Key Largo (hotel and casino)

Key Largo
Location Paradise, Nevada
Address 377 East Flamingo Road
Opening date 1974
Closing date January 18, 2005
Theme South Florida
Number of rooms 314
Total gaming space 9,100 sq ft (850 m2)[1]
Casino type Land-based
Previous names Ambassador Inn
(1974–1989)
Ambassador Casino
(1978–1986)
La Mirage Casino
(1986–1989)
Quality Inn/Anthony's Casino
(1989–1993)
Quality Inn & Casino
(1993–1997)
Renovated in 1978
1982
1997
Coordinates 36°06′49″N 115°09′20″W / 36.113494°N 115.1556344°W / 36.113494; -115.1556344Coordinates: 36°06′49″N 115°09′20″W / 36.113494°N 115.1556344°W / 36.113494; -115.1556344

Key Largo (also known as Quality Inn Key Largo Casino)[2] was a hotel and casino located on 4.85 acres (1.96 ha) of land at 377 East Flamingo Road,[3] one mile east of the Las Vegas Strip,[4] in Paradise, Nevada.[3]

The property began in 1974, as the Ambassador Inn hotel. A casino was added in 1978. The property underwent numerous name changes up to 1997, when it was reopened as the Key Largo. The property closed in 2005, to make way for a new high-rise project that failed to materialize. After years of sitting vacant, Key Largo was partially destroyed in a 2013 fire and was subsequently demolished.

History

Years of operation (1974–2005)

The property was built and opened in 1974, as the Ambassador Inn,[5][6] part of a hotel chain.[7] A casino called Ambassador Casino opened on the property in 1978,[8][9] while the hotel retained the Ambassador Inn name.[10][11] In 1981, the Ambassador Inn was sold to new owners, and received a $1 million renovation a year later.[12]

In June 1982, the Ambassador Casino filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The hotel was unaffected, as it was owned by a separate company.[13] The Ambassador Casino closed at 6:00 a.m. on September 7, 1982, because of financial problems caused by a lack of tourism and a poor local economy. At that time, the casino had 80 employees, six blackjack tables, one craps table, and 140 slot machines. The 315-room hotel, bar and restaurant were also closed, but were expected to reopen in a couple of days.[12]

The casino was reopened, by Nicholas Robone and his family, as the La Mirage Casino in January 1986.[14] The family had been approved for a two-month gaming license, giving state regulators enough time to investigate an anonymous tip that Nicholas Robone had skimmed money while previously working at the Continental hotel-casino across the street. The charges were not proven. In March 1986, the Robone family was approved for a 12-month limited gaming license. Nicholas Robone and his wife Mary held 47.5 percent of the casino, while their son, Anthony Robone, held five percent and was the casino's manager.[15]

In 1987, Allen Rosoff sued La Mirage for trademark infringement. Rosoff was the owner of the Mirage Motel,[16] which had been operating at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip since 1953,[14] and claimed that La Mirage's name was causing confusion among his prospective customers. Rosoff won a permanent injunction against La Mirage. However, La Mirage was granted a stay of proceedings until it could appeal the case to the Nevada Supreme Court.[16]

In 1989, businessman Steve Wynn was preparing to open The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip, and purchased the Mirage name from the La Mirage and Mirage Motel to avoid possible confusion among the three establishments.[17][18][19] That year, the Ambassador Inn hotel became a Quality Inn,[2][20] while the casino was renamed Anthony's Casino.[9] In 1993, the name changed to Quality Inn & Casino.[21]

During 1997, the property was given a $7 million renovation and a south Florida theme.[17] The hotel-casino reopened as the Key Largo on August 29, 1997,[22] with three table games,[23] 248 slot machines, 150 employees,[22] and 320 rooms.[23] The hotel remained a part of the Quality Inn chain.[2] If successful, there were plans to expand the casino and add a hotel tower, both on vacant land directly west of Key Largo.[23] A sportsbook opened at the casino in 1999.[24] Key Largo's low prices appealed to tourists and local residents,[25] as the property was known for its $1.99 hamburgers and cheap hotel accommodation.[2]

