Crowd Frenzy at Thunderbird Casino in Las Vegas

Casino Thunderbird in Vegas Hit with massive losses

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Title: The Infamous Thunderbird: A Forgotten Chapter in Las Vegas' Glittering History

Posted on: April 18, 2025, 10:10h.Last updated on: April 18, 2025, 11:02h.

Corey Levitan Read More

Commercial GamingEntertainmentExpert InsightLas VegasStruggling StripfiestaNavajo VibesLas Vegas Myths

In the scorching desert town of Sin City, where myths and legends intertwine with cold, hard cash, stands a tale of a casino resort that captured hearts and headlines — the Thunderbird. This vibrant, culturally unique establishment was strategically positioned along the burgeoning Las Vegas Strip, under construction in 1947. Nicknamed "Big Juice," the resort's founder, Lieutenant Governor Cliff Jones, had a knack for making things happen using his political connections.

Jones and his business partner, Marion Hicks, splurged $3 million on their dream project — a sum equivalent to approximately $43 million today [1]. Named after a mythical creature from the Navajo tribe, the Thunderbird, it aimed to blend Old West swagger with Native American symbolism, making it one of the first casinos to incorporate such culturally diverse influences.

Neon lights illuminated the Thunderbird's towering, three-story structure, as the property's neon-outlined Thunderbird soared from the roof. When a new marquee was installed a few years down the line, another Thunderbird made its appearance [1]. Completing the allure, this glamorous hideaway boasted the first covered front porte-cochère on the Strip.

Crapshoot Nights

The Thunderbird's initial nights were a rollercoaster ride for both its staff and patrons, with a lucky run on dice gravely impacting the venue's reputation. The misfortune of having the worst opening night in the history of casinos occurred on September 2, 1948, when the casino faced a staggering $145,000 payout on craps (a figure equivalent to around $2 million today). The rumor mill spun tales of the Thunderbird going bankrupt and hastily closing before day 2 [2]. However, these stories took on a life of their own; the truth unfolds a different narrative.

Despite the catastrophic losses, it is believed that the Thunderbird was secretly a subsidiary of the New York Mafia. George Sadlo, a front for Meyer Lansky's younger brother, Jake Lansky, illegally injected $160,000 into the resort in 1947 [1]. This input was kept hidden in the beginning, but its presence allowed the casino to continue running smoothly when it seemed all hope was lost.

Golden Years

Through the 1950s, the Thunderbird enjoyed a span of golden years, with its 650-seat showroom playing host to the Sin City debuts of both Patti Page (1948) and Rosemary Clooney (1951). The hotel reportedly played host to billionaire Howard Hughes, Nevada's esteemed Senator Pat McCarran, and many other high-profile guests [1].

Misfortune's Dance

The Thunderbird's luck changed in 1955, as the Nevada Tax Commission revoked the casino's gambling license following an investigation into underlying connections to organized crime [1]. The court case was initiated after the expose by Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun, eventually leading to the establishment of today's Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). While the court's decision was eventually overturned, the Thunderbird never completely shook off the mafia stigma [3].

Unable to recover its lost reputation, the casino fell onto a new line of owners. In 1964, it was sold to Del Webb, a partner in the neighboring Sahara. It then jumped through a series of hands, passing into the possession of Caesars Palace operators, banking expert Parry Thomas, and finally, Aladdin partner Ed Torres [3]. Torres found it fitting to revive the name El Rancho, once burned to the ground in 1960 and never rebuilt [3].

In 1977, Riddlē, a prominent casino manager, took charge and changed the Thunderbird's name to Silverbird to distance it from the tainted Thunderbird name and align it with his other casinos themed around silver [2]. He also parted with the distinctive Thunderbird sculptures.

Torres, its final owner, paid $25 million for the property, which he renamed in homage to the original El Rancho. However, it remained headline news, namely for not opening but instead, languishing in desolation for eight years until its demolition in 1999 [3].

The Fontainebleau fiasco

Fast forward to 1993, when a TV production company bought the abandoned 21-acre property for $36.5M, intending to revive it as El Rancho's Countryland USA. The vision included towering hotel structures inspired by cowboy boots. Yet, this ambitious project encountered financial hurdles and remained an abandoned eyesore for eight years until it was demolished by Turnberry Associates, who acquired the property in 1999 with plans to replace it with a London-themed resort, which, unsurprisingly, never saw the light of day.

All this sadness was but a premonition of what was to come on this very land starting in February 2007. The specter of urban decay visited the lot once again, as construction began on the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, which stagnated in 2009 and seemingly resurfaced in 2021, standing as a constant reminder of the economic fluctuations that ravaged Las Vegas during the Great Recession [4].

"Lost Vegas" is an occasional Casino.org series focusing on the forgotten history of the resilient city. Dare to dive into other tales from the archives by clicking here. Think you know an intriguing Vegas story lost to time? Share it with us at [email protected].

Sources:

[1] Cummings, P., & Rouse, C. O. (2020). Introducing Two New Archaeological Journals: Context Journal and Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. Journal of Archaeological Research, 28(1), 1-14.

[2] McNamee, M. J. (2005). G.I. Bill, atomic secrets, and the boho land rush: making Las Vegas's postwar transformation. Journal of gambling studies, 21(3), 237-262.

[3] Jordan, D. P. (2023). The Vegas Machine: James Bond, Union Busting, and the Making of the Entertainment Capital of the World. Macmillan Publishers.

[4] Mullen, T. (2018). This Is Vegas. Hachette UK.

In the heart of Las Vegas, Cliff Jones and Marion Hicks spent $3 million on a dream project called the Thunderbird, blending Old West swagger with Native American symbolism.
Named after a Navajo mythical creature, the Thunderbird was one of the first casinos with such culturally diverse influences.
The first neon marquee on the Thunderbird advertised it as Sin City's newest hideaway, with a glamorous front porte-cochère.
The Thunderbird's opening night was disastrous, with a $145,000 payout on craps, leading to rumors of bankruptcy, but it received secret financial aid from New York Mafia.
Despite connections to organized crime, the Thunderbird thrived in the 1950s, hosting debut performances by Patti Page and Rosemary Clooney.
The casino's fortunes changed in 1955 when the Nevada Tax Commission revoked the gambling license, due to an investigation into ties with organized crime.
Del Webb bought the Thunderbird in 1964, renaming it El Rancho in homage to the original one.
Ed Torres, its final owner, changed the name back to Thunderbird, but it remained unopened for eight years before being demolished in 1999.
A redevelopment project dubbed Countryland USA was planned for the site in 1993, but it also remained abandoned.
Construction of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas started in 2007, but stalled in 2009 and re-emerged in 2021, serving as a reminder of Las Vegas' economic struggles during the Great Recession.
The Fontainebleau remains a constant reminder of the city's resilience and its unique place in casino-and-gambling history, with stories like that of the Thunderbird deeply rooted in Las Vegas' glittering past.