Hilton Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada owned by Colony Capital. With 3,174 hotel rooms, this off-strip hotel is the largest Hilton Hotel in the world and one of the largest hotel-casinos in Las Vegas. It is also home to the largest sports book in Las Vegas.
The free standing Hilton sign in front of the hotel on Paradise Avenue is the largest free standing sign in the world. A larger sign that stood at the same location was blown down during a severe wind storm. While smaller than the original, the new sign is still the largest free standing sign.
Sitting next to the Las Vegas Convention Center and having its own 150,000 square foot convention center, the hotel is a popular place for convention attendees.
The hotel also houses Star Trek: The Experience and is a stop on the Las Vegas Monorail.
The hotel was built in 1969 by Kirk Kerkorian and opened as the International Hotel. When it opened, the International was the largest hotel in the world. Barbra Streisand was the opening-night performer.
In 1969, right after Barbra Streisand's engagement, Elvis Presley performed for 58 consecutive sold out shows, breaking all Vegas attendance records. When playing Las Vegas, he lived in the penthouse suite, until his last performance there, in December of 1976.
The hotel was sold to Hilton Hotels Corporation in 1970 and renamed the Las Vegas Hilton in 1971. This hotel was sold by Hilton with the other Hilton casinos to form Park Place Entertainment.
The towers were added in 1975 (east) and 1978 (north).
Let's Make a Deal produced its final syndicated season here in 1977.
On September 18, 1995, the Vegas version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express show opened. This involved a massive conversion of the theater, including pouring concrete ramps into the seating area. When the show closed, the theater was used to film The Oak Ridge Boys Live series for one of the County cable Networks before it was gutted and renovated.
In January 1998, Star Trek: The Experience opened. The casino added a space-themed casino, "Space Quest", that serves as the gateway to the attraction.
A Hilton Grand Vacations Company timeshare opened on the 59 acre site
in 1999.
On March 18, 2004 a new "Borg Invasion 4-D" ride was added.
On June 18, 2004 the property was sold by Caesars Entertainment to Colony Capital for $280 million.
On December 14, 2004 Barry Manilow announced that he will
be doing the “Manilow: Music and Passion" show at the Las
Vegas Hilton opening on February 23, 2005. As part of the contract,
Manilow lives in the penthouse suite that was Elvis's home for 8 years.
