This was once Bugsy's place, but now is Jackie's place. One of the oldest casino hotels in Vegas, El Cortez, once owned by mobster Bugsy Siegal, sits in a section of downtown that pre dates The Strip. The hotel is just a few blocks from the Fremont Street Experience, the sound and light shows under 2.1 million lights and with a 540,000 watt sound system along a four block stretch of downtown. The El Cortez is operated by local legend Jackie Gaughan, whose owned the place since 1963. Guests and gamblers drink in an authentic glimpse of the Old Vegas at extremely affordable rates: oversized guestrooms and suites, friendly hospitality, bargain dining and 24 hour gaming action. Guests looking for modern day glitz or smoke free environments should look elsewhere. The 40,000 square foot casino is the main draw here, an excellent place for low roller gambling with low stakes tables and loose slots. Gamblers can go crazy with multi race keno, blackjack, craps, roulette, mini baccarat, three card poker, slots, and a race and sports book. Guests can take their complaints or compliments to that guy there on the casino floor? That's Mr. Gaughan. Guestrooms include separate sitting areas, love seats, dressing areas, leaf patterned wallpaper, salmon colored carpets and bronze and pink bedspreads. For hungry gamblers, Careful Kitty's Café dishes up breakfast items, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood, Italian meatloaf and chicken fried steak. Roberta's focuses on prime rib, steaks, seafood and chicken, while patrons can enjoy sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, pizza and pastries at Charlotte's Ice Cream Shop and weekend breakfast buffets at the Morning Express.
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