Was reading about defunct Vegas casinos
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/10...asinos-707623/
and found the whole 1980 MGM grand (ballys) fire very interesting and wanted to share it. Felt it needed its own thread.

Since it was 32 years ago I'm pretty sure a lot of people have not even heard of the tragedy.

It was damn horrible.

Got me to thinking, is there a memorial for the victims at the current day ballys?
A plaque stating the horrible event that occurred there?

It happened in the north tower which is a T shaped overlooking flamingo rd.
I looked around for some sort of memorial plaque, etc. and nothing...
Does it exist anywhere?

Some interesting clips to watch. The 15 minute documentary is quite fascinating... Set up triages across street at Barbary coast and moved people to the convention center.


NBC nightly news 1980
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xmsQ...e_gdata_player

15 min documentary on tradegy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p__oO...e_gdata_player

This happened over 30 years ago, a little late for a thread in LVL.

No plaque there, why would they advertise the fact that they were negligent and as a result 70+ people died.

Place is haunted... google that ish... some interesting stuff

This site has lots of pics and talks about LV history extensively

the link to the MGM/Bally's fire section is below

http://john-uk.com/LasVegasHistory/LVHISTORY1980s.html

The most interesting part of the story is people refusing to leave their slot machines and their burned bodies being found there.

There is actually a small memorial plaque toward the back of Nosh, which is in about the same place as the deli where the fire started was. It isn't quite in the employees only section, but its kind of close and in a spot that you really wouldn't have any reason to be unless you were looking for it. Its an emboss of the old MGM and it has the names of the ppl that died in the fire on it.

Thats what I was curious about. Thanks for sharing this.
I found it hard to believe there was nothing at all.

I thought the deli where the fire started was more towards the elevators that take you up the north tower. But I guess this would make sense because they said fireballs erupted outside the front lv blvd entrance.

After reading through the info it seems thats just myth that you hear around town.

Must've been on a heater....

Must have been playing the NBA JAMS slot machine and hit three in a row.

I hope people don't get too burned up by any jokes in this thread.

This was a hot topic when it happened, it burned up the news wires and spread like wild fire across the country.

Too soon?

IIRC there was a small fire department station directly across MGM on Flamingo. The crew there first heard about the fire from watching the Today Show.

I can see why people might think some stayed because if I left a machine I thought was going to hit, I'd be burned up if it did.

Next time I stay at Bally's I am asking to be put on the 23rd floor.

Unless the renovation got rid of all the ghosts?

You're going to get flamed for your insensitivity.

I was there that day....with a smoking hot chick...

she got your inner juices boiling?

i just wanted to point out that it was not a week ago that everyone was ready to have me committed for thinking a dead guineafowl was funny.

Funny Stuff

I've posted in this MGM thread, but I don't think I took you to task for the guinea fowl so I take exception to your use of the word everyone.

The thing I remember most about the old MGM (other than the fire) was that they had a Jai-Alai fronton. I always wanted to check it out but it closed down before I had a chance.

My wife and I stayed at Bally's shortly after they took over from MGM in the mid 80's. We saw Dean Martin there. I think Dino was the only one drunker than me that night.

Gives new meaning to the blazing sevens slot machine

It was a crisp November day.