Caesars World planned to demolish the Thunderbird and construct a $150 million resort in its place, but the project was canceled because of a lack of financing.

The former property of the El Rancho and Algiers later became the site of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort, which began construction in 2007 and opened on December 13, 2023, after delays.

The resort originally opened as the Thunderbird, owned by building developer Marion Hicks and Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Clifford A.

[16] In October 1954, articles in the Las Vegas Sun alleged that Jake and Meyer Lansky, both underworld Mafia figures, held hidden shares in the hotel.

He stated that any licensee "is surely entitled to know what is expected of him under the license obtained, and not be subject to annihilation upon an order of the commission based upon no substantial evidence in support of an alleged violation."

[105] Picketing also took place in front of the Thunderbird, accusing the resort of antisemitism after the firing of a Jewish table game dealer, Howard Bock.

[110][111] At the end of 1967, Lance Inc. defaulted on its payments to Del Webb, and Consolidated Casinos was granted temporary approval by the state to take over the Thunderbird.

[126] After a global search, Caesars World was unable to find financing for the $150 million Mark Anthony project, and its cancellation was announced in June 1975.

[122][123][127] In 1976, Caesars World announced that it would sell the Thunderbird for $9 million to Tiger Investment Company, a group of Las Vegas bankers that included E. Parry Thomas.

Eddy King, the chairman of record promotion company Star Makers Unlimited, offered the highest bid at $3.5 million.

[156][157] Ed Torres knew notorious crime members such as Meyer Lansky and Vincent Alo, but this did not restrict him from acquiring a gaming license for the Silverbird property.

[160][161][162] The new resort had a wooden interior accompanied by American Indian items, chandeliers, buffalo trophy heads, and western paintings.

[167][170][171][172] The El Rancho struggled in its final years because of the early 1990s recession, as well as competition from newly opened mega resorts in Las Vegas,[173] specifically The Mirage (1989) and the Excalibur (1990).

[176] The bowling alley, sportsbook, and slot machines were shut down on June 30, 1992,[173] and the rest of the resort ceased operations on July 6, 1992.

[178] By August 1993,[179][180] Las Vegas Entertainment Network Inc. (LVEN), a Los Angeles-based television production company, had plans to redevelop the resort and reopen it in 1994 as El Rancho's Countryland USA.

[181] Harry Wald, the former president and chief operating officer of Caesars Palace, was to direct the redevelopment of the El Rancho into a full-time family resort.

[185] By January 1994, LVEN planned to open El Rancho's Countryland USA with its own 24-hour cable television channel based inside the new resort, which would have housed facilities for production and broadcasting.

Orion Casino Corporation was a newly formed Nevada subsidiary of International Thoroughbred Breeders (ITB), a New Jersey racetrack operator founded by Robert E. Brennan, who had previously organized a penny stock scheme.

[189] A month after the purchase, ITB announced plans to demolish the El Rancho and construct Starship Orion, a $1 billion hotel, casino, entertainment and retail complex with an outer space theme, covering 5.4 million square feet.

Some gaming analysts expressed skepticism that the Starship Orion project could get built, citing the high cost and ITB's lack of casino experience.

[192] In addition, Brennan was ordered by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to sell his shares of ITB, as he had been fined $71.5 million for securities fraud in 1995.

[193] In January 1997, Brennan sold his interest in ITB to New Mexico businessman Nunzio DeSantis and former politician Tony Coelho, who were unable to make any progress on plans for the property.

SunAmerica, the prospective underwriter for Countryland USA, subsequently chose not to proceed with its $100 million investment, out of concerns over the project and management.

[197] The company began developing the Turnberry Place condominium towers on the site, located directly east of the El Rancho.

Homeless people had also been sneaking inside the closed resort and staying there, and marijuana and empty beer bottles were discovered by the news team.

[202][196][203][204] While most of the structures were decomposing, another section of the El Rancho was found to have been renovated with working slot machines, which had been lent to the owners by Bally Gaming three years earlier to showcase to potential investors for the Countryland USA project.

[202][196][203] In addition, LVEN was subsequently investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for alleged stock scams and investor fraud.

[207] A sale of the El Rancho's contents was held beginning on June 1, 2000, but was initially restricted to the first two floors because of safety concerns regarding other areas of the resort.

[11] Other notable performers included Donald O'Connor, Mel Tormé, Rosemary Clooney,[227] James Melton,[228] Bunny Briggs,[229] Rex Allen,[11][230] Henny Youngman,[227][231] Margaret Whiting, Peggy Lee,[232] and Judy Garland.

[245][244] South Pacific closed in 1963, and was replaced by a summer engagement of Flower Drum Song, marking its return to the Thunderbird theatre.