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.

"[4] A circus-themed casino was a departure from Sarno's previous Las Vegas resort, the luxurious Caesars Palace.

However, work was sped up during the final month to get the casino opened sooner, resulting in a higher construction cost.

[6] The tent-shaped roof reached 90 feet in the air, and was made of a plexiglass material which was painted white and hot pink.

[16] The opening was attended by numerous government officials and film stars, as well as media from across the United States.

Sarno had wanted the trapeze artists and shoeshiners to be topless, an idea that was vetoed by the gaming commission.

[24] The casino featured costumed table dealers and cocktail waitresses, as well as small, pink elephants that could be ridden.

Several trained monkeys roamed the casino as well and interacted with guests, for instance by paying out jackpot winnings.

[18][24] In addition, an elephant named Tanya was trained to pull slot machine handles and toss dice with her trunk.

[26][24] According to some accounts, a short-lived publicity stunt involved baby elephants that were transported around the casino via an overhead tram, giving the illusion that they were flying.

[43] The gaming commission granted several extensions, allowing the casino to continue operating on a temporary license.

[55] As part of the loan arrangement, the Chicago Outfit's enforcer, Anthony Spilotro (under the name of Tony Stuart), was granted a gift shop concession in the hotel.

[62][63][64] Bennett and Pennington had been searching for a financially challenged Las Vegas casino that they could take over.

Bennett was initially skeptical that a family friendly casino could succeed in Las Vegas.

[88] He also intended to convert the RV park into a swimming pool complex with a wave machine, sand beaches and a lazy river ride.

[114][115][116] A sportsbook opened In September 1976, but closed seven months later, as management believed that the space could be better utilized through a different purpose.

[63][122] A $7 million renovation and expansion project was underway in 1982, expanding the casino and a video game arcade.

[69] Additional casino space and a second parking garage were added in 1985,[123][124] and construction was underway on the 29-story Circus Skyrise tower, which would add 1,188 rooms for a total of 2,793.

[73] Operations of the monorail were ended around 2000, due to the high cost of maintaining its outdated equipment, although the track remains intact.

[1] By 2022, the pool area had been enlarged as part of Ruffin's $30 million renovation project, which also made minor improvements to the property.

This included a $10 million update of the resort's elevators, and a new paint job consisting of bright colors, emphasizing the property's circus theme.

It offers various rides and attractions, including the Canyon Blaster and El Loco roller coasters, as well as midway and arcade games.

[150] In 2021, a portion of the buffet was replaced with a food court, which includes Dairy Queen, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Pick Up Stix, and Popeyes.

[157] In 1975, gaming executive Carl Thomas bought into the casino as an equal partner with Miller, who died later that year.

[155][156][158] In 1979, however, Thomas was exposed as being involved in casino skimming operations on behalf of the Kansas City mob.

[171][172] In the 1971 journalistic novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, author Hunter S. Thompson wrote, "The Circus-Circus is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday night if the Nazis had won the war.

but the place is about four stories high, in the style of a circus tent, and all manner of strange County-Fair/Polish Carnival madness is going on up in this space."

[176] It also made appearances in several other films of the 1970s, including Las Vegas Lady, Damnation Alley,[177] and Corvette Summer.

[178] The 1999 film Baby Geniuses was partially shot at the Adventuredome, which stood in as the fictional Joyworld theme park.