In October 2004, plans were approved for two high-rise towers to be constructed on the property: a 70-foot hotel tower with 344 rooms, to replace the existing hotel and its 314 rooms; and a 196-foot condominium tower with 905 units. It was not clear if the casino would be demolished or integrated into the proposed project.[1]

Closure (2005–2013)

Key Largo closed on the night of January 18, 2005, although many operations at the property had ceased earlier in the day.[2][26][27] Approximately 200 people worked at the hotel-casino, which featured 245 slot machines, four blackjack tables, and a roulette wheel. The casino's sportsbook was closed a week earlier,[2] on January 12, 2005.[24] Anthony Curtis of the Las Vegas Advisor opined that Key Largo would not be missed significantly, stating that while it had loyal customers, it was not nearly as popular as its nearby competitors, Ellis Island and Terrible's Hotel and Casino.[2]

In June 2005, the Clark County Commission approved design plans for the new resort and condominium project, allowing for the demolition of Key Largo. The project would include a 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) casino and three towers, with its tallest building standing 41 stories high.[28] The new project failed to materialize, and Key Largo was left to deteriorate.[17]

By June 2007, the casino's gaming license had expired.[29] Because of new laws, the property would need to add at least 200 hotel rooms, a 24-hour restaurant, and 2,000 sq ft (190 m2) of public space to qualify for a new license.[29][30] The property was ultimately put up for sale at a price of $79 million. The price was later lowered to $48 million.[30] On the night of May 12, 2008, a man started a fire at the abandoned hotel-casino while attempting to steal copper wiring. The man was unaware that the power was still active and suffered burns on over 80 percent of his body.[31][32]

Fire and demolition (2013)

On the afternoon of March 28, 2013, a fire broke out at the closed hotel-casino.[33] The fire was reported around 3:05 p.m.[34] Because of the fire, East Flamingo Road was closed between Koval Lane and Paradise Road for several hours by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.[5][33] A total of 117 firefighters worked to contain the fire, which caused approximately $4.5 million in damage.[33] Fire crews stayed on the property late into the night to contain the fire.[5][33]

Fire investigators worked with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to determine the cause of the fire. An initial investigation revealed that two fires originated separately at the south and north ends of the property. Severe damage, such as a collapsed roof on the property's northern side (formerly the casino floor), slowed down the investigation. Clark County Building Official Ron Lynn, who believed that the hotel-casino was damaged beyond repair, said there were indications that people had sought shelter inside the abandoned building.[35] During its closure, Key Largo had a history of squatters.[5][36]

On March 29, 2013, Clark County ordered the property's owners to demolish Key Largo's remaining structures by April 26, 2013. The owners were also ordered to stabilize or demolish the casino's northern wall by April 19, 2013. Asbestos located inside the building would need to be removed before large-scale demolition work could take place.[35] On March 31, 2013, a search for human remains among the fire-damaged debris concluded with no bodies found.[37][38] However, multiple squatters were found during the search,[4] which was conducted with cadaver dogs.[37][38]

On April 4, 2013, ATF released a report suggesting that arson was the cause of the fire. Officials offered a $5,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the responsible party.[36][39] On April 26, 2013, the property's owners filed demolition plans with the county, and were granted a four-month extension to demolish the hotel-casino. A Clark County spokeswoman said, "It's a pretty complex project because there's asbestos involved. They have to abate the asbestos and then tear down the building. Given the condition of the building, it's hard to get in there, so it's going to take some time."[40] Demolition was underway as of June 2013.[41] Additional demolition work was approved in October 2013.[42]

