The Luxor Hotel & Casino In Las Vegas Is Undergoing A Transformation And Its Not About Ancient Egypt Any Longer
When the Luxor opened on October 15, 1993 the striking pyramid structure was the tallest building in Las Vegas. The pyramid could be seen for miles and made the other hotels on the Strip look small in comparison. This was a time when the development of casinos in Las Vegas relied on themes to differentiate themselves from one another. The Steve Wynn hotel, Treasure Island, was based on a pirate theme and second incarnation of MGM Grand (the original MGM Grand was what is now known as Bally’s) was all about the movies, complete with a yellow brick road directing visitors through the center of the casino floor.
The Luxor, as the name suggests, relied on the ancient Egypt theme to tantalize it’s guests. The replica of the Sphinx in front of the hotel, which also doubles as the porte-cochere, greets visitors upon arrival. At one time there was even a Nile River ride, similar to what you might find in Epcot Center at Disneyworld. The Luxor may not have been considered one of the seven wonders of the world, but at the time it was definitely...