[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5137-S5138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAESARS PALACE LAS VEGAS HOTEL AND CASINO

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 50th 
anniversary of Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
  Since it opened its doors on August 5, 1966, Caesars Palace has been 
a Las Vegas icon. Conceived by builder, designer, and hotel operator 
Jay Sarno, Caesars opened as an opulent 680-room Roman-themed 
fantasyland. Today Caesars Palace remains one of the world's most 
prestigious resorts. It is home to 14 restaurants, 3,980 rooms, 6 
towers, a convention facility, and 630 suites and villas.
  Filled with statues, columns, and iconography typical of Hollywood 
Roman period productions, Caesars Palace pioneered a new era of lavish 
casinos and resorts. It opened with a 3-day gala that included a stage 
production of ``Rome Swings,'' starring Andy Williams and 1,400 guests. 
On December 31, 1967, the hotel and casino gained worldwide recognition 
when it served as the backdrop for Daredevil Evel Knievel's infamous 
attempt to jump over the iconic Caesars fountains. His son, Robbie 
Knievel, would later successfully clear the fountains on April 14, 
1989. Throughout the last five decades, Caesars Palace has remained a 
leader in the entertainment industry, bringing the biggest names in 
music, celebrity chefs, luxury accommodations, premier shopping and 
gaming, and top sporting events to the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
  I love the sport of boxing, and I am proud that, in the late 1970s, 
Caesars Palace emerged as the premier venue for world championship 
boxing matches. It was the host for legendary matches between Hall of 
Famers: Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Larry Holmes, 
Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, and ``the 
Greatest of All Time,'' Muhammad Ali. Caesars Palace was instrumental 
in turning Las Vegas into the ``Boxing Capital of the World.'' In fact, 
one of my most prized possessions is a signed photograph of the great 
Joe Louis, who was hired by Caesars later in his life as a casino host 
and greeter and whose marble statue still sits inside the casino.
  Throughout the past 50 years, many of our world's top performers have 
graced the stages of Caesars Palace, including Tony Bennett, Jerry 
Lewis, Liberace, and Diana Ross. Headliners such as Celine Dion, Shania 
Twain, Rod Stewart, Bette, Midler, Cher,

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Mariah Carey, and Sir Elton John have held residency performances at 
the 4,300-seat colosseum. The hotel and casino also provided the 
backdrop to blockbuster movies.
  I commend Caesars Palace for 50 years of exceptional service to the 
Las Vegas Strip. Caesars Palace has continuously evolved throughout the 
past five decades to remain a leader on the world famous Las Vegas 
Strip, and I wish them continued success for years to come.

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