Milton Prell
Encyclopedia
Milton Prell was a casino
owner and developer most notable for his projects in Las Vegas, Nevada
. He was also good friends with Colonel Tom Parker
, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley
. Elvis married Priscilla in Prell's apartment at the Aladdin in a private wedding shielded from the media. Prell was married to Devorah Zion and they had one child, Sheila Prell (Sonenshine) on July 9, 1945.
Prell started in the gambling business with a bingo palace in California
. Prell ordered that the prizes were to be given out honestly to the players and word got out that the place was honest. The bingo palace thrived.
Milton Prell's first project in Las Vegas was Club Bingo on the Las Vegas Strip
. This club was opened in 1947 before many of the major hotels and casinos had opened on the strip, when Fremont Street
was the main attraction and casino center. In 1952 the Club Bingo closed and the building was remodeled. Club Bingo opened on July 24, 1947 with 240 rooms on the Los Angeles Highway across from the El Rancho Vegas. In addition to other casino games, it featured a 300 seat bingo parlor. Milton Prell took over in 1952, remodeled the club and opened in October of that year as the Sahara. Called "The Jewel in the Desert" by Prell, the Sahara had a Moroccan theme with statues of camels standing in front of the hotel.
Prell sold the Sahara to Del Webb
in 1961 who owned it for the next 21 years. During that time Webb added the tower increasing the hotel to nearly 1,000 rooms.
In 1952 the Sahara Hotel and Casino first opened its doors to the general public. Its original low-rise design came from Max Maltzmann and cost owner Milton Prell of Dell Webb Corp. $5.5 million to construct. In 1959 Martin Stern, Jr.
was called in to design and construct towers for the Sahara adding 14 stories and 200 rooms to the original structure. In 1960 he added another for another 200 rooms. In 1967 he designed a Convention Center Addition for $3 million. 1977 brought about a high-rise addition costing $16 million and once again designed by Stern. In 1979 Stern was back at work designing room additions for an additional $30 million and creating 625 new rooms for the hotel. As of 1988 ownership shifted to Paul & Sue Lowden, and it was sold once again to William Bennett for $193 million in 1995. Bennett would then renovate the hotel and add the new Speed world based on NASCAR racing. He would hire Bergman Walls, Ltd. for the job and pay $100 million to have his vision become reality. The Sahara Hotel and Casino presently stands at 26 stories high and boasts 1,802 rooms.
The new place opened as the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Prell added the famous Congo Room as well as 120 hotel rooms. As soon as it opened the Sahara was a success and continues that success today. In 1965, Prell bought the King's Crown for $16 million on the Las Vegas Strip. The place had been failing and Prell remodeled it and renamed it the Aladdin Hotel and Casino with an Arabian Nights theme, it opened in 1966. Prell had added restaurants, a lounge, a 500 seat showroom and a golf course
.
At the same time, Prell's brother-in-law sold his mattress business so Prell could purchase the The Mint Hotel and Casino
on Fremont Street. Prell promised his brother-in-law a job and made him the manager.
Some time later, Milton Prell suffered a stroke. Prell needed to use a wheelchair much of the time, but continued to walk with two canes through the casino to his office each morning. The Aladdin's profits were dropping and eventually he couldn't keep up and the Aladdin was sold.
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
owner and developer most notable for his projects in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. He was also good friends with Colonel Tom Parker
Colonel Tom Parker
"Colonel" Thomas Andrew "Tom" Parker born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, was a Dutch-born entertainment impresario known best as the manager of Elvis Presley...
, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Elvis married Priscilla in Prell's apartment at the Aladdin in a private wedding shielded from the media. Prell was married to Devorah Zion and they had one child, Sheila Prell (Sonenshine) on July 9, 1945.
Prell started in the gambling business with a bingo palace in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Prell ordered that the prizes were to be given out honestly to the players and word got out that the place was honest. The bingo palace thrived.
Milton Prell's first project in Las Vegas was Club Bingo on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. This club was opened in 1947 before many of the major hotels and casinos had opened on the strip, when Fremont Street
Fremont Street
Fremont Street is a street in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the second most famous street in the Las Vegas metropolitan area after the Las Vegas Strip...
was the main attraction and casino center. In 1952 the Club Bingo closed and the building was remodeled. Club Bingo opened on July 24, 1947 with 240 rooms on the Los Angeles Highway across from the El Rancho Vegas. In addition to other casino games, it featured a 300 seat bingo parlor. Milton Prell took over in 1952, remodeled the club and opened in October of that year as the Sahara. Called "The Jewel in the Desert" by Prell, the Sahara had a Moroccan theme with statues of camels standing in front of the hotel.
Prell sold the Sahara to Del Webb
Del Webb
Delbert Eugene Webb was an American construction magnate, real estate developer and sports-team owner, who is most significant for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona.-Early life:...
in 1961 who owned it for the next 21 years. During that time Webb added the tower increasing the hotel to nearly 1,000 rooms.
In 1952 the Sahara Hotel and Casino first opened its doors to the general public. Its original low-rise design came from Max Maltzmann and cost owner Milton Prell of Dell Webb Corp. $5.5 million to construct. In 1959 Martin Stern, Jr.
Martin Stern, Jr.
Martin Stern, Jr. was an American architect who was most widely known for his large scale designs and structures in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is credited with originating the concept of the structurally integrated casino resort complex in Las Vegas.The International Hotel and the first MGM Grand...
was called in to design and construct towers for the Sahara adding 14 stories and 200 rooms to the original structure. In 1960 he added another for another 200 rooms. In 1967 he designed a Convention Center Addition for $3 million. 1977 brought about a high-rise addition costing $16 million and once again designed by Stern. In 1979 Stern was back at work designing room additions for an additional $30 million and creating 625 new rooms for the hotel. As of 1988 ownership shifted to Paul & Sue Lowden, and it was sold once again to William Bennett for $193 million in 1995. Bennett would then renovate the hotel and add the new Speed world based on NASCAR racing. He would hire Bergman Walls, Ltd. for the job and pay $100 million to have his vision become reality. The Sahara Hotel and Casino presently stands at 26 stories high and boasts 1,802 rooms.
The new place opened as the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Prell added the famous Congo Room as well as 120 hotel rooms. As soon as it opened the Sahara was a success and continues that success today. In 1965, Prell bought the King's Crown for $16 million on the Las Vegas Strip. The place had been failing and Prell remodeled it and renamed it the Aladdin Hotel and Casino with an Arabian Nights theme, it opened in 1966. Prell had added restaurants, a lounge, a 500 seat showroom and a golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
.
At the same time, Prell's brother-in-law sold his mattress business so Prell could purchase the The Mint Hotel and Casino
The Mint Las Vegas
The Mint Las Vegas was a hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Opened in 1957, a 26-story hotel tower was added in 1965. In 1988, The Mint was sold and became part of Binion's Horseshoe....
on Fremont Street. Prell promised his brother-in-law a job and made him the manager.
Some time later, Milton Prell suffered a stroke. Prell needed to use a wheelchair much of the time, but continued to walk with two canes through the casino to his office each morning. The Aladdin's profits were dropping and eventually he couldn't keep up and the Aladdin was sold.