Elvis Presley: 1956-1976, The Las Vegas Years.
Present since 1956, for a last concert in 1976, Elvis Presley left an indelible mark on Las Vegas. 50 years later, between statues, souvenir shops, tribute shows, entire conventions of impersonators and wedding chapels, his face is omnipresent. In this article, we give you a quick summary of Elvis Presley's years in Las Vegas and tell you about the places where you can still feel the King's presence today.
1956 - The New Frontier Hotel
The New Frontier was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. It remained open continuously from October 30, 1942 until its final closure on July 16, 2007 and was demolished on November 13 of the same year. It was located across from the Wynn on the grounds behind the Fashion Show Mall.
This was the hotel where Elvis Presley made his first appearance in Las Vegas in 1956. Colonel Parker had booked Elvis, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D.J. Fontana for a two-week engagement at the hotel beginning on April 23, 1956.
While Elvis was already becoming very popular with teenagers across the country, he was not yet the typical Las Vegas Strip entertainer and his shows were met with a somewhat cool reception.
1964 – Viva Las Vegas
Between 1956 and 1969, Elvis Presleys started a movie career with mixed success. Perhaps the best of all was “Viva Las Vegas,” filmed in and around the Flamingo in the summer of 1963. In Elvis, the controversial biography of Elvis, author Albert Goldman claims that his pairing with the vivacious Ann-Margret resulted in “the only genuine romance in Elvis’s long career with Hollywood actresses.” This would explain the chemistry that elevates Viva Las Vegas above its overall plot, which surprisingly has little to do with gambling or show business. Instead, Elvis is the singing racecar driver Lucky Jackson, who woos Ann-Margret as Rusty Martin, the Flamingo’s pool manager, while preparing for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
1967 - Aladdin Hotel : A private wedding.
While doing his military service in Germany, Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu, then aged 14. Their relationship at the time was friendly due to his young age. Priscilla's parents actually authorized the relationship in 1962.
Elvis married Priscilla on May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas. She was 21 and he was 32. Colonel Parker arranged for one of his friends, Milton Prell, to host the wedding at his new hotel, the Aladdin. The ceremony took place in front of a few friends and family in Prell's private suite before the party opened with a celebratory breakfast for 100 friends and guests.
The Aladdin Hotel was located between the Paris and the MGM Grand. The Aladdin, after undergoing extensive renovations, became the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.
1969 – International Hotel, the consecration
In the summer of 1969, Kirk Kerkorian was ready to open the International Hotel. With 1,519 rooms, it was the largest hotel complex in the world. To open it properly, Kerkorian hired two of the biggest stars of the day: Barbra Streisand and Elvis Presley.
Unlike in 1956, the Elvis who took the stage at the International on July 31, 1969, was a versatile performer leading a rock band backed by brass and strings.
His first night at the International was a triumph: the 2,200 spectators, many of them celebrities, gave him three standing ovations.
Elvis stayed at this hotel every time. The Imperial Suite on the 30th floor of the hotel was intended to serve as a retreat for all the headliners, but it came to be known as “the Elvis Suite.” He gave 636 sold-out performances there.
Elvis would give his last concert on December 12, 1976. It was the last time Las Vegas would see the real Elvis Presley.
2014 – Westgate Hotel, The Legacy
The International Hotel would become The Las Vegas Hilton from 1971 to 2012 and the LVH from 2012 to 2014. On June 30, 2014, it would be sold to the Westgate Resort Group, which would inherit part of Elvis' legacy, including the venue where he performed, which is now the International Theater. It was truly the hotel where he felt at home when he was in town.
Elvis can still be seen today at the Westgate. A bronze statue immortalizes the great artist and his contributions to music, film, television and the city of Las Vegas itself. Elvis sold over a billion records worldwide. He has received 14 Grammy nominations with three wins, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36 and was one of the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
If you want to feel his presence, why not spend a few nights in this hotel which has some advantages: It has a monorail station, parking is free and the cost of the night remains affordable for a very decent comfort. The Resort fee are $44.99 per night.
Tributes
The King Comes Home
This is a one-of-a-kind musical tribute featuring Elvis hits from his early recordings, films, his legendary 1968 television special and his 7-year run of sold-out shows at the International Hotel and Las Vegas Hilton. The show features Las Vegas and Broadway performers Joey Calveri, Paige Strafella, Sujana Chand and Derek Adams.
All Shook Up
“ALL SHOOK UP” is a tribute to Elvis Presley! Accompanied by a live band on stage, you will hear all the hits, from Heartbreak Hotel to Suspicious Minds. This energetic Las Vegas show is perfect for all ages!
Whether you are a fan of the King or just want to see what all the fuss is about, you will not regret attending this show!
