A telephone with a dial? Yes! Binions Gambling Hall in downtown Las Vegas has opened an 81 room boutique hotel with vintage-style furnishings reminiscent of the original Hotel Apache that opened in 1932. Not to worry though, the rooms in this Hotel Apache also have all the necessary amenities including flat screen televisions and air-conditioning.
Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear were on hand for the July 29th ribbon cutting ceremony along with Binions General Manager Tim Lager and Terry Caudill, TLC Enterprises Owner. Following the delicious celebratory cake, invited guests enjoyed tours of the refurbished and redecorated rooms.
The hardwood floors and stained glass windows along with the furnishings were inspired by the rich history of the property that captures the essence of Las Vegas’ storied past. Located in the heart of the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, Hotel Apache’s vintage character is evidenced in its location and 1932 original architecture.
The Past
The Hotel Apache was originally opened by the Silvagni family in 1932. The family came to Las Vegas as a cement contractor for the Hoover Dam project and realized the workers needed a place to get away from their work and the heat of the desert. It was the first in Las Vegas to air-condition its hotel lobby and have air curtains at the entrance to the hotel.
The hotel was eventually acquired by Benny Binion and was the place to stay for many Hollywood movie stars including Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Lucille Ball. It was also the first in Las Vegas with an electrically operated elevator and fully carpeted casino. It was Binions that made poker a mainstream casino game.
Spirited Guests
The property also has a long history of eerie occurrences that will appeal to many and was recently featured in Season 16, Episode 3 of “Ghost Adventures” on the Travel Channel. Over the course of more than 90 years, the historic Hotel Apache and Binion’s Gambling Hall had many reports of spirited guests in residence who make it clear that the Hotel Apache and Binion’s Gambling Hall still belong to them.
Several employees report having been touched, or nudged or have reported sightings of figures; and ghost hunters have found high levels on their EMF meters and motion sensors along with mediums seeing actual images of past owners’ family members
In addition to the redone rooms, the Hotel now boasts a beautiful Apache Showroom where Kevin Lepine entertains in a hilarious adult-oriented hypnosis show, aptly titled Hypnosis Unleashed.
You won’t need hypnosis to enjoy all that Freemont Street has to offer along with the vintage feel of both Binion’s Gambling Hall and the intriguing Apache Hotel.
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