title: Norway–Russia border

text: After the visa-free arrangement was activated, border trade has picked up. Norwegians buy petrol and diesel in Russia for less than half the price in Norway. This is the border in Europe with largest difference in fuel prices. Norwegians also buy some Russian products such as building material and some services like hair dressing. Products produced in EU, Japan etc. such as clothes and electronics, are more expensive in Russia because of tolls so Russians often buy them tax-free in Kirkenes. There are restrictions on food import in both directions, especially meat, and alcohol may only be imported into Norway if staying in Russia more than 24 hours, so food and alcohol are less often traded, which otherwise are the most traded goods over the Sweden-Norway and Finland–Norway borders.


title: Norway–Russia border

text: During the Covid-19 pandemic 2020–2022 the border traffic was much lower than before, because multi-day quarantine was in general needed for people wanting to cross the border.


title: Norway–Russia border

text: There are suggestions about a new larger border checkpoint to be built on the Norwegian side, as the current station has insufficient capacity to handle increased traffic, and the ground is not sufficiently stable to allow an expansion at the current site. Individual Norwegian police executives have called for a common border checkpoint located directly on the border line. This would allow for a more cost-effective and less time-consuming operation. However, Norwegian and Russian legislation, as well as the Schengen Agreement, prohibit such an operation. The Parliament of Norway's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence has taken initiative to introduce a 24-hour-a-day opening time at the crossing; this has been rejected by the local police district, who stated that nearly all trans-border traffic is persons and that there is hardly any demand for a night service. Estimates show that border traffic may increase to 400,000 crossings by the mid- to late 2010s. The demand for a larger station remains as of 2017.


title: Norway–Russia border

text: Since 1992, there have been proposals to connect the Russian railway network to Norway. Specifically this involves extending Norway's Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line to either Nikel or Zapolyarny, Russia, where it would connect to the Murmansk–Nikel Line. About of railway is missing to connect the two lines. The proposal calls to develop Kirkenes as a port for export of Russian products, as Murmansk Port is less suited and under-dimensioned. Major transshipment products include metals from Norilsk Nickel, steel from Arkhangelsk and crude oil. The Murmansk–Nikel Line was built in 1936, is long, is not electrified and is operated by the Russian Railways. As it is Russian gauge, the standard gauge Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line would be presumably undergo gauge conversion or receive dual gauge. A new railway would be able to transport 5 million tonnes of cargo per year.


title: Norway–Russia border

text: In 2003, the cost of the necessary of new railway was estimated at 1.4 billion Norwegian krone (NOK), while the cost of upgrading the existing Russian line was NOK 400 million. In 2007, Murmansk Oblast's governor, Yury Yevdokimov, rejected the plans for a connection to Russia, stating that his opinion was supported by President Vladimir Putin. Because Kirkenes is a better suited port than Murmansk, local authorities in Murmansk do not want to lose transshipment business to Norway. However, with the increased realism of a line to Rovaniemi, which would serve as an alternative route to Kirkenes from Russia, Russian authorities have since 2010 again supported a railway line between Kirkenes and Russia.


title: Essence (song)

text: "Essence" is a song by Nigerian singer Wizkid, featuring fellow Nigerian singer Tems. It was released on 30 October 2020, as the fourth single from Wizkid's fourth studio album, "Made in Lagos". "Essence" was produced by P2J and Legendury Beatz. The "sensual" song sees the duo express their desire for each other. A music video was released on 9 April 2021, shot in Accra, Ghana. "Essence" is the first Nigerian song in history to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and the "Billboard" Global 200. The song received a nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Global Music Performance.


title: Essence (song)

text: After the song garnered popularity, Tems said that although she was "happy" with her first recording of the song, she felt her verse could have been better. However, Wizkid and his team thought her vocals were great and ultimately kept it. Tems recalled hearing the song "in the most random places", while in Los Angeles.


title: Essence (song)

text: "Essence" is an Afrobeats/Afro-pop and R&B song. Lyrically, it sees Wizkid and Tems yearning for each other's physical connection; deemed a "flirtatious" song, the artists deliver "tongue-in-cheek showboating". As observed by NPR's Sidney Madden, the song features Tems singing the chorus about how only her lover can give her the feeling of "lust and obsession and worship that she deserves", with the lyrics "You don't need no other body. You don't need no other body".


title: Essence (song)

text: Henrietta Taylor of Nigerian publication "DST" lauded the collaboration, writing: "The Nigerian artists make a formidable duo in the glossy Afrobeats single, with the more established Wizkid giving rising-star Tems a platform to give listeners a glimpse of her knock-out vocals". Praising the chorus as "the hook that keeps on giving", NPR's Sidney Madden opined that the song was not immediately appreciated, due to COVID-19, writing: "this song didn't really get the justice or even the fair playing field it deserved because we were all inside, we were all quarantined. But now that concerts and outdoor picnics and anywhere where the communal experience of music is appreciated is coming back, this song is going to be everywhere, and it's going to continue to go up". Calling the track a perfect mix of Afropop and R&B, "Pan African Music" said the duo "present an ode to lust" as they "embody sexual desire, advocating a sense of reciprocity". Regina Cho of Revolt deemed the song a stand-out from "Made in Lagos", calling Tems's verse "sensual". GRM Daily's Courtney W called it a "silky, smooth" offering. Conversely, "NME" called the track "expendable".


title: Essence (song)

text: In 2021, "Essence" was ranked as the number one best song of 2021 by American magazine Rolling Stone.


title: Essence (song)

text: "Essence" was included in Spotify's Song of the Summer playlist in June 2021, and in Barack Obama's favourite songs of 2020 playlist.


title: Essence (song)

text: The music video was released on 9 April 2021. Directed by Director K of PriorGold Pictures, and produced by Leke Alabi