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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Royal Flusher's Daily Vegas Pic - Jan 31, 2018 - Imperial Palace Las Vegas

It's so much fun to come across vintage Las Vegas photos, especially ones of places that don't exist anymore, like the Imperial Palace.

Imperial Palace Hotel Room
Guess which part of the sign this room is behind.
If anything, the old Iperooski was unique. They did things their own way, and their own way meant weird and quirky.

The owner of the hotel complex itself  also served as its general contractor during construction. Why do I know this? Because they plastered information like that all over printed materials.

Imperial Palace Hotel Room Sign
Construction of the Imperial Palace included mounting gigantic letters spelling the hotel name on the buildings. In this case, 'M' is for 'no fucking view'.
Now, when I say the IP doesn't exist, that's not exactly true - the shell of the casino and the hotel towers were completely renovated. It's now the Dinq Linq. But walking through I can't really identify much of the old casino.

Imperial Palace Big Bertha Gigantic Slot Machine
Oh yeah? Well does the Linq have a Big Bertha slot called "Big Mamas"?


One thing that hasn't changed is the screwball layout. Only at the IP could you be on the second floor at some restaurant or something, and have to take an escalator down, walk a few yards, and then take an escalator up to get to your destination. It was a classic case of 'you can't get there from here'.

We had some very good times at the Imperial Palace. It was cheap, and the comps were easy. We had a host there named Bob Cohen. Good guy.

This Imperial Palace room is just like the other Imperial Palace room. Except view.
Ralph Engelstad, the controversial owner, wasn't without his failings, but I can not see any reason to go into it. I don't miss him.

But as far as the hotel itself goes, and particularly the casino, I kind of miss the old girl, scary as the buffet was.





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    2 comments:

    1. UnknownFebruary 1, 2018 at 9:32 AM

      I miss it dearly! My grandparents stayed there every month in the late 80s and early 90s. My grandpa played Hold 'Em in the old poker room upstairs and my grandma would play nickel slots...of course they were always comped. I stayed there my first trip to Vegas in 1994 when I was 13 years old, and several times as an adult. I truly miss the IP. It was unapologetic in it's cheesy Vegasness. The mai tai bar made cocktails from which you could run your car. You DARED to eat at any of it's establishments. The craps crew was surly and efficient. I've been through the Linq a time or two but I'd trade it for the IP in a heartbeat.

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    2. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2018 at 6:20 PM

      The Imperial Palace was the first place my wife and I stayed at on our virgin trip to Vegas. Jan 1, 1995 I believe. We had to make reservations by scouring the entertainment section of the Sunday newspaper. We were on the 6th floor and the elevators were (and I hear still are) the worst around. We would forego the 15 minute wait and take the stairs instead. Ate at the buffet, once. Somehow survived. Tried it again a few years ago after the Linq opened. Told the dessert dude that the pecan pie was green. He said that it's green because it's sugar free. errr. k.

      At first glance of your pic, I thought you were hanging laundry on the balcony.

      wpete

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