The El Cortez Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas marked its 85th birthday with a weekend of parties for employees, guests and VIPs, celebrating a property that has outlasted decades of change in a city known for tearing down its past.
The El Cortez is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is drawing new generations of visitors by leaning into its history while updating the experience. Owner, CEO and Chairman Kenny Epstein, who is also 85, tied his own milestone to the property’s longevity.
“Well, I would have started by saying this place was built in 1941, and so was I. So we’re both 85,” Epstein said.
