Harrah's Las Vegas

Harrah's Las Vegas
Harrah's Las Vegas in 2006
Harrah's Las Vegas is located in Las Vegas Strip
Harrah's Las Vegas
Harrah's Las Vegas is located in Nevada
Harrah's Las Vegas
Location Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Address 3475 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Opening dateFebruary 1, 1972; 52 years ago (1972-02-01) (hotel)
July 2, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-07-02) (casino)
ThemeCarnival
Mardi Gras
No. of rooms2,542
Total gaming space90,637 sq ft (8,420.5 m2)
Permanent showsMenopause The Musical
Mac King (2000–2021)
Tenors of Rock (2017–2019)
X Country
Signature attractionsCarnaval Court
Notable restaurantsFlavors, The Buffet
Fulton Street Food Hall
Oyster Bar
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill (2005–2020)
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerVici Properties
Operating license holderCaesars Entertainment
Previous namesHoliday Casino (1973–1992)
Renovated in1975, 1982, 1986, 1989–90, 1996–97, 2006, 2015, 2018, 2020–21
Coordinates36°7′10″N 115°10′15″W / 36.11944°N 115.17083°W / 36.11944; -115.17083
Websitecaesars.com/harrahs-las-vegas

Harrah's Las Vegas is a hotel and casino centrally located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The property originally opened as a joint venture with Holiday Inn. Construction began in April 1970, and the hotel portion opened on February 1, 1972, as the Holiday Inn Center Strip. The casino portion, known as the Holiday Casino, opened on July 2, 1973. Shelby Williams was among the casino's investors. After his death in 1977, his wife Claudine Williams took over operations. Holiday Inn purchased an interest in the casino operation in 1979, and bought out Williams entirely in 1983, although she would remain as chairwoman.

In 1990, Holiday Inn transferred ownership of the resort to The Promus Companies, which then ended the franchise agreement with the hotel company. The property was renamed Harrah's Las Vegas in April 1992, and Promus would change its name to Harrah's Entertainment in 1995, before ultimately becoming Caesars Entertainment. The land was sold to Vici in 2017, and Caesars continues operating Harrah's Las Vegas through a 15-year leaseback agreement.

The casino originally featured a riverboat façade, which was enlarged in 1990, as part of a $100 million renovation and expansion project. The riverboat theme was removed in a subsequent $200 million project which concluded in 1997, adding a Carnival and Mardi Gras theme instead. The hotel includes 2,542 rooms, located across three buildings: the original 14-story tower, a 23-story tower completed in 1982, and a 35-story tower added in 1990. A 35-story addition was made to the third tower during the 1997 expansion.

In addition to a showroom, the property also has an outdoor bar and entertainment area known as Carnaval Court, and it featured a branch of The Improv comedy club from 1995 to 2016. The resort has featured numerous entertainers, including singer Clint Holmes (2000–2006) and magician Mac King (2000–2021). It has also hosted shows such as Legends in Concert (2009–2013), Million Dollar Quartet (2013–2016), and Menopause The Musical.