Here are some facts and historical information about The Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, which was damaged in a three-alarm fire on Friday, Jan. 25, 2008.
- The casino brought the magic of Lance Burton, who performs in his own theater at the Strip hotel. Burton, who had formerly performed at the Hacienda since 1991, has signed a 13-year contract with the Monte Carlo.
- The MGM Mirage currently owns and operates the resort.
- The 32-story hotel offers 3,002 guest rooms, including 259 luxury suites.
- Modeled after the opulent Place du Casino in Monte Carlo, the hotel currently has an AAA rating of four diamonds.
- Guest room features include Italian marble, cherry furniture, cable/pay TV, 24-hour room service and data ports.
- The Monte Carlo opened on the Las Vegas Strip on June 21, 1996, blending European classic with American glamour.
- It was built by Mirage Resorts and Circus Circus Enterprises as a joint venture at a cost of $344 million. The two companies put up about $67 million cash each with other equity, and set up $210 million credit line with a bank consortium to finance construction.
- The resort has a grand lobby, shopping mall, convention center, spa, fitness center, tennis courts, large pool area, including a wave pool and a lazy river tubing ride, and a wedding chapel.
- A tram service had shuttled visitors between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio every 10 minutes, however, as of August 2006 the tram was not running due to construction between the two hotels.
- Ground was broken for the hotel in March 1995. Originally known as the “Grand Victoria,” after criticism by MGM Grand officials, the name was shortened to “Victoria” then changed to Monte Carlo.
- The resort’s aim was to attract middle-income tourists eager to sample European elegance at budget prices.
- The resort sits on 44 acres, located on property that previously was home to a portion of the Dunes hotel-casino.
- The casino houses 2,200 slot machines and 95 table games, a high-limit gaming area, a race and sports book, poker and keno games and lounge areas.
- The Monte Carlo Brew Pub was the only micro-brewery on the Las Vegas Strip. It stopped brewing its own beer in December 2006. Construction of the adjacent Project CityCenter took over the building used for brewing.
- The Monte Carlo opened Diablo’s Cantina, a Mexican-themed bar and restaurant on Sept. 21, 2007.
- In the 2004 film “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” the Average Joes stayed at the Monte Carlo during the Dodgeball championships in Las Vegas.