For the Sahara, however, its closure after nearly 60 years in business is not because there are plans to build some new multi-billion dollar megaresort in its place. Instead, this closure is simply because the owners could't afford to keep it open. Blame the economy, blame the downturn in tourism, blame fierce competition, or blame the owners who promised big and haven't delivered, but regardless of the root cause or causes, the Sahara closed because it lost too much money.

The Sahara opened on October 7, 1952 during the first major boom on The Strip. Five other major hotels were already up and running including the Frontier, the Flamingo, and the Desert Inn. Many other classics were hot on its heels including the Sands, Riviera, Dunes, and Hacienda all opening within the next couple of years.

It had 240 rooms - a lot for that era - a sparkling pool, a casino, restaurants, and a showroom. Ray Bolger, most well-known for his turn as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz," was the opening night entertainment. During the '50s and '60s, it was one of the most popular casinos in Las Vegas, creating iconic sub-brands with its House of Lords steakhouse and Congo Room showroom. The latter hosted everyone from Abbott and Costello to members of the Rat Pack. In fact, it was one of five casinos that were targeted by the Frank Sinatra version of Danny Ocean and his crew in the original "Oceans 11," along with the Riviera, Desert Inn, Sands, and Flamingo.

As The Strip grew up, it grew south, away from the Sahara leaving it a bit isolated on the northern end. The one other major hotel that was closest to it, El Rancho, burned down in 1960 leaving The Riviera, and later Circus Circus, as its nearest neighbors more than half a mile away. Financial problems started in the 1970s for original owner Del Webb and continued for the next couple of decades as a parade of owners tried to hold on to the hotel's former glory.

The Sahara expanded over the years eventually getting all the way up to more than 1,700 rooms plus a roller coaster and multiple showrooms, restaurants, and bars. But it became known as a bargain hotel, more famous for its $1 blackjack tables than it was for just about anything else. It became an afterthought to most Vegas visitors; a place they went if they couldn't afford to stay somewhere better.

When nightclub impresario Sam Nazarian bought the hotel in 2007, he promised big changes. Although never divulging a specific plan, his intention was to give new life to the Sahara with an extreme makeover; an attempt to make a hip, party spot along the Palms or Hard Rock model and more in line with his SLS brand of boutique hotels.

But then along came a global recession and Nazarian's plans got put on hold.

Meanwhile the Sahara soldiered on for the last few years but it was obvious that the hotel was dying. They closed down two of the hotel towers they couldn't fill in an effort to save money. The same thing happened to the buffet. A general feeling of decline settled over the hotel and it was really just a matter of time.

Nazarian announced in March of 2011 that the Sahara would close on May 16, 2011 because it was no longer "economically viable" to keep it open. That's a nice way of saying it was losing too much money and they couldn't afford to stay in business. The closure affects entire property including the NASCAR Café, Speed: The Ride roller coaster (which closed in early May); and the Las Vegas Cyber Speedway. The monorail station in back of the property will remain open but access to the hotel will be closed off and riders will be directed down to the street level.

So what's going to happen to the Sahara?

Nazarian says he still intends to do something with the property someday and to that end is simply mothballing it and not selling it or tearing it down. Once the economy improves, he says, he will reexamine his options and go from there.

However, one need only look at the other time this happened to a hotel on The Strip for a glimpse into a likely future for the Sahara. As mentioned at the beginning, most of the other classic hotels to close did so because a new hotel was going to be built in their place and not simply because they went out of business. But it has happened at least once before.

The Thunderbird opened four years before The Sahara, just north of the land that would eventually be home to The Riviera. It was rebranded The Silverbird in 1977 and then El Rancho in 1982 (no relation to the original El Rancho that burned down in 1960). That hotel closed in 1992 because they couldn't afford to keep it open.

Over the years, grand plans were announced for El Rancho including ideas that it would reopen as a country music themed property (Countryland USA!) and a space themed entertainment complex (Starship Orion), but nothing ever happened. It sat there, derelict and rotting in the hot sun for eight years until it was finally demolished in late 2000.

Ironically, that same chunk of land is now home to Fontainebleau, a $4 billion megaresort that is also mothballed because of financial problems.

So on May 16, we saw the last of another icon of The Strip. To be honest, this one was way past its prime and really won't be missed but for much, except for perhaps its place in Las Vegas history. But for that alone, we salute the Sahara!

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