Stratosphere Casino Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary In Las Vegas

The iconic Stratosphere casino in Las Vegas celebrated its 20th anniversary this past weekend. A formal 20 anniversary celebration is being planned for May 1 to mark this special and the casino has confirmed that it will run a number of special offers and giveways for Nevada residents which includes free access to its tower decks.

The Stratosphere Las Vegas was the brainchild of Bob Stupak, a well-known casino owner and poker player, who was inspired by towers in other cities such as Seattle and Toronto.

Stupak wanted to create something similar in Las Vegas and decided to build a tower on the Stratosphere to give it a unique look and make it stand out on the Las Vegas strip.

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Stupak initially planned to construct a 1,800 feet tower but since the local officials were concerned that it could become an impediment to planes flying out of the McCarran International Airport, the tower’s height was dropped to 1,149 feet. The tower continues to be one of the biggest attractions on the strip and celebrated the arrival of its 40 millionth visitor in 2014.

Although the Stratosphere generated a lot of excitement after its opening in 1996, it had to file for bankruptcy shortly afterwards. Investor Carl Icahn through his American Casino & Entertainment Properties bought it out and completed the stalled construction of a second tower.

In a statement, Ned Martin, chief operating officer with American Casino & Entertainment Properties, the owner of the casino, said,

It’s been a great attraction for people coming to Las Vegas. The Stratosphere Tower is in just about every picture you see of the Las Vegas Strip. … People know it and recognize it and they come here in droves.

The iconic tower features the Top of the World Restaurant which rotates every 80 minutes providing diners with stunning views of the city. Visitors can also appreciate the view from an indoor and outdoor observation deck as well as a lounge. Those seeking thrills can enjoy the adventure rides available on top.

The Stratosphere has an impressive 2,427 hotel rooms, six restaurants and 75,000 square feet of retail space. The gaming floor is spread over 80,000 square feet and offers 45 table games and 750 slot machines. The company employs 1,600 people, with 200 of them who have been a part of Stratosphere since its launch. The casino is also offering a two for $20 special buffet on May 1 to celebrate its 20 year anniversary.

Adrian Sterne

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