[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 27, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S278-S279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MOULIN ROUGE HOTEL AND CASINO

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, March 24, 1955, was a significant date in 
the history of Las Vegas. That date marked the opening of Nevada's 
first racially integrated hotel--the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino.
  At that time, the city of Las Vegas was already earning international 
recognition as an entertainment and resort mecca. However, black 
entertainers performing in Las Vegas were not allowed to stay in the 
hotels where they performed, nor were they allowed to enter the casinos 
or restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip. Instead, entertainers such as 
Sammy Davis Jr., Nat ``King'' Cole, and Lena Horne were forced to seek 
accommodations in local boarding houses.
  The Moulin Rouge changed all that. When the Moulin Rouge opened, it 
immediately became the night spot for top stars such as Davis, Harry 
Belafonte, and Frank Sinatra. They were joined by Ella Fitzgerald, 
Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Bob Hope, Tallulah Bankhead, Louis 
Armstrong, and many more.
  When shows on the Strip ended, entertainers and their followers 
flocked to the Moulin Rouge where they would continue performing into 
the wee hours of the morning.
  The hotel became home to black entertainers headlining on the Strip, 
and a venue where they performed, alongside their white peers, to 
audiences of all races.
  The Moulin Rouge closed in October of 1955, just 6 months after its 
celebrated opening. However, its impact lived on. Other Las Vegas 
hotels began their own efforts at desegregation. And when the civil 
rights movement reached full swing in early 1960, the old Moulin Rouge 
became the site of an historic meeting between Governor Grant Sawyer, 
leaders in the African-American community, and Las Vegas

[[Page S279]]

hotel operators. The meeting resulted in an agreement by resort 
operators to end their segregation practices, and to make their 
casinos, restaurants, and hotel rooms accessible to all people 
regardless of race.
  The ``Moulin Rouge Agreement'' made national news, and the building 
has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It 
is a living symbol and tribute to the struggle for equality and civil 
rights. Over the years, a number of owners tried to bring the Moulin 
Rouge back as a viable resort, but none was ultimately successful. 
Then, last year, a tragedy occurred. On May 29, 2003, one day before a 
new owner was scheduled to take over the property, an arsonist's fire 
ravaged the casino. The three-alarm blaze destroyed many irreplaceable 
historic photos and relics, including the famous Moulin Rouge wall 
mural and its unique mahogany bar.
  Miraculously, the entire front facade and the historic Moulin Rouge 
neon sign survived the fire, along with the original tile-covered 
columns and the signature tower. These structures, along with the 
original hotel building which also survived, will provide the 
foundation from which a new Moulin Rouge will rise.
  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark Civil Rights Act 
of 1964, so it seems fitting to announce that the Moulin Rouge, a 
symbol of civil rights change in Las Vegas, will rise from the ashes.
  The Moulin Rouge Development Corporation, which was stymied in its 
efforts to purchase the hotel by the tragic fire, will soon finalize 
purchase of the property. This Thursday, January 29, the company will 
publicly announce its plans for the new Moulin Rouge.
  These plans call for restoration of the original facade and the 
original hotel, along with construction of a new hotel, casino, and 
shopping mall. This new facility will include museum exhibits, provided 
by the Moulin Rouge Museum and Cultural Center, that celebrate the 
history of the property and the achievements of minority leaders, 
entertainers, and other pioneers of the civil rights era.
  I congratulate Dale Scott, Rod Bickerstaff, Chauncey Moore, and other 
officials of the Moulin Rouge Development Corporation for their vision 
and hard work in bringing forth this proposal.
  It has been a long road. But those of us who love history are 
delighted that the Moulin Rouge will be saved, and that its famous neon 
sign will shine once again. It will serve as a reminder of how far we 
have come, and how much remains to be done.

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