Sahara Las Vegas

Heritage and founding era

Sahara Las Vegas opened on October 7, 1952, during the first wave of post-war resort construction on the Las Vegas Strip. The project was led by hotelier Milton Prell with construction by Del Webb, and it adopted a Moroccan-inspired theme with minarets and desert motifs to stand out among the early themed casinos. Frank Sinatra was one of its earliest headliners, and the property became closely linked with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and the wider Rat Pack circle. Its dining outlets, including an early Las Vegas location of Don the Beachcomber, helped make destination dining part of the Strip experience.

Ownership transitions

The resort changed hands multiple times. Del E. Webb's organization was involved in its early decades, and in 1995 investor Carl Icahn acquired the property and operated it as a value-oriented Strip casino for over a decade. In 2007 a venture led by Sam Nazarian's SBE Entertainment Group bought the resort, closed it in May 2011, and redeveloped it as SLS Las Vegas, which opened in August 2013 with design-forward amenities and restaurant concepts from chefs such as José Andrés. The SLS format struggled commercially, and the property was sold to the Meruelo Group, led by entrepreneur Alex Meruelo, with the deal closing in early 2019.

Restoration of the Sahara brand

Meruelo Group restored the original Sahara Las Vegas name and carried out renovations across the guest rooms, casino, pool and public spaces ahead of a late-2019 relaunch. The rebrand was positioned as a return to the property's mid-century heritage, deliberately distinguishing it from the corporate megaresorts that dominate much of the Strip.

Business model

The resort generates revenue from a mix of hotel stays, land-based casino play, food and beverage outlets, entertainment and event space, and its race and sportsbook. It operates as a traditional Nevada casino resort and, based on available information, does not operate an online casino, sportsbook or sweepstakes product. The database classification of the company as a sweepstakes casino operator therefore appears to be a misclassification.

Operations and products

Sahara Las Vegas operates approximately 1,620 guest rooms and suites and a land-based casino with slot machines and table games including blackjack, roulette and craps. The resort also includes a race and sportsbook, multiple restaurants and bars, a rooftop pool, meeting and event venues, and the Club 52 loyalty program. Its address at 2535 South Las Vegas Boulevard places it at the northern end of the Strip, near the Las Vegas Convention Center and Fashion Show Mall.

Recent developments and market position

In August 2026, as reported by Yogonet, a station on The Boring Company's Las Vegas Loop opened at Sahara Las Vegas, linking the resort to the underground transit network and improving access for hotel guests and convention visitors. As one of the last independent, heritage-branded casino resorts on the Strip, Sahara competes on history, location and value rather than on the scale of the megaresorts. Under Meruelo Group ownership it has continued to invest in the physical property while preserving the mid-century identity that sets it apart from its neighbors.