Las Vegas History: The Wild Story of the Queen of Hearts Hotel & Casino

 

Las Vegas History: The Wild Story of the Queen of Hearts Hotel & Casino

When we think of Las Vegas landmarks, we usually picture massive mega-resorts on the Strip. But some of the most fascinating history belongs to the smaller, grittier spots downtown. Enter Ann Meyers' Queen of Hearts Hotel and Casino—a 100-room property formerly located at 19 East Lewis Avenue that holds a unique, wild, and historic place in Sin City lore.

From making history with the city's first solo female owner to surviving decades of downtown drama, here is the incredible story of this forgotten Vegas icon.

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🎲 The Casbah Era: 1963–1976

Before it was the Queen of Hearts, the property was originally known as the Casbah Hotel and Casino.

• The Beginning: It was built in 1963 by a man named Danny Jackson.
• Family Business: Sadly, Jackson passed away shortly after the opening, leaving his family to own and operate the property for the next 13 years.

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👑 A Historic Purchase: Enter Ann Meyers

The hotel's destiny changed forever on August 20, 1976, when it was purchased by Ann Meyers. With this transaction, Meyers became the first woman to completely own and operate a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The purchase itself was a whirlwind:

• Meyers bought the property from the Jackson family just 48 hours after her first viewing.
• She later admitted she had no idea about the hotel's "seedy" reputation at the time of purchase!

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✨ The Rebrand and the "Four-Star" Mission

In 1990, determined to shake off the property's rough image, Meyers officially rebranded it as Ann Meyers' Queen of Hearts Hotel.

Meyers had a bold vision: she introduced "four-star service" to budget lodgings. The strategy worked, and business boomed. By 1992, the Queen of Hearts was successful enough that Meyers was finally able to stop living in the hotel full-time and even expanded her empire by purchasing the nearby Nevada Hotel from legendary casino operator Jackie Gaughan.

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🚔 The Dark Side of Downtown

Despite Meyers' best efforts to upgrade the hotel's reputation, the surrounding area remained rough. The Queen of Hearts constantly battled heavy crime, including prostitution and gang violence.

The trouble reached a peak in the mid-1990s:

• The hotel was the site of a tragic drive-by killing.
• Between 1994 and 1995 alone, local police received a staggering 680 emergency calls to the property.

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🪵 The Final Chapter and Where to Find It Today

On January 29, 2010, the clock finally ran out for the historic budget casino. It was announced that the Queen of Hearts would be demolished to clear space for the new Las Vegas City Hall building and business complex.

Though the building is gone, its legacy isn't entirely lost! If you want to catch a glimpse of this piece of Vegas history, you can still find the iconic Queen of Hearts hotel sign on display at the famous Neon Museum in Las Vegas.