Everything must go as Rat Pack-era casino closes

[June 04, 2011]  LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Now that the Sahara hotel-casino is closed in Las Vegas after 59 years, everything must go.

The owners of the Rat Pack-era casino are planning a liquidation sale of all items inside the property exactly one month after closing the casino's doors.

Things for sale include the casino's poker room sign, bedroom furnishings and chandeliers in several shapes and sizes.

The sale set to begin June 16 is being organized by Ohio-based National Content Liquidators, a firm that ran previous liquidation sales for other casinos.

Company spokeswoman Meredith Lunsford said she expects the sale to attract nostalgic fans and commercial buyers interested in things like escalators and restaurant equipment.

"You've got people from all over wanting to take home a piece of history," Lunsford said.

Owner SBE Entertainment has not yet detailed its plans for the property on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.

The Sahara is remembered for attracting big celebrities in its heyday, where nightly lounge acts set standards for other casinos that opened later. Don Rickles and Louis Prima were regulars, while Sonny and Cher and Judy Garland also took the stage.

More recently, the Sahara became known for its cheap blackjack and a NASCAR themed area that included a cafe and small roller coaster.

This month, the casino is selling its stage lights and ceiling decor.

National Content Liquidators set up a website for the sale with pictures, saying the Sahara would stay open until all its items are sold. The firm is charging $10 per person admission during the sale's first four days.

[Associated Press; By OSKAR GARCIA]

Oskar Garcia can be reached at http://twitter.com/oskargarcia.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.