After closing its door fifty nine years ago, GCA Leisure, LLC have announced plans to reintroduce the Moulin Rouge Casino and Resort. The hotel opened its doors in 1955 and was one of the first racially-integrated casinos in the United States.
It became home to many famous stars including Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole, Lionel Hampton, Harry Belafonte, Duke Ellington, Pearl Bailey, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong, who were only allowed perform at other locations on the Vegas strip but not allowed to socialize or stay there.
The hotel became the only entertainment venue in the U.S. that was recognized on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places for its significance to the Civil Rights Movement.
GCA plan to create a new Moulin Rouge Resort on its 15 acres of land. The new venture will include online and mobile gaming, music and film recording venues, a digital content creation facility and an institute of learning.
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"The Moulin Rouge will be an integral part of the Las Vegas resurgence and Downtown development," said Robert Pickus, chief executive officer of GCA Leisure. "It will offer a comprehensive, must-see experience in a boutique package -- authentic, original and compelling for its history and its future." said Robert Pickus, chief executive officer of GCA Leisure.
GCA Leisure is currently in discussions with several potential partners for the Moulin Rouge.