deja-view Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 The trailer diorama is great. It reminds me of when Steve Wynn was preparing to build the Treasure Island and Mirage hotels, and there was a little ...very old...mobile home park in the way. There was a lot of bad words and fussing over moving the residents out, but obviously the big winner was Wynn, Las Vegas, and the tourists who have enjoyed the two casinos. Even though they didn't own the land, and most of the trailers were long past needing to be condemned, there were some folks who wanted to use the shotgun diplomacy approach to stay in their "homes". Wynn paid them a lot to move, but some people just don't get the meaning of "rent" vs. ownership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I do have one too! A Stardust hotel tribute... The kit... The model... Roof from a '69 Superbee, front and back end modified, interior, under hoods scratchbuilt. The seats turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Holy Toledo, yes, that's what I'm talking about. VIVA LAS VEGAS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Now that's sweet! Oh how I miss the Stardust. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Yeah, baby! Showgurlz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Thank you guys! A few more... Dashboard... Here a picture from last year show, I don't know who toke it, but at least you have a better interior shoot. I will open a post later about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Brizio, that's simply an inspired and brilliant build. Those upturned doors! Everything about his build screams FUN to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The70judgeman Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Started the '49 Merc recently with a name in mind, but wasn't thinking of Vegas at the time..."The Gambler". It'll have a green and gold theme to it. Kind of on hold at the moment till I find the rims/tires I'm looking for. I know I have them in a storage box somewhere...just need to find them and get going on the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Very nice Chevy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercman Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Where did you get the slot machines, and could you post a close up pic of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Ditto on what Junior says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja-view Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Dang, Fabrizio; That's awesome! I miss the Stardust, too. And, the Landmark. Going up to the restaurant and seeing the city and strip was a real treat. Now, we have "Crazy Bob's" Stratosphere. Stupak was a visionary, but a realllly odd character. The Stardust was just so "old school". Too bad "The Wayner" couldn't save it. That model needs to be in one of our museums....and not the mob ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Ken, I agree with you. I miss the Stardust and The Riviera too. Those were some pretty good times in the 70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The70judgeman Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Ken, I agree with you. I miss the Stardust and The Riviera too. Those were some pretty good times in the 70s. Hey Doc...The Riviera is still going for now. Was there a couple of years ago...although, I think their days are numbered. Sahara closed recently though. Got to see that place too before they shut down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Andy, I could have sworn The Riviera went under, but maybe you are right, I'm thinking of the Sahara. Anyway, my favorite was Caesar's Palace back when it was more fun.The other thing I was going to say is that those old casinos (in particular the themed ones) really lend themselves to influencing car and diorama builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Thank you guys! I made the slot machines, using a pattern, so was easyer made all of three. Here the "official" post with all the pics of it. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=56805 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Scratch-built, nice going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 As I sit here in my plush state office I can clearly read the following bulletins. The Sahara will reopen soon under another name. The Riviera was recently remodelled and looking good, sparse but good. The Tropicana is remodeled and beautiful now. The Hilton closed and is now called the LVH. Fitzgerald's downtown will be renamed "The D" and the old Lady Luck will FINALLY re-open, as, I believe "The Downtown Grand" or some such. The times are a changin' G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 And you are right in the middle of all that change, Wayne. Is Circus Circus still there for the kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja-view Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 The Riviera is still wheezing along, but I don't know how. They might have picked up a lot of the old loyal Sahara clientele. Back in 1984 I was VP of Marketing for a company that sold electronic safes. The Riviera was one of the first to install them in the rooms. The CEO was Jeff Silver. He was one of those with actual foresight and willing to try new things....just what the old Riv needed. When he told me he was being hired away a couple of years later by Caesar's Palace I warned him that he was stepping into a management philosophy that was just the opposite. They paid him a lot for back then, but he stayed 6 months and said he had had enough. He's still around and still a valuable administrator in the industry, but in dealing with those casinos he was just as surprised as I was at how stone-headed the owners and managers were. Of course, in many caes the real decision makers were in Kansas City, Chicago, and other places. When they made stupid decisions you had to just look unaffected, say "OK", and move on. Usually, the palms were getting greased by someone who was more willing to dive into the corruption. For me, it was just too dangerous to get involved that far. But these CEO's and upper managers could make millions disappear like Danny Gans...or David Copperfield, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja-view Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Yes they are, Wayne. Yes they are. Although, most of the time it seems more like the circle just keeps rolling. I'd love to see all the books on how much money was absconded out of the several $BILLION projects that are dead or laying fallow. Lots of investors got hurt for sure, but I'd bet all I have that many guys at the top still made their pockets full. Anyway, that model is one of the best Vegas tribute cars I've ever seen. I'll also bet that Oscar would pay some big, big bucks to have it on his desk. Ooops. I mean Carolyn's desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Soon we should go in NV to check all those casinos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Carolyn's desk, now that's funny right there, true, but funny. I see Jeff every month. Curiously he has a daughter in St. Louis as well as I. We always seem to be at McCarran the same times every summer. The Riviera apparently "restructured" tax wise with the blessings of the state. 7 mil for "remodeling". Mrs G was supposed to take on the R/S Book at the Fontainbleu as manager. That was two years ago, all the big money pulled out, i.e. "disappeared", now it sits. Virgil, Circus Circus is still standing, how I don't know, but it's still there. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 During the 70s and early 80s is the place where families went to get lots of good and cheap food, and it gave the kids a place to hang out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Of course, in many cases the real decision makers were in Kansas City, Chicago, and other places. But these CEO's and upper managers could make millions disappear like Danny Gans...or David Copperfield, I guess. And, the real decision makers could (did) make CEOs and upper managers disappear ... like Rosenthal ... or Spilatro ... or ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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