El Rancho Vegas: The Hotel That Sparked the Las Vegas Strip

The iconic property that opened 85 years ago today set the stage for the modern Las Vegas Strip.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:11pm

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An impressionistic, out-of-focus photograph in warm tones depicting the hazy, dreamlike silhouette of a vintage neon sign, evoking the nostalgic atmosphere of the original El Rancho Vegas hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.The iconic El Rancho Vegas hotel, with its signature neon windmill, set the stage for the modern Las Vegas Strip.Las Vegas Today

El Rancho Vegas, the hotel that started it all, opened 85 years ago today on Highway 91, the road that would become the Las Vegas Strip. Owned by Tommy Hull, the original hotel had 65 rooms, a dining room, and a small casino. Many ideas that survive on today's Strip, like the all-you-can-eat buffet, originated at El Rancho Vegas. The hotel went through several ownership changes over the decades before a fire destroyed the main building in 1960. The property was eventually sold to William Bennett, who tried unsuccessfully to sell it for $65 million, before it was included in the sale of Circus Circus to Phil Ruffin in 2019.

Why it matters

El Rancho Vegas was a pioneering hotel that set the stage for the development of the Las Vegas Strip as we know it today. The hotel introduced many innovative concepts, like the first all-you-can-eat buffet, that became staples of the modern Las Vegas experience. Its history and evolution over the decades also reflect the broader transformation of the Strip from a remote highway to the world-famous entertainment destination it is now.

The details

El Rancho Vegas was built by Tommy Hull, who owned hotels in California, near what is now the corner of the Las Vegas Strip and Sahara Avenue. At the time, the area was just known as Highway 91, and the Sahara hotel was years away from being built. The original hotel had 65 rooms, a dining room, and a small casino with four table games, two blackjack tables, one roulette table, one craps table, and 70 slot machines. A 50-foot neon windmill beckoned travelers to the property.

  • El Rancho Vegas opened on April 3, 1941.
  • A fire burned down the main building on June 17, 1960.
  • Howard Hughes bought the property in 1970, but it remained vacant.
  • William Bennett acquired the property in the 1990s and tried unsuccessfully to sell it for $65 million.
  • The land occupied by El Rancho Vegas was included when Circus Circus was sold to Phil Ruffin in 2019.

The players

Tommy Hull

The owner of El Rancho Vegas who built the hotel near what is now the Las Vegas Strip.

Herb McDonald

One of the first publicists on the Las Vegas Strip, credited with the creation of the first all-you-can-eat buffet at El Rancho Vegas.

Joe Brown

One of the owners of El Rancho Vegas over the years.

Wilbur Clark

One of the owners of El Rancho Vegas over the years.

Jake and Beldon Katelman

Owners of El Rancho Vegas at one point.

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What they’re saying

“One night while working late at the El Rancho Vegas, the first hotel on what would become the Strip, McDonald brought some cheese and cold cuts from the kitchen and laid them out on the bar to make a sandwich. Gamblers walking by said they were hungry, and the buffet was born. The original midnight 'chuckwagon' buffet cost $1.25.”

— Herb McDonald, One of the first publicists on the Las Vegas Strip

What’s next

The land occupied by the former El Rancho Vegas property continues to be used as the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, hosting various events and concerts. The history and legacy of this pioneering hotel on the Las Vegas Strip will likely continue to be a topic of interest for local historians and those fascinated by the evolution of the city.

The takeaway

El Rancho Vegas was a groundbreaking hotel that set the foundation for the modern Las Vegas Strip. Its innovative concepts, such as the all-you-can-eat buffet, became staples of the Las Vegas experience, and its history reflects the transformation of the area from a remote highway to the world-famous entertainment destination it is today.