LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Visitors to Las Vegas can experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of several different countries just by taking a stroll down the Strip, but theme resorts weren’t always the rule here.
It wasn’t until the 1960’s when a savvy developer decided to transport his guests back in time when they arrived at his property. And that historical vision would have a profound impact on Las Vegas’s future.
August 5, 1966, was a day that would ultimately transform the way Las Vegas ran its hotels and casinos.
On that date, Caesars Palace celebrated its grand opening with a million-dollar bash that included two tons of filet mignon, 300 pounds of Maryland crabmeat, 50-thousand glasses of champagne, and reportedly the largest private order of Ukrainian caviar ever placed. The rooms were opulent, the casino immense, and the guests were treated like the emperor for whom the resort was named.
“Caesars was meant to evoke ancient civilizations and you were Caesar for a day,” Las Vegas historian and UNLV professor Michael Green tells FOX5.
Las Vegas – and the world – had never seen anything like it. The staff wore togas. The pool emulated a Pompeian public bath. The attention to detail was impeccable, and the innovation behind it – undeniable.
Credit: Las Vegas News Bureau.(Las Vegas News Bureau | Las Vegas News Bureau)
“At the time, it was a big deal to have a theme like Caesars,” says Green. “So when you look up and down the Strip and you see these hotels that are modeled on places in Italy or France or wherever, you can trace it back to Caesars Palace.”
And Caesars’ vision extended beyond the fine hotel rooms and fabulous casino.
“This property has a reputation for innovation. The first celebrity chef was Wolfgang Puck here at Caesars Palace, quickly followed by Bobby Flay. Destination, luxury shopping with the Forum Shops starting here at Caesars. The resident headliner model with Celine Dion,” says Sean McBurney, Regional President for Caesars Entertainment.
“Celine Dion’s residency was a major moment in terms of how entertainment was presented here,” adds Green.
Dion’s “A New Day…” residency was the first of its kind on the Strip. It would also prove to be the most successful, bringing in a gross of more than $385 million between 2003 and 2007. Dion would be followed by Elton John with his Red Piano residency, Adele, and Cher, before her return to the Coliseum in 20-11.
“Caesars was known for big sporting events and spectacles,” shares Green. “So Evel Knievel told Sarno, I can jump those fountains. It turned out he couldn’t, his son Robby did. Big boxing matches here in the 70’s and 80’s, where you had people like Mohammed Ali roaming around here.”
And of course, what would a trip to Las Vegas be without a little shopping?
“One of the biggest things they did was the Forum Shops in the early 90’s, which included both the biggest celebrity chef here, Wolfgang Puck, and major shopping in a way it hadn’t been seen here before,” says Green.
And Caesars Palace has no plans of stopping now.
“We’re very excited about the Omnia Day Club that’s currently being built out front at Caesars Palace, when that’s complete it will be one of the most iconic clubs on the planet,” says McBurney.
An iconic club for what has become an iconic Las Vegas brand.
“Of course it’s iconic. The first luxury resort in Las Vegas was Caesar’s Palace,” McBurney tells us. “This property has survived because it has innovated over the last six decades. That allowed us to continue to improve while others imploded. Simply put, it’s an honor working for Caesars Palace.”
Caesars Palace joins the nation in celebrating a big birthday in 2026 when it will turn 60. We hear there’s a big party in the works, but for now, the plans remain under wraps.
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