La Concha Motel facts for kids
| La Concha Motel | |
Quick facts for kids  The motel lobby building |
|
| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 |
| Address | |
| Opening date | 1961 |
| Closing date | 2004 |
| Architect | Paul Williams |
| Owner | Ed Doumani Lorenzo Doumani |
| No. of rooms | 350 |
The La Concha Motel was a famous motel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It opened in 1961 and was known for its unique, shell-shaped lobby. This motel was a popular spot for many years before it closed in 2004. Today, its special lobby has been saved and is a cool part of the Neon Museum in Las Vegas.
Contents
History of the La Concha Motel
A Popular Place to Stay
The La Concha Motel first opened its doors in 1961. It was started by M.K. Doumani. When it first opened, the La Concha was one of the biggest motels on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Many well-known people stayed there.
Some of these famous guests included:
- Ronald Reagan (who later became president)
- Ann-Margret (a famous actress and singer)
- Flip Wilson (a popular comedian)
- Muhammad Ali (a legendary boxer)
- The Carpenters (a famous music group)
The motel even appeared in the 1995 movie Casino. Later, M.K. Doumani's son, Ed, and grandson, Lorenzo, owned the motel. The Doumani family also owned the El Morocco motel next door.
Why the Motel Closed
By 2001, the owners faced high costs. Property taxes were very expensive. Electricity bills were also high. Ed Doumani mentioned that a new project to make the Las Vegas Strip look nicer also cost a lot. Each property had to help pay for new trees and plants.
He said, "I had to pay $295,000 for what amounted to five palm trees." He felt that large hotels could handle these costs, but smaller places like La Concha could not. Even though many rooms were always full, the motel did not have a restaurant, casino, or pool.
The owners decided that the land was worth more than the motel buildings. They planned to build a new, modern hotel with apartments and shops. This would use the land better.
Demolition and Saving the Lobby
In 2001, plans were approved for a new hotel tower and shopping area. By late 2003, it was announced that the La Concha would close. It would be torn down for a new project called the Majestic condominium and Conrad hotel resort.
On December 11, 2003, a part of the motel with 100 rooms was torn down. The rest of the motel kept running for a few more months. The entire property was expected to be cleared by July 2004.
By August 2005, only the unique lobby building was left. It was used as an office to sell the new Majestic apartments. The Doumani family had hoped to use the shell-shaped lobby in their new project. However, it did not fit the design.
So, the Doumanis decided to donate the lobby to the Neon Museum in Las Vegas. The museum wanted to save it and move it. They needed to raise $600,000 to carefully take the lobby apart and put it back together at the museum.
In November 2005, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority gave $300,000 to help move the lobby. Later that month, a party was held to raise the rest of the money. By January 2006, all $600,000 was collected.
La Concha Today
The La Concha Motel lobby is now fully restored at the Neon Museum. It stands as a reminder of Las Vegas's past. The museum also saved part of the motel's original sign. This sign was designed by the Young Electric Sign Company.
The La Concha motel was once next to the El Morocco Motel, the Riviera Hotel and Casino, and the Silver City Casino. Before it was removed, the motel's sign used to say "COLOR TV" and had other advertisements.
The big Majestic/Conrad project that was supposed to replace the motel was eventually canceled. The land where the La Concha once stood was put up for sale in 2014.
