Stardust Memories

There was never a casino in Las Vegas like the Stardust Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

For years owned and skimmed by organized crime, the spectacular Stardust was simply the place to be when you were in Glitter Gulch.

For openers there was the $500,000 sign at the entrance to the casino. It could be seen for miles along Las Vegas Boulevard. The original sign gave viewers a panoramic look at the solar system. At the center was a 16-foot in diameter plastic model of the earth.

In 1967, the old sign was replaced by an immense sign featuring a circle of cosmic dust placed around a ring of dancing stars. The 'S' alone contained 975 lamps.

I had the pleasure of playing poker in the Stardust in the late 1970s. It was an experience I will never forget.

The dealers and supervisors looked like extras from 'The Godfather.' Some of the games, I am sure, were crooked. But somehow in the glamour and elegance of the joint, that didn't matter.

Tony Cornero built the Stardust but died before it got into full operation. It was taken over by Moe Dalitz who operated it for years. Howard Hughes tried to buy it for $30 million, but the government wouldn't let him, claiming he already owed too many casinos in Las Vegas.

For years mobsters out of Chicago skimmed the Stardust's gambling tables out of millions of dollars. That stopped when the reputable Boyd Corporation took over the casino and 1,500-room hotel.

During its roaring heyday, the Stardust was the largest gambling casino in Las Vegas. It had over 100,000 square feet of casino space, 73 tables, 1,950 slot machines, keno, poker, and banquet space for up to 2,000 people. Its hotel was also the biggest in the city.

The Stardust opened for business at noon July 2, 1958, drawing a huge crowd of governors, U.S. Senators, Hollywood celebrities, and the general public.

The show was a spectacular French production, 'Lido de Paris,' conceived by Pierre-Louis Gukerin and Rene Fraday.

Lounge entertainment went on from dusk until dawn, featuring acts like Billie Daniels, the Happy Jesters, the Vera Cruz Boys and the Jack Martin Quartet.

Best of all for the average tourist-gambler, the rooms rented for $6 per night.

To make the picture even more incredible, a large drive-in theater was built at the rear of the casino.

Another popular attraction was the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant, featuring a large tiki head at the entrance.

Stardust's credit manager was Hyman Goldbaum, a career criminal who used seven aliases and whose rap sheet contained 14 convictions, including assault and income tax evasion for which he had served three years in prison.

Lido de Paris was replaced by another lavish production, 'Enter The Night,' which ran to sold-out houses for years until it was replaced by Siegfried and Roy.

Wayne Newton signed a 10-year contract at the casino for a reported $25 million per year. Other headliners included comedian Andrew Dice Clay, Edyie Gorme, George Carlin, Tim Conway, and Harvey Korman.

On Nov. 1, 2006, the Stardust permanently closed its doors to the public. The casino did it in high style.

The slot machines were shut down at 7:30 a.m. and a Hawaiian tourist named Jimmy Kumihiro made the final toss of dice.

Then all the people in the casino formed a conga line and marched dancing through the doors onto the parking lot while a band played, 'When The Saints Go Marching In.'

Those are Stardust memories to remember.