Las Vegas Casinos: Uncovering the Secret Relics They Won’t Let You See

What closes in Vegas sometimes stays in Vegas, often hiding behind the neon glow of the most modern gaming floors. What closes in Vegas sometimes stays in Vegas, often hiding behind the neon glow of the most modern gaming floors. For many major Las Vegas casinos, it is frequently more cost-effective to seal off and forget old attractions and outdated rooms that have outlived their usefulness instead of committing to a complete teardown and rebuild. This strategic preservation has resulted in numerous architectural relics and forgotten spaces hiding in plain sight across the landscape of the Strip.

Last year, Casino.org explored the “Hidden Relics of Sin City’s Past You Can Still See,” showcasing spots like the remnants of “Star Trek: The Experience” and the Holiday Casino. We also looked at “Secret Relics Vegas Won’t Let You See,” including the old Excalibur dragon and Hunter S. Thompson’s original Mint hotel room.

The Circus Circus Tram

The Circus Circus Sky Shuttle debuted in May 1981 as the Las Vegas Strip’s first automated transit system. This tram traveled 1,300 feet (approximately 400 meters) between the casino entrance and Circus Circus Manor, an 800-room motor lodge built in 1980. Notably, it was designed by VSL Corporation and cost about $5.5 million to construct. The shuttle featured two air-conditioned cars and was entirely automated, although monitored by closed-circuit TV.

In 1986, the shuttle was extended to connect the casino to the newly constructed 1,012-room West Tower, located about 800 feet away. However, the Sky Shuttle’s Manor tram stopped operating in the mid-1990s due to a shift towards modern accommodations and the escalating costs of maintenance and repair. Its track was eventually dismantled, yet the West Tower remained operational until 2004.

Recent drone footage shared by Chris Holmes (@seventensuited) shows one of the tram cars still sitting unused in a dilapidated bay beside the West Tower, a testament to its forgotten glory.

Vintage Imperial Palace Rooms at Linq

When the Imperial Palace underwent a $223 million renovation to become the Quad (now the Linq) from 2012-2013, all of the old Imperial Palace rooms were thought to have been redone. However, recently, an intrepid explorer named Peter P. (@niteryders818) discovered otherwise.

“Using a service elevator, I ended up in a storied section of the Linq,” he narrated in a video. This showed a neglected hallway adorned with peeling wallpaper and rooms sealed from the outside.

One room he explored seemed to have been used for storage but had become filled with miscellaneous items, including old pipes and equipment. Interestingly, some social media users speculated that it contained rooms from the original Flamingo Capri, although this idea was dismissed as the last of those rooms were demolished in 2011.

These forgotten areas of the Imperial Palace, situated above where rainwater was designed to flow through the parking garage by the Flamingo Wash, serve as reminders of the property’s legacy. “The last tower to be built housed these rooms, which were only rented out when others were fully booked,” shared former Imperial Palace president Ed Crispell. He noted that the decision to seal these rooms off was likely due to their inconvenient location rather than any historical significance.

“Lost Vegas” is an ongoing series from Casino.org that sheds light on Las Vegas’ forgotten history. Click here to read other entries in the series, and if you have a hidden story to share, feel free to reach out!

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