HORSESHOE LAS VEGAS HOTEL & CASINO
BALLY'S
(MGM Grand Fire)
3645 S Las Vegas Blvd
Status: Fire Site; Hotel & Casino
By Clark County Gov - <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/fire/PublishingImages/MGM%20Fire%20Images/mgm_fire3.jpg">http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/fire/PublishingImages/MGM%20Fire%20Images/mgm_fire3.jpg</a>, Public Domain, Link
This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Buchanan-Hermit. This applies worldwide.
History
The site where Bally’s Hotel now stands was once the location of the MGM Grand hotel and casino (which is now located down the street).
On November 21, 1980 the MGM burned in a horrific fire in which guests were forced to jump from their rooms because rescue ladders could not reach them above the flames on the upper floors. The fire started in the kitchen and spread at an astounding 19 feet per second when it raged through the casino. A total of 85 people were killed in the fire making the MGM Grand the second worst hotel fire in US history.
Paranormal Activity
Apparitions of former guests of the MGM are said to wander the halls at night, light anomalies, phantom footsteps and noises, smell and sound of flames and smoke and cries for help.
LUXOR HOTEL AND CASINO
3900 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Status: 4 Star Hotel
By Mark Wagner - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY 2.5, Link
History
This hotel was first announced by the then Circus Circus Enterprises – now Mandalay Resort Group – in 1991. Ground was broken April 12, 1992 and the hotel opened October 15, 1993 – at 4am - at a cost of $375 million.
The hotel is the third largest pyramid in the world.
When it opened it was the tallest building on the Strip but only held this title for 11 days when Treasure Island took the honors. It contained 2,526 rooms and a 100,000 square foot (9,300 square meter) casino.
The atrium of the hotel is the largest in the world.
In 1996 a $240 million expansion was added including the IMAX theater. In 1998 a $675 million expansion was added which included the two towers with another 2,000 rooms.
In 2007 the new owners – MGM Resorts International – announced a complete renovation of the hotel. Most of the Egyptian themes were removed and the hotel was converted from a family resort to more adult themes including night clubs and a topless revue called Fantasy.
Paranormal Activity
The Luxor is considered the most haunted location on the entire Las Vegas Strip. Many believe the hotel is cursed; perhaps for offending the ancient Gods of Egypt.
Although the true numbers have been buried by all the hotels and motels in City of Sin, the sheer number of suicides in this city are staggering. From lost souls taking one last chance to save their miserable lives to the fortunes lost only one thing remains true in Vegas – the House always wins.
The Luxor is said to have an above average number of suicides, murders and unexplained deaths within its doors. Although this is a highly dubious claim – especially with these numbers being swept under the carpet whenever possible – the hotel certainly has more than its fair share of paranormal activity.
Reports of paranormal activity in the original pyramid far outweigh – in numbers and intensity – any reports in the newer towers.
The so-called Luxor Blonde, who haunts more than one room, seems to take an extreme dislike to anyone in what she considers her beds. There are numerous reports of guests waking up feeling hands wrapped their neck preventing them from breathing. The reports have one other thing in common; most guests report they were woken from a dream of a blonde woman unknown to them.
Even guests who don’t dream of the blonde with an interest in strangulation have woken up feeling like they are fighting to breathe, or having intense pressure on their chest. Others with no history of heart issues have felt sharp chest pains. There are also reports of people waking up bathed in their sweat filled with a dread and anxiety they can’t explain.
Every morning at 8:30 there is an unexplained metallic noise in Room 30018.
It is said 7 construction workers fell to their deaths during the building of the pyramid. The apparitions of these men have been reported late at night in the hallways of the quiet hotel. They were frequently seen in the tunnels of the Nile River Boat ride that was built around the hotel when it first opened.
The ghost of a woman who jumped from the 26th floor in 1996 is seen on and is blamed for the poltergeist activity on that floor.
The hotel is, allegedly, built over a site that was used by the mob – when they used to control Las Vegas – for disappearing the bodies of those who had displeased them. This location being used as an unmarked cemetery was, apparently, common knowledge at the time and ignored by the builders. So, the hotel is not only shaped as, and modeled after, a tomb it may actually be built over the resting place of numerous bodies.
The hotel has a long-term RMS Titanic exhibition including an actual piece of the ship. Employees have reported seeing misty apparitions after the exhibit closes of Titanic passengers. Many people have also reported an eerie feeling here as well as being watched by unseen eyes.
Other Activity: hotel room doors being pounded on when there is no one in the hall; shadow figures that dart across your peripheral vision but can never be fully seen; apparitions of those whose life ended in the hotel whether by accident or their own hand; touches, tugs and pulls by unseen presences; doors opening closing their own; electrical disturbances; objects moving on their own; light anomalies; disembodied voices and other unexplained sounds and feelings of being watched, not being wanted and being watched.
OASIS MOTEL
1731 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Status: 1 Star Motel
History
This hotel was built in the early 1950’s when Las Vegas was just beginning to be seen as a tourist destination. This is also when the city was controlled by the mob.
When the motel was first opened it was called Em-Le Hotel – which seems to be used by another motel in the city today – but the name was changed to Oasis in one of the many changes of ownerships. The motel has – for lack of better word – a very sordid past filled with criminal activity. It was even closed down in 2012 after being identified as an illegal brothel.
There is some disagreement as to whether the motel is currently closed or open. It does not have its own website and the main accommodation websites are about half and half in stating its open or closed.
Paranormal Activity
The motel has had 2 famous people die in it – in the same room only months apart (Room 20)
Stu Ungar was a professional gambler – and possibly the best poker player in the world – who started gambling at a very young age. In 1979 he came to Vegas and supported himself by gambling – even winning 2 World Series of Poker Tournaments – and developed a serious drug addiction. He was also heavily involved with the mob.
By the time of his death in Room 20 of the motel – probably brought on by heavy drug use over a long period of time – it is said his was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and reduced to moving from one cheap motel room to another in the city.
David Strickland was minor actor with his only remembered part as that of a reporter on the sitcom Suddenly Susan. He was struggling with addictions to drugs and alcohol as well as being bipolar.
After a night of partying – and off his lithium – tragically David would use his bed sheet to hang himself. He had checked into the Oasis Motel and took – you guessed it – Room 20.
Room 20 has been famous for its paranormal activity since these 2 deaths including: apparitions of the 2 men playing out their final minutes in a residual type haunting; objects moving on their own including lights flickering and taps turning on and off on their own; light anomalies; cold spots and feelings of not being alone and not being wanted. There is also a reported heavy feeling of sadness and depression in the room.
But what if the Oasis is really closed? You ask. Then there are many reports of ghosts being seen and sensed around the hotel outside of the rooms as well.
Most believe they are related to the 5 deaths from people who jumped from the Stratosphere Tower in the early 2000’s. The Tower is less than a mile from the Oasis. Of course, Vegas was once known as the suicide capital of America so its not necessarily the ones related to the Tower who haunt the grounds of the Oasis.
Then there’s the so-called seedy criminal past of the Motel which isn’t explained and probably involved homicides, suicides and “accidents”.