Glass Pool Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glass Pool Inn |
|
|---|---|
The motel and pool in October 2003, shortly after closure.
|
|
| Former names | Mirage Motel (1952–1988) |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Motel |
| Location | Paradise, Nevada |
| Address | 4613 South Las Vegas Boulevard |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 36°05′13″N 115°10′22″W / 36.08681°N 115.17271°W |
| Opened | 1952 |
| Closed | September 2003 |
| Demolished | 2004 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Grounds | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 48 |
The Glass Pool Inn was a famous motel in Paradise, Nevada, right on the Las Vegas Strip. It first opened its doors in 1952 as the Mirage Motel. What made it special was its unique swimming pool, added in 1955. This pool was built above the ground and had big round windows, like portholes, so people could see inside!
The motel became very well known because of this cool pool. It was even featured in many movies, TV shows, music videos, and photo shoots. In 1988, the motel changed its name to the Glass Pool Inn. This was to avoid confusion with a new, much larger resort called The Mirage, which was also opening on the Las Vegas Strip. The Glass Pool Inn closed down in September 2003 and was torn down in 2004. The land was meant for a new big project, but that project never happened.
Contents
History of the Glass Pool Inn
Early Years as Mirage Motel
The Mirage Motel first opened in 1952. It had 22 rooms and was located on the southern part of the Las Vegas Strip. In 1953, a couple named Robert and Betty Rosoff bought the motel. They wanted to make their motel stand out. They hoped to attract tourists coming from California.
In 1955, the Rosoffs and a family member built a special swimming pool. This pool was above the ground and had seven large porthole windows. Each window was four feet wide, letting people see into the pool.
The Unique Pool Design
The pool was shaped like a kidney bean and sat nine feet above the ground. It was 26 feet wide and 55 feet long. It held a lot of water, about 54,000 to 56,000 gallons! Building a pool with windows above ground was a challenge back then. Allen Rosoff, the son of Robert and Betty, later became a co-owner. He explained that different metals and materials were used, which made the design tricky.
Around 1961, Allen Rosoff became a co-owner with his parents. At one point, the pool had a diving board and a slide. These were later removed.
Name Change and Sale
Allen Rosoff and his wife, Susie, took over running the motel in 1971. In the late 1980s, a new hotel and casino called La Mirage opened nearby. This caused confusion for customers. To solve this, a famous businessman named Steve Wynn bought the "Mirage" name from both businesses. He was opening his own huge resort called The Mirage.
In 1988, the motel officially changed its name to the Glass Pool Inn. This new name highlighted its most famous feature. The motel had 48 rooms by this time.
New Owners and Demolition
In August 1999, Allen and Susie Rosoff sold the Glass Pool Inn. Developers bought the motel and its 1.5-acre property. Allen Rosoff said he was tired of fixing up the old motel.
The new owners planned to build a huge resort on the land. They bought several other motels nearby to create a large 77-acre area. In 2001, they announced plans for a massive project called World Port Resorts. This project would include hotels, casinos, and a convention center. The Glass Pool Inn was part of this planned area.
The motel closed in mid-September 2003. The new owners decided to tear it down. Allen Rosoff was happy with the decision to demolish the motel. He said he preferred to remember the motel as it was, rather than see it become too run down. He felt it was time for the old building to go.
Many people in Las Vegas were sad to see the famous pool go. However, moving the pool to save it was not possible. The motel was torn down in 2004. The Glass Pool Inn's sign was left standing for a while. It was supposed to go to the city's Neon Museum, but it disappeared in 2012.
Images for kids
-
The Glass Pool Inn sign (October 2003)
