like those found on Mississippi steamboats, Nevada Landing operated as a budget-friendly stop, featuring slot machines, table games, a buffet, and affordable hotel rooms.
It generated income from three main avenues:
1) Walk-in gamblers from Las Vegas
2) Long-haul truck drivers
3) Day-trip charter buses from Los Angeles — particularly from Downtown L.A. and the San Gabriel Valley, where tour operators promoted low-cost same-day gambling trips.
Szekely built more cherished memories during his visits to Nevada Landing with Tahlia, the woman who would eventually become his wife.
“We were just 19 when we first met and eloped together,” he reminisced. “Where better for two teens to hide away than Nevada Landing and Gold Strike?”
“We lounged by the pool dreaming about our future, and when the buffets seemed pricey, we ventured to the Shell station for affordable hot dogs and ice cream,” he recalls with nostalgia.
However, it wasn’t just the low prices that left an impact on Szekely.
“Nevada Landing had a spirit to it,” he reflected. “It stood for freedom. Situated in the desert, it was tranquil and far removed from everything. Being there provided me a sense of peace.”
To this day, Szekely says that the scent of smoke brings back memories: “I don’t smoke, but that smell triggers the happy memories.”
The Desert Takes Back Its Territory
In 1995, Gold Strike Resorts was acquired by Circus Circus Enterprises, which later changed its name to Mandalay Resort Group. Nevada Landing continued to run under Mandalay’s management until 2005, when Mandalay itself was purchased by MGM Mirage (currently MGM Resorts International). MGM inherited both casinos in Jean and immediately began evaluating their long-term sustainability.
On March 20, 2007, MGM announced the closure of Nevada Landing, revealing intentions to repurpose the site for a vast mixed-use development — plans that ultimately fell through. The casino’s structures were demolished in 2008.
“Seeing those demolition photos was painful,” Szekely said. “It felt devastating because I had intended to return with my wife. We always talked about going back, just to remember the good times.”
“Then we searched for it and found it was gone.”