Las Vegas Weekly

July 2, 2009 · 8:44 AM

Las Vegas Hilton celebrates its 40th anniversary today

By Robin Leach

Elvis Presley at the International in 1970.

Photo: Promotional

Congratulations to the Las Vegas Hilton as it celebrates its 40th anniversary today. Nineteen employees still work at the Hilton from the very first day the property opened as the International back on July 2, 1969. To mark the milestone, two special $5 commemorative gaming chips, one bearing the likeness of Elvis Presley and the other of Barbra Streisand with the Hilton marquee from back then, are on sale at the casino cage.

The Hilton, which transformed itself over the past five years into a modern resort under the ownership of Colony Resorts, has a rich Las Vegas history. The International was designed to be the world’s largest casino hotel at that time. Barbra opened the 1,568-room property, but it was Elvis who made the International an instant Las Vegas landmark. The King debuted at the International on July 31, 1969, performing 837 consecutive sold-out shows before 2.5 million people. His final show was Dec. 12, 1976.

Over several decades, it became the Las Vegas Hilton and was home to superstar entertainment and big boxing events. But for several more years, to put it politely, it languished until 2004 when Colony Resorts purchased it and threw in an additional $100 million to transform and upgrade it.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Barry Manilow at the Clio Awards.

Barry Manilow debuted as the resident headliner in February 2005, and other big-name entertainers joined the lineup. Michael Buble made his Las Vegas debut at the Las Vegas Hilton in February 2006, followed by Diana Krall in June 2007. Now it’s also home to Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Reba McEntire, the Doobie Brothers, Heart and Brooks & Dunn.

Colony Capital President Tom Barrack Jr. has been in the news the past week because he purchased Michael Jackson’s troubled Neverland Ranch to help ease the late King of Pop’s crushing debt load.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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— From Vegas Deluxe

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