| Circus Circus Las Vegas | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Circus Circus Las Vegas in 2018 | |
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| Location | Winchester, Nevada, U.S. |
| Address | 2880 South Las Vegas Boulevard |
| Opening date | October 18, 1968 |
| Theme | Circus |
| No. of rooms | 3,767 |
| Total gaming space | 123,928 sq ft (11,513.3 m2) |
| Permanent shows | Circus acts |
| Signature attractions | Adventuredome Carnival Midway Slots-A-Fun Casino Splash Zone |
| Notable restaurants | Auntie Anne's Circus Buffet Dairy Queen Einstein Bros. Bagels Pick Up Stix Popeyes The Steak House |
| Owner | Phil Ruffin |
| Architect | Rissman and Rissman Associates |
| Renovated in | 1972, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985–86, 1993, 1996–97, 2014, 2017, 2020–23 |
| Coordinates | 36°08′13″N 115°09′48″W / 36.13694°N 115.16333°W |
| Website | circuscircus |
Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.[1] It is owned and operated by Phil Ruffin. Circus Circus includes the largest permanent circus in the world. It features circus and trapeze acts, as well as carnival games, at its Carnival Midway. The resort also includes the Adventuredome, an indoor amusement park.
Circus Circus was originally owned by Jay Sarno and Stanley Mallin. It opened without a hotel on October 18, 1968. It included a casino on its first floor, while a second floor contained carnival games for children. Circus Circus was the first family-oriented casino in Las Vegas. It struggled financially during its early years, in part because of its lack of a hotel. A 15-story tower, with 409 rooms, was added in 1972. Sarno and Mallin were subsequently investigated for tax code violations and alleged connections with organized crime.
In 1974, the casino was leased to Bill Bennett and William Pennington, taking over operations from Sarno and Mallin. The property thrived under its new management. Another 15-story tower was added in 1975, followed by an RV park in 1979. A year later, Circus Circus added a series of motel structures, increasing the total room count to 1,610. Bennett and Pennington eventually purchased Circus Circus in 1983 and added a 29-story tower in 1986. The amusement park was added in 1993, and a 35-story tower was completed three years later. The casino contains 123,928 sq ft (11,513.3 m2), while the hotel has 3,767 rooms. The Circus Circus property also includes the small Slots-A-Fun Casino, which Sarno opened in 1971.
The resort was owned through Circus Circus Enterprises, which was renamed Mandalay Resort Group in 1999. The resort was sold to MGM Mirage (later MGM Resorts International) in 2005. MGM intended to renovate and expand Circus Circus, but canceled such plans amid the Great Recession. Fifty years after its opening, Circus Circus remained popular among families. In 2019, MGM sold Circus Circus to Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin. At the time, the resort included the only RV park on the Las Vegas Strip.