Milton Prell opened the Hotel Sahara with 240 rooms in 1952. The $5.5 million, Moroccan-themed resort was decorated with life-sized camels. Ray Bolger, the scarecrow from “The Wizard of Oz,” headlined in the Congo Room until 1957.

The Sahara hotel-casino pictured in 2005. (Review-Journal File Photo)

Sahara hotel-casino pictured in 1954. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara hotel-casino erected a new 222 1/4 ft tall sign in 1980. Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) constructed it at a cost of $1 million and claimed it was the largest free standing sign in the world. (Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara hotel-casino erected a new 222 1/4 ft tall sign in 1980. Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) constructed it at a cost of $1 million and claimed it was the largest free standing sign in the world. (Review-Journal File Photo)

The Congo Room at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1985. (Las Vegas News Bureau)

Aerial View of the Sahara hotel-casino in 1982. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Frank Sinatra reunites Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin during the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon in 1976 at the Sahara hotel-casino. (Las Vegas News Bureau)

Liberace opening at the Sahara hotel-casino with Karen Wessler 1966. (Las Vegas News Bureau)

The aquatic legend Esther Williams, credited as inventor of the swimming musical, brought her water show to the Sahara hotel-casino in 1954. (Review-Journal File Photo)

Johnny Carson opening at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1970. (Review-Journal File Photo)

Sugar Ray Robinson and Milton Prell casino owner and developer sit at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1953. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Jerry Lewis dances during the 28th annual Jerry Lewis Telethon to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1993. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

A scale NASCAR racing car is suspended above a bank of slot machines at The NASCAR Cafe inside the Sahara hotel-casino in 2007. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara Speedway virtual reality experience at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1997. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara hotel-casino featured a rollercoaster called "Speed: The Ride" shown in 2007. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The door to room 2344, known as The Beatles Suite, is shown at the Sahara hotel-casino in 2007. The Beatles allegedly stayed in the suite when they played at the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1964. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The dining room and bar area of room 2344 at the Sahara hotel-casino, known as The Beatles Suite, is shown in 2007. The Beatles allegedly stayed in the suite when they played at the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1964. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Images of The Range Steakhouse located at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1999. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Images of The Range Steakhouse located at the Sahara hotel-casino in 1999. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Interior view of the gaming floor at the Sahara hotel-casino in 2011. (Bill Hughes/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Interior view of the gaming floor at the Sahara hotel-casino in 2011. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Sahara hotel-casino employees, from left, food and beverage manager Rebecca Santiago, server Barbara Nunez, and hostess Margarita Pinon, cry as they say goodbye on Monday, May 16, 2011, as the casino closes its doors for good. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara hotel-casino front entrance before the property closed on May 16, 2011. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

People line up outside of the Sahara hotel-casino before the start of a liquidation sale on items in the hotel in 2011. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Looking west from the roof of the Sahara hotel-casino in 1998. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The outdoor pool at the Sahara hotel-casino-casino in November of 2007. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The Sahara hotel-casino pool sits empty in 2011, missing lounge chairs, most sold during the sale. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

People wait to buy items at a liquidation sale at the Sahara hotel-casino in June of 2011. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The closed Sahara hotel-casino pictured in November of 2011. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Demolition of the entryway at the Sahara hotel-casino in March of 2013. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Demolition of the Sahara hotel-casino in 2013. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Demolition of the Sahara hotel-casino in 2013. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

The closed Sahara hotel-casino in December 2012. (Las Vegas Review-Journal File Photo)

Timeline

67 years of Sahara

1952: Milton Prell opens the Hotel Sahara with 240 rooms. The $5.5 million, Moroccan-themed resort is decorated with life-size camels. Ray Bolger, the scarecrow from “The Wizard of Oz,” headlines in the Congo Room until 1957.

1959: A 14-story tower is built, adding 200 rooms. A convention hall on the north side of the Sahara is added as well as a 127-foot sign. Comedian Don Rickles makes the first of many appearances in the Casbar lounge. George Burns also appears in the Casbar.

1961: Del Webb acquires the Sahara through a stock transaction involving 1.5 million shares in the Del Webb Corp. valued at about $12 million. The Sahara adds a $5 million, 24-story skyscraper with 400 rooms, bringing its total to more than 800. A 44,000-square-foot convention facility is built at a cost of $3.5 million.

1964: Stan Irwin, the Sahara entertainment director, brings the Beatles to Las Vegas. They perform at the Las Vegas Convention Center and stay at the hotel. Johnny Carson headlines in the Congo Room.

1969: Duke Ellington performs in the Casbar lounge.

1972: The Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon broadcasts from the Sahara. Charo headlines in the Congo Room.

1976: During the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, Frank Sinatra makes a surprise appearance to reunite Lewis with his former partner, Dean Martin.

1982: Paul Lowden buys the Sahara for $50 million.

1982 and 1983: Tina Turner performs in the Congo Room.

1988: A 26-story tower is added, bringing the room total to 1,500. Lowden expands the casino area and opens a new race and sports book.

1995: Bill Bennett buys the Sahara for $193 million, including 39 acres west of the Strip. Bennett begins a $100 million renovation, including bars, restaurants, rooms and swimming pools.

2000: Renovations are completed. There are 1,720 hotel rooms. The casino is 50,000 square feet larger and a porte cochere looks south toward the Wet ‘n Wild attraction. The NASCAR Cafe opens, featuring the Speed: The Ride roller coaster. The David Cassidy and Don Reo show, “The Rat Pack is Back,” opens in the Congo Room. It closes two years later.

2002: The Sahara turns 50. Charo opens her show “Bravo” in the Congo Room. Magician Steve Wyrick headlines in the Sahara Theater.

2007: SBE Entertainment and Stockbridge Real Estate buy the Sahara for between $300 million and $400 million.

2009: Illusionist Rick Thomas headlines for two years.

2011: The Sahara closes.

2013: Sam Nazarian invests $415 million in the property and opens it as SLS Las Vegas. Nazarian says SLS stands for “style, luxury, service.”

2014: Hilton Worldwide adds SLS Las Vegas to its specialty Curio brand.

2015: Nazarian sells his interest to Stockbridge Real Estate Group. Starwood Hotels & Resorts agrees to add SLS Las Vegas to its Tribute Portfolio. The 289-room Lux Tower is targeted for renovation.

2016: The Lux tower is rebranded as W Las Vegas.

2018: The Meruelo Group agrees to buy SLS Las Vegas, announcing plans for $100 million in renovations and ending the relationship with Starwood and ending the W Las Vegas brand.

2019: The renovation is done under the working name of “Grand Sahara Resort,” mirroring Meruelo’s Reno property, the Grand Sierra Resort, leading to speculation that the Sahara name would be revived.

June 27, 2019: Meruelo officially announces the hotel would be renamed Sahara Las Vegas.

Aug. 16, 2019: The “Blanc de Blanc” show opens at the property’s Foundry venue.

Aug. 27, 2019: The property tears down designer Phillipe Starck’s abstract statue “Sam by Starck,” an homage to former SLS Las Vegas owner Sam Nazarian.

Aug. 29, 2019: The property officially changes its name to Sahara Las Vegas.