As a tourist destination, Las Vegas loves to make way for the new, shiny and monumental. What was once a small desert town has over the decades turned into a mecca for glitz—and with that, many of the city’s first hotels and casinos have been demolished to make way for what guests see in Las Vegas today. But there is one address—downtown, to be specific—that still has roots in the beginnings of this grand city: One Fremont Street. This is where you’ll find Golden Gate, Vegas’ oldest operating hotel-casino, built in 1906.
Back then, it was known as Hotel Nevada, then Sal Sagev (“Las Vegas,” backwards) and, finally, in 1955, after a group from San Francisco purchased it, Golden Gate. In 2012, the property received a thorough overhaul when then-owner Mark Brandenburg and brothers Derek and Greg Stevens purchased it (the Stevens brothers are also owners of The D and the all-new Circa Resort & Casino).
Today, guests are still in luck. While the place was given a fresh, contemporary feel, the historic character of the hotel was preserved. And what makes this property so exciting is that guests can step inside and discover original construction and pieces throughout the space. “A lot of existing structure is still here—we didn’t demo everything,” says Alice O’Keefe, director of design for Golden Gate, The D and Circa. “At this point, it’s very much the original bones.”
Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
Over time, the property has increased in size, with many add-ons, but wander over to the high-limit slots area—the wood arches are from a part of the original construction—and you’ll find a small peek-a-boo door where, when opened, you can see some of the hotel’s original concrete wall. Step further inside and you can also spot a fountain that still has the original tile—uncovered during construction—that would have been in the old courtyard area.
More historic pieces can be found in Golden Gate’s lobby area, including old slot machines from the 1940s through the ’60s, gaming ledgers, poker chips, chip racks, hotel room keys, guest ledgers and even some old whiskey bottles from the early 1900s that were found in the walls during renovations. While some re-created period-piece furniture is placed around the check-in area, there are also a few vintage pieces, like ornate mirrors from around the 1950s and an old hotel neon sign. It was once on the outside of the building, but was restored, brought inside and placed behind the registration desk.
On the casino floor, where the gaming tables are located, as well as Bar Prohibition!, look up and you can see an original two-way mirror on the ceiling, where a crawl space was used so employees could keep an eye out for card counters and cheaters.
Need even more nostalgia? Guests can rent one of 10 original rooms (back then it cost $1 per room). “These really highlight a part of history,” O’Keefe says. While the rooms are much smaller, it’s cool to see original features like the tile in the bathrooms.
“Personally, I think we don’t preserve enough. History is so important to capturing time. It’s about honoring where we’ve come from. And people can come to Golden Gate and see history—feel it, touch it. It’s not just a story.”
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