A peek into the past as Las Vegas' Sahara hotel celebrates 70 years

Amy Raymer bought a Sahara camel lamp during the liquidation sale in 2011. The Sahara Las Vegas was closed in 2014 and reopened as SLS Las Las Vegans. It celebrates its 70th anniversary this Friday. Alex Meruelo invested $150 million in renovations.   The hotel is a rare feat for a city known for imploding attractions. University of Nevada, Las Vega historian Michael Green says most visitors are too young to remember the old days.

There is a lot of interest in Las Vegas' history. Neon Museum has a collection of Neon Signs from the Stardust and Sahara. Some people visit the museum because they have memories of the past. Others have a fascination with Las Las Vegans' past and collect Sahara memorabilia. The most expensive piece of Sahara-related memorabillio cost $5,000. It's in the Casino Collectibles Association. There are few visitors these days. However, there are still nods to the era sprinkled throughout the city. “Mr. Sahara” has spent thousands of dollars collecting Sahara Memorabilia today.

Sahara hotel in Las Vegas is celebrating 70 years of existence. Most of the public-facing renovations are complete. The property offers a new casino floor, a new hotel lobby, and a front entrance. 1,100 of 1.600 rooms have been fully renovated. The design harkens back to the property's roots as a Moroccan desert-themed stay. There are modern touches as well. A fountain show is timed with lights, music and more LED screens.