Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Demolished 1996

The first thing that came to mind was The Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas – possibly because I lived in Vegas for five years, or because I grew up in an Italian-American family that worshiped the Rat Pack and all the old crooners. Caitlin M.

The Sands Hotel and Casino was opened on the Las Vegas Strip in 1952 by Mack Kufferman. It was designed by architect Wayne MacAllister and was known for its association with the “Rat Pack” and Jerry Lewis. Shares in the casino were purchased by crime bosses such as Meyer Lansky and by Frank Sinatra. The 1960 film “Ocean’s 11” was filmed at the hotel. It was demolished in 1996 by its final owner, Sheldon Adelson, in order to make way for his new resort, The Venetian.