References

  1. 1 2 Benston, Liz (November 2, 2004). "Key Largo Casino gains approval for condo tower". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Benston, Liz; Velotta, Richard N. (January 18, 2005). "Key Largo closes today". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Real Property Parcel Record". Clark County Assessor's Office. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Ragan, Tom (March 30, 2013). "Search for bodies at burned Key Largo set to continue". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Belcher, Caitlyn (March 28, 2013). "Afternoon blaze rips through abandoned casino". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Certificate of Occupancy" (PDF). Clark County Department of Building & Safety. May 3, 1974. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.
  7. ↑ "RJ Mayer". Orange County Business Council. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Certificate of Occupancy" (PDF). Clark County Department of Building & Safety. June 14, 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Ambassador Casino". NevadaChips.com. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Plumbing Permit" (PDF). Clark County Division of Building & Safety. July 30, 1980. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Electrical Permit" (PDF). Clark County Building Department. June 20, 1985. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Las Vegas casino voluntarily closes". Reno Gazette-Journal. September 8, 1982. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  13. ↑ "Casinos file bankruptcy". Reno Gazette-Journal. June 30, 1982. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  14. 1 2 "Casino license granted". Reno Gazette-Journal. March 20, 1987. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  15. ↑ "Gaming board backs Robone license, despite 'Mr. X'". Reno Gazette-Journal. March 7, 1986. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  16. 1 2 "Motel wins trademark lawsuit". Reno Gazette-Journal. February 28, 1987. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  17. 1 2 3 "Key Largo Casino had just a small role in Las Vegas history". Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 31, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Question of the Day May 2, 2013". Las Vegas Advisor. May 2, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Wynn credits staff for success". Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on December 26, 2002.
  20. ↑ "Building Permit" (PDF). Clark County Building Department. June 28, 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Quality Inn". NevadaChips.com. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "A Key Project". Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 29, 1997. Archived from the original on December 6, 1998.
  23. 1 2 3 "Northwest casino receives state OK". Las Vegas Sun. August 22, 1997. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  24. 1 2 "Business License Detail Information (William Hill Race & Sports Book)". Clark County Department of Business License. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  25. ↑ Benston, Liz (January 17, 2003). "Tuscany hopes to find right blend of tourists, locals". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  26. ↑ Stutz, Howard (January 18, 2005). "Regulars say goodbye as Key Largo nears closure". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 4, 2006.
  27. ↑ Snyder, Susan (January 20, 2005). "Key Largo cashes in its chips". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  28. ↑ "News briefs for June 23, 2005". Las Vegas Sun. June 23, 2005. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  29. 1 2 Benston, Liz (June 17, 2007). "Own your own casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Question of the Day April 28, 2013". Las Vegas Advisor. April 28, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Copper Theft Blamed for Key Largo Fire". KLAS-TV. May 13, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Casino on Fire". Las Vegas Advisor. March 28, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  33. 1 2 3 4 D'Urso, William (March 28, 2013). "Firefighters contain blaze at site of shuttered Key Largo Casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  34. ↑ Ragan, Tom (March 29, 2013). "Clark County orders demolition of fire-damaged Key Largo building". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  35. 1 2 Shine, Conor (March 29, 2013). "After fire, county orders owner to raze vacant Key Largo casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  36. 1 2 Lochhead, Colton (April 4, 2013). "$5,000 reward offered in Key Largo fire". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  37. 1 2 Shine, Conor (March 30, 2013). "No bodies found at first Key Largo site targeted by cadaver dogs". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  38. 1 2 D'Urso, William (March 31, 2013). "Cadaver dogs find no bodies in debris of Key Largo fire". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  39. ↑ D'Urso, William (April 4, 2013). "ATF suspects arson in fire at shuttered Key Largo Casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  40. ↑ Shine, Conor (April 29, 2013). "After asbestos found, extension granted to demolish burned-out Key Largo casino". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  41. ↑ Bean, Jason (June 12, 2013). "Cleanup at Casino Site". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  42. ↑ "Demolition permit" (PDF). Clark County Building Department. October 23, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2016.

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