Binion's Horsheshoe

Binion's Horseshoe was a downtown casino/hotel that was famous for hosting the World Series of Poker.  It's since been sold to Harrah's and then on to another management group and been re-branded Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel.  It has apparently been remodeled, but I haven't been down to Fremont Street in years to check it out.  On my next trip though, I want to get down there and see it.

While it was still Binion's Horseshoe, they put out 4 special chips.  I had one of them - http://fivedollarchips.blogspot.com/2008/02/downtown.html - second from the bottom of this post, but never got the other 3.  Until today that is...

1.  Benny on Horseback statue - The statue used to be downtown and outside but has since been relocated to the entrance of the Equestrian Center at the South Point casino.  No one seems to know why.

2.  Stagecoach.

3.  Million Dollar Display - At the old Binion's, there used to be a million dollars in cash on display in the middle of the casino.  They've since changed the display a little, there's still a million dollars, but it's in a pyramid shape instead of under a horseshoe, and there are certain times you can have your picture taken with it.  And it's probably nice to know that if they are ever in need of quick cash, they have an extra million bucks laying around.

Bob Stupak's Vegas World

Chip number 300!

Bob Stupak's Vegas World.  Opened in 1979, it eventually became the Stratosphere.  It was known for having quirky rules to games and offering unique games that no one else did... so maybe that's why the Strat is as weird as it is.

The owner, Bob Stupak, was the subject of a book called "No Limit" which I found to be really good.  But again, like with most titles of books about Las Vegas, it's title is about as lazy as you can get.  Maybe the same guy does all the Vegas book titles?

Either way - as much as I make fun of the Strat, and by extension its' predecessor Vegas World, casinos like this are way better than another TJ McGillicuddy's Family Fun Time, Casino and Eat-a-ganza.  So, kudos to you Bob Stupak.

Toledo

The state of Ohio is opening 4 casinos this year; 2 have just opened and 2 more are on the way.  The open ones are Toledo and Cleveland.  The soon to be open ones are Columbus and Cincinnati.  My parents passed through T-Town the other day and got a chip for me... saving me the hassle of having to spend any time in Toledo.

The Toledo Casino is called "Hollywood Casino."  The chip has a couple of spotlights shining towards the middle with "Hollywood" across it and "Toldeo, OH" below that.  I'm a little surprised there's not a "Fuck Michigan" on the chip.  Maybe they are saving that for the Columbus one.

This is chip #299 for the collection.  I have 4 more coming in the mail so it'll be a race to see which chip gets here first and is number 300.  The anticipation builds...

8-16-12 Update

Recently found a new website that has greatly helped me find chips I'd like to add to my collection (http://www.all-chips.com/).  There's a ton of chips there, including some really nice old chips that I haven't been able to find.  Today, I got 7 new ones for my collection.

1.  New Monte Carlo house chip.  I know, not exactly a hard-to-find new chip, but it was one I had to have.  I love the Carlo.  I still want to stay there one of these times I'm out there.  Unfortunately, I think the new chip is a step back.  It's basically the same as the old one, but without the catoonish top hat and gold line.

2.  CBS Sports World Casino.  Had to change its' name after CBS threatened to sue, so there's a "Sports World Casino" chip out there, too.  They must've had a crack legal department to green-light that original name.  I think I read somewhere that the "CBS" chips were never actually used in play, but now I can't find that.  We'll just go with it.

3.  MGM Grand - Grand Opening.  Says "Watch Us Roar in '94" on one side and "Dec. 1993" on the other.  This, of course, was the second "grand" opening for the MGM Grand.  The first one caught fire in 1980 and later became Bally's.  This one is the current casino/hotel.  Has a depiction of the lion that doubles as the casino's entranceway on it as well.  Pretty good looking.  I like the older MGM chips with the red and white outer ring and smaller lion heads near the chip bottom.

4.  MGM Grand - Collector's Series Betty Boop Limited Edition.  Not sure which year this is from, but it has the same red and white outer ring as the Grand Opening chip and Julio Cesar Chavez chip.  Unlike those two chips though, this one has a splash of color on it.  Which colors, I'm not too sure.  But they are there.

5.  World Trade Center.  Never opened.  Now it is a parking lot for the Sands convention center.  Must've been fairly close to opening though, as they produced chips for it.  But alas, it was not meant to be.  The chip now sits with other never-opened-casino-chips like the Jockey Club.

6.  Bob Stupak's Sinabar.  The guy who would eventually build the Stratsophere once bought a lounge in downtown called the Sinabar and put a few tables and slots in it.  Was only open for about a year and he eventually renamed it "The Vault" but it wasn't long after that that Stupak was off and working on "Vegas World" which became the Strat.

7.  Jackpot Casino.  The Jackpot Casino closed in 1977 and became a part of the Sahara, which is also now closed.

8-10-12 Update

August 10, 2012 is a date I will forever remember.  Not because @geoffkimmerly and Tasha got married.  But because I picked up two new chips for the blog!

1.  Stratosphere Grand Opening.  Dated April 1996.  The Strat has been open for over 16 years, has anyone ever stayed there?  Does anyone even know anyone who has stayed there?  In countless trips to Vegas, I can remember having lunch with my brother at the top of that thing and maybe playing 10 minutes of blackjack.  And I remember their blackjack tables have weird rules.  Oh, the Strat.

2.  Golden Nugget - 50th Anniversary 1946-1996.  Just realized both chips are 1996 chips.  The Golden Nugget.  Featured in a truly terrible reality TV show called "The Casino" which centered on Tim and Tom trying not to run the operation into the ground.  It's still open, so I guess they were quasi-successful.  Tom even wrote a book on the experience, which of course I own, and of course was awful.  It's called "Double or Nothing."  I guess all the good book names were taken.

Pictures coming soon.

And congrats to Geoff and Tasha!