It's Coming!!! Our second annual Mid Century Modern Las Vegas Weekend!

 

Our emails hint that many of you very much wanted us to have another Mid-Century Modern Las Vegas weekend filled with panels, architecture, tours and more.

Well, we heard you.  Check back this weekend to find out all the details for our "Mid-Mod Marvels:  A Celebration of Mid-Centuiry Modern Architecture and Design".

A reception at the Morelli House on Friday evening Oct 22nd.

On Saturday, October 23rd, a panel on Mid-Century Modern Architecture and Art, a panel on the history of the Las Vegas News Bureau and the Las Vegas premiere of the documentary on William Krisel, the architect behind Paradise Palms.  William Krisel will be with us in person and will attend the screening.

 

 

And best of all, Alan Hess, the authority on all that is MCM,  will be back with us guiding us through all that is Mid-Century Modern and the architects who changed forever the landscape of Las Vegas as well as handle the Q&A at the Krisel film premiere.

 

And yes, there will be a double-decker bus tour on Sunday afternoon with a new route, new open houses and lots of history.

Sound like fun?

It's all coming the weekend of October 22nd and you don't want to miss this as tickets are limited!

So check back here this weekend for the deets! 

Liberace Museum Closes Their Doors

Well, it seems it has been headed towards this for awhile.  But, now it is official.  The Liberace Museum has closed its doors citing "declining interest".

Jeffrey Koep, the chairman of the Liberace Foundation, cites the declining interest in Liberace himself as part of the problem.

He also cites the fact that as Liberace's fans have gotten grayer and older, new fans have not necessarily taken their place.

Unlike Elvis and the Rat Pack, both of whom were Las Vegas legends at the same time Lee was wowing crowds in the 1950s and 1960s, Liberace is not necessarily remembered as well as the others in today's media saturated times.

Both Elvis and Sinatra have estates, controlled by family, that make them powerhouses to be reckoned with and keep their departed loved ones in the eye of the public.  Liberace did not have that.  Nor did he have recording legacy that is kept alive through the licensing of his music.

His legacy seems to be his flair of showmanship whose roots flow to Lady Gaga and other modern singers.

A biopic, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Douglas has been talked about but with Douglas battling stage 4 cancer, it's future is uncertain.

The museum opened in 1979 with 5,000 square feet and by 1988 had grown to 11,000.  In its heyday, the Museum was a big hit and the most visited museum in town.

The Foundation says that profits have been declining for 12 years and cites its off-Strip locale as part of the problem.

They hope to continue with traveling exhibits but for now it's "Goodnight, Irene" for the Liberace Museum.

We are sorry to see it go.

 

 

Riviera announces bankruptcy plan

 

She was once one of the grand dames of the Las Vegas Strip.  When she was built, she was the first high-rise on the Strip.  For many years, Liberace, Dean Martin and other classic Las Vegas entertainers graced the stage of the showroom.

But in recent times, the Riviera lost a lot of her glamour and in trying to stay alive resorted to just barely hanging on.

We hope the grand dames luck is changing.  Steve Green at the Las Vegas Sun reports about that the bankruptcy plan includes improvements and possibly new gaming equipment.

The Riviera Las Vegas hotel-casino would be spruced up and receive new gaming equipment under its parent company's bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Unable to service its approximately $291 million in debt and liabilities, Riviera Holdings Corp. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in Las Vegas on July 12.

Investors led by longtime hotel and gaming industry executive Barry Sternlicht of Starwood Capital Group have acquired some of the debt and intend to lead the company out of bankruptcy.

Besides its 2,075-room Las Vegas property, the company owns the Riviera Black Hawk casino in Colorado.

For more follow this link

Liberace Items up for Auction

Liberace was one of the early entertainers to grace the Las Vegas Strip.  He loved the little oasis in the desert.  He quickly became the highest paid entertainer on the Strip and his name graced the marquee at the Riv for years.

As his fortunes and his popularity rose, Lee bought a home in Las Vegas, near what is today UNLV, off of Tropicana just west of Maryland Parkway.

A museum is dedicated to his life not far from the house and Tivoli Gardens, the restaurant he owned, is still doing business.

However, his home has come up for sale and the belongings and fixtures are being auctioned off.  If you're a fan of the Travel Channel, you've no doubt seen the various hour long shows that include highlights from the interior of the house.

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