Westward Ho Hotel and Casino

The Westward Ho closed on November 17, 2005, and was demolished several months later to make way for redevelopment plans which failed to materialize.

[2] The Westward Ho opened on the Las Vegas Strip in 1963,[3][4] and was located between the Stardust resort and the future site of the Slots-A-Fun Casino.

[5] In 1996, the Westward Ho paid a disputed $25,000 fine after an undercover Nevada Gaming Control Board agent provided $6,000 to the casino's cashier for safekeeping and then received the money in smaller denominations as requested; to avoid money laundering, Nevada regulations required the same denomination of bills to be returned to the player.

In February 1998, it was announced that the Westward Ho and its large property would be bought by American Pastime West LLC, a company based in Manhattan.

Johnson said, "This was an important and emotional decision after our family's longtime involvement with the growth of the gaming community in Las Vegas."

The Westward Ho responded, "Since the prior deal in 2003 ... Suttles had represented that he had readily available equity and financing to consummate the purchase of the property.

[15] Later that month, Voyager Entertainment International announced an agreement with Centex to build a giant Ferris wheel as part of a master-planned resort to be built on the Westward Ho property.

Centex considered incorporating the shell of the Westward Ho's front building – facing the Las Vegas Strip – into the design of the new project.

[15] By July 2006, Harrah's Entertainment had picked up options to purchase the Westward Ho property, and began negotiations to sell the land to Boyd Gaming – developer of the adjacent Echelon Place – in exchange for the Barbary Coast hotel-casino, also on the Las Vegas Strip.

A McDonald's opened on a portion of the Westward Ho land in December 2008, fronting the Las Vegas Strip.

"[30] In 1983, 80 feet (24 m) high gold-colored umbrella-shaped lights were installed at the front of the property, along with shorter umbrellas featuring green and orange awnings.

[citation needed] Inside the casino, the prevalent color scheme was brown and green, emphasizing the brass and Dark Oak fixtures.

[33] Local entertainer Robbie Howard, who did impressions of celebrities, performed in a show at the Westward Ho called Hurray America,[34] which ran from 1993 to 1999.

[36] Our Way, a Rat Pack tribute band, debuted at the Westward Ho in January 2003, as part of the casino's "Puttin' on the Ritz" show that was offered with a buffet dinner.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that The Ho had "possibly the smallest sports book ever built, with four television screens.

Other potential clientele would include people who used Industrial Road to avoid traffic on the nearby Las Vegas Strip.

Westward Ho's motel structures during demolition (February 2006)