Golden Slot Club / Fortune Club – thematic architecture in downtown LV

[Bob Pardue CLM-0003-40]

The Golden Slot Club, and later the 2nd Fortune Club, are early examples of thematic casino architecture that Las Vegas is famous for. Golden Slot Club operated from 1955 to 1958, at 22 E. Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. It offered table games (21 and craps) and slots. See exterior picture and example of their small-crown mold chips below. Most of the pictures shown are from MoGH/ChipGuide.

After that, Cecil Lynch's Fortune Club took over the unique façade for another 8 years from 1958 to 1966. Cecil Lynch even brought the Fortune Club sign with him when he moved from the original location, at 109 E. Fremont Street (on the South side of the street), to its new home across Fremont Street and up one block. (Compare the Fortune Club sign in its original location, next to the Nevada Club as transported to the new building). The several operators of the Nevada Club evidently split up, with some expanding its existing location, while Cecil Lynch took the Fortune Club name and opened a slots-only place with the giant slot machine sign that references the slots inside.

The Golden Slot Club façade was fabricated over an existing storefront downtown by YESCO (Young Electric Sign Company), the maker of lots of iconic casino signs, large and small, around Las Vegas. This façade mimics a 1940's-50's era Jennings Sun Chief slot machine, except for the cowboy-hatted update over the front entrance.

After the Fortune Club closed in 1966, the building housed various non-casino businesses, including Girls of Glitter Gulch with its famous "Vegas Vickie" cowgirl on top. Fast forward to today, and inside Circa is the restored "Vegas Vickie", beautifully lit in neon at the cocktail lounge that carries her name!

A final thought on Las Vegas architecture: Themed architecture and Las Vegas casinos have gone hand-in-hand for decades. The original Last Frontier and Frontier Village brought western ranching to LV in the 1940's, and numerous other themes – Showboats, Jay Sarno's Caesars Palace and Circus Circus, desert themes like the Dunes and Desert Inn, and many more. More recent themes include cities – New York New York, the Venetian, Paris – and eras – Luxor and Excalibur and others. Themed architecture seems to be taking a break right now, with recent openings like Resorts World and Fontainebleau. But maybe it will be back. In the meantime, reflect on 1950's downtown LV when you could play the slots inside a giant slot machine!

The Golden Slot Club / Fortune Club façade was torn down before I was of gambling age, but with help from the ChipGuide and a little research, I can enjoy them anyway. Thanks for reading.

Want more on the unique themed architecture of Las Vegas? Try this 2017 book: The Strip – Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream, by Stefan Al. See pic below.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.

[Bob Miksztal R-8909]

That ginormous slot machine leaning over the entrance is super intimidating!

[Steven Miller LM-1069-245]

Bob, is it ok for me to use this in the next issue of the magazine?

[Bob Pardue CLM-0003-40]

Sure, use it as-is or edit as needed, if you think readers would like it.
BobP