UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1997 Caesars Palace, 1966-1996 Cherie L Guzman University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Guzman, Cherie L, "Caesars Palace, 1966-1996" (1997). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 3367. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/c9ms-16wb This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. 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Guzman A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture School of Architecture University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 1997 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1388631 Copyright 1997 by Guzman, Cherie L. All rights reserved. UMI Microform 1388631 Copyright 1998, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ©1997 Cherie L. Guzman AU Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Thesis of Cherie L. Guzman for the degree of Master in Architecture is approved. Chairperson, Mkhaei Alcorn, M.Arch., M.F.A. Examining Committee Member, Attila Lawrence, M.S. ' Vk Examim ig Committee Member, Mark Hoversté 1, M.F.A. Graduate Faculty Representative, Elizabeth White, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate College, Ronald W. Smith, Ph D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 1997 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Caesars Palace has provided an image of an extravagant lifestyle and a formalist architecture to the public. By creating a hotel casino in which the image of living an extravagant lifestyle could be experienced in social and aesthetic terms, the longevity and success of Caesars Palace contributed to the rise of a new standard of casino architecture. This thesis traces the impact of Caesars Palace on casino design by illustrating and discussing the architectural language of the Las Vegas Strip prior to Caesars Palace. This thesis displays a progressive history of Caesars Palace. This thesis discusses and analyzes the architecture Caesars Palace created in the context of the hotel casino. m Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... üi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1 CHAPTER! THE MOTEL CASINO ............................................................................. 6 CHAPTERS CAESARS PALACE: IMAGE AND ARCHITECTURE .......................12 CHAPTER 4 CAESARS PALACE: A LITERAL REPRESENTATION .....................17 CHAPTER 5 THE RESORT HOTEL CASINO .............................................................21 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................... 24 APPENDDCI ..................................................................................................................... 25 Interview ................................................................................................................25 Illustration 1.1 Caesars Palace Under Construction. 1966 .............................. 30 Illustration 1.2 Convention Complex, Caesars Palace ...................................... 31 Illustration 1.3 Bacchanal Caesars Palace .........................................................32 Illustration 1.4 Garden o f the Gods, Caesars Palace ........................................ 33 Illustration 1.5 Porte Cochere, Caesars Palace ................................................. 34 Illustration 1.6 Caesars Palace Stationery, 1966 ............................................. 35 Illustration 1.7 Statuary Pamphlet, Caesars Palace ...........................................36 Illustration 1.8 Statuary Pamphlet, Caesars Palace ...........................................37 Illustration 1.9 Spatial Organization of the Motel .............................................38 Illustration 1.10 El Rancho Vegas, 1945 .............................................................39 Illustration 1.11 El Rancho Showroom, 1945..................................................... 40 Illustration 1.12 Aerial View of the Last Frontier, 1944 41 Illustration 1.13 Last Frontier Stagecoach, mid-1940s ....................................... 42 Illustration 1.14 The Flamingo Hotel Under Construction, 1945 .......................43 Illustration 1.15 Grounds of the Flamingo Hotel, 1947 ..................................... 44 Illustration 1.16 Rendering of Pool Caesars Palace ............................................45 Illustration 1.17 Rendering of Fine Dining, Caesars Palace ................................46 Illustration 1.18 Rendering of Showroom, Caesars Palace .................................47 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Illustration 1.19 Brochure, Caesars Palace .......................................................... 48 Illustration 1.20 Seagram Building, Mies van der Rohe and PhiHp Johnson ............................................................................49 Illustration 1.21 New Delhi Embassy, Edward Durell Stone, 1954 50 Illustration 1.22 The Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas Philip Johnson, 1961 ................................................................51 Illustration 1.23 Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minoru Yamasaki, 1962 .................52 Illustration 1.24 Caesars Palace, Melvin Grossman, 1966 ................................. 53 Illustration 1.25 Caesars Palace ............................................................................54 Illustration 1.26 Omnimax Theater, Caesars Palace ............................................55 Illustration 1.27 Olympiad Race and Sports Book, Caesars Palace ..................56 Illustration 1.28 The World of Caesar, Caesars Palace ...................................... 57 Illustration 1.29 Treasure Island, 1993 .............................................................. 58 Illustration 1.30 The Mirage, 1989 ...................................................................... 59 Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................60 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my Committee Chairman, Michael Alcom and Committee Members, Attila Lawrence and Mark Hoversten. Special thanks to Elizabeth White who gave me the motivation and help to continue. I also would like to thank Kevin