Moulin Rouge Hotel Hits 70-Year Mark Since Breaking Down Barriers in Las Vegas

Las Vegas celebrated an important milestone in American history, the 70th anniversary of the Moulin Rouge Hotel — the first racially integrated casino in the United States.

Located on the Historic Westside at the 900 block of West Bonanza Road, the Moulin Rouge opened on May 24, 1955. Although the Moulin Rouge was open for less than six months, its impact was felt long after it closed.

Built in 1954 and opening the next year, the Moulin Rouge allowed patrons of all races to enjoy its rare luxury at a time when segregation was prevalent throughout Las Vegas. Its luxurious accommodations and groundbreaking integration set it apart as a progressive beacon and home to legendary African American entertainers, among them Sammy Davis Jr., Dinah Washington, and Louis Armstrong, who performed for audience members of all races in the showroom.

“This was the first place where African Americans could be a manager, where they could be dealers, they could be cocktail waitresses, they could be dancers,” said UNLV professor Tyler Parry to News 3. emphasizing the venue's transformative role in employment and opportunity for the Black community.

The cultural reach of the casino was also felt in civil rights initiatives. In 1960, the Moulin Rouge Agreement — a significant meeting between Black leaders and city officials — took place on the grounds and was a significant move toward the desegregation of Las Vegas Strip casinos.

Unfortunately, the establishment closed its doors in October 1955 because of financial difficulties and multiple ownership changes. The Moulin Rouge continued to be a part of the city's mystique and was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1992. However, a total of three fires from 2003 to 2017 have left the facility in shambles, and the City of Las Vegas has now gone on record that the structure is no longer salvageable, according to the City of Las Vegas.

Today, the site remains vacant, but remnants of its history endure. The original neon sign is preserved at The Neon Boneyard Museum, and the frame of its marquee stands as a quiet reminder of the strides made on that historic block seven decades ago.