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Goodbye to Speed: The Ride at the Sahara (Vegas)?


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  • 2 weeks later...

Sad. I made my first ever trip to Vegas in February of 2009 and Speed was closed. My wife and I were very disappointed. Turns out it re-opened shortly after we were there. Now I guess I'll never get to go back and get that credit. Boo.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I went on Speed twice in a row(since I had the all day ride wristband) back in 2003 although it was 100+degrees outside. & Oh I got to stay on without getting off. I didn't go on it anymore times since I didn't feel so good after 2 rides in a row. Got the ride picture of me on the ride. It was a pretty good ride. Hey CGA! Listen up! Speed is on sale & would make a perfect 2012 addition! It's fast & not that high & hardly makes any noise!

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LAS VEGAS - Now that the Sahara hotel-casino is closed in Las Vegas after 59 years, everything must go.

 

The owners of the Rat Pack-era casino are planning a liquidation sale of all items inside the property exactly one month after closing the casino's doors.

 

Things for sale include the casino's poker room sign, bedroom furnishings and chandeliers in several shapes and sizes.

 

The sale set to begin June 16 is being organized by Ohio-based National Content Liquidators, a firm that ran previous liquidation sales for other casinos.

 

Company spokeswoman Meredith Lunsford said she expects the sale to attract nostalgic fans and commercial buyers interested in things like escalators and restaurant equipment.

 

"You've got people from all over wanting to take home a piece of history," Lunsford said.

 

Owner SBE Entertainment has not yet detailed its plans for the property on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.

 

The Sahara is remembered for attracting big celebrities in its heyday, where nightly lounge acts set standards for other casinos that opened later. Don Rickles and Louis Prima were regulars, while Sonny and Cher and Judy Garland also took the stage.

 

More recently, the Sahara became known for its cheap blackjack and a NASCAR themed area that included a cafe and small roller coaster.

 

This month, the casino is selling its stage lights and ceiling decor.

 

National Content Liquidators set up a website for the sale with pictures, saying the Sahara would stay open until all its items are sold. The firm is charging $10 per person admission during the sale's first four days.

 

Link

 

Liquidation Sale

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  • 2 weeks later...

Went to the liquidation sale today which basically confirmed what we already knew, the place is/was a dump. The stoves in the kitchens that had not yet been purchased/picked up showed years of grime from neglect. The carpets and flooring in the F&B areas were equally disgusting. The Penthouse and Presidential Suites looked like they had the original furniture. The electronics contained in them were state of the art in the early 70's. Overall, after seeing the back of house areas, the theatre back of house, and offices, and rooms, it makes me wonder how the place stayed open this long.

 

Sadly, the NASCAR cafe and Speed: The Ride were in areas blocked off to the public. The NASCAR driver suits had been removed as had the display cars on the floor. I could not see up to the area of Speed. I got a contact number, I may try to call tomorrow and ask for permission to photograph the ride in it's dormant state.

 

If anyone wants to see pictures, let me know, I can go back this week and do a full workup.

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Saw some pics and read stories from the sale on a couple Vegas sites -people were buying everything from gaming tables, hotel decor, and even signs ("taxi", "valet", etc) from around the hotel... seems like there wasn't much you couldn't buy. Evidently, at one point the line was approx. 5 hours long just to get inside!

 

Chadster - that's cool that you went... not cool to hear the hotel was in such bad shape. Did you end up buying anything, or were you just checking it out? I'd love to see any pics you have! I always made a point to stop at the Sahara when I was in Vegas... to me it was one of the last old great tacky casinos, and also one of the last places to get drink/gaming deals. Sad that they let it fall into such disrepair to make way for the next irritating high-end crap fest.

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In short, by the truckloads. The Clarion up the road bought 100 box springs and mattresses, the camel lamps are selling fast. I heard they were already on ebay for like 600, they were selling them for 150. The prices were set, no negotiations. You could even buy the toilets if you wanted to. Once you buy the stuff, you have 24 hours to get it out. Several gaming tables are left, most of the kitchen equipment, and nearly all the stage lighting. The stage lighting was easily 15 years old and the system that ran it used a Windows 2000 machine for it's programming module. They wanted near retail price for most of the lights, maybe 30% less than new, then, you have to add sales tax and a 10% buyers premium, needless to say, that is just one example of many overpriced items. I think the mattress/boxsprings were 125 each, way overpriced for a worn mattress. Some of the furniture was decent, but honestly, 20+ years old. One company bought every ironing board they could find. Clearly for a hotel owner. If you want pots and pans, those are a plenty.

 

Personally I snatched up a set of old school glass coca-cola glasses for $1 each, the sign said $2, wasn't going to argue. May go get more of them at that price. I have a training class during the day all this week, but I'll make it over there afterwards. They only let 300 in at a time, but since most of the good stuff is gone, that limit wasn't even close today. Not all of the items are for sale yet, many of the room floors are still closed, apparently they will open up new floors every few days.

 

I may go ahead and try to make contact tomorrow with the sale organizer to see about pictures of Speed. If you guys really want to see what it all looks like, I'll make the effort to document it all.

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^ Aw, you don't have to go out of the way or anything... didn't know if you had pics from your trip today or whatever. If you do end up going back then definitely take some pics! If not, that's cool too It would be cool if they let you grab some last looks at Speed... seems like that was the only thing on the property that was still in pretty good condition!

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^ It's literally about 1/2 mile from my hotel (I'm not on the strip) and wouldn't be too much effort. I was mostly interested in combing thru stuff today. The ride lockers were in pretty rough shape last october and just seemed dirty. The ride itself I agree, seemed to be in pretty good condition. Hope it finds a good home.

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The Penthouse and Presidential Suites looked like they had the original furniture.

 

That was actually the selling point of those suites. One of them was the Beatles suite (where the Beatles stayed when they played a concert in Vegas) and the other was the Elvis suite (where he would go "hide" w/ Priscilla while shooting "Viva Las Vegas").

 

They actually did renovate some of the rooms a few years ago, including really nice 2BR penthouse suite. But I'm sure the fixtures in those rooms were sold right away.

 

BTW, the reason the NASCAR cafe stuff remains relatively untouched is because the hotel does not own it. They are just a tenant of the hotel, so I would assume Sahara has to honor the lease and let the stuff stay there regardless of whether or not the hotel is actually open.

Edited by Jew
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^ If that was the selling point for those suites, that's sad, they were well used, I certainly would not have stayed in them, nostalgia or not.

 

You are correct the flat screens in the "remodeled" rooms went instantly.

 

I've been in contact with the group that owns the NASCAR part and Speed: The Ride thru the liquidation company. I am supposed to have an answer tomorrow about permission to take pictures of the ride. I'm headed over there in a few to photograph the hotel and back of house areas.

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^Keep in mind that the towers those suites are in were the ones that were mothballed before the closure was announced. I am going to assume that they had not been maintained since December of 2009, which is when those towers were mothballed.

 

When they were available, both suites were in high demand and purposely left with the retro feel.

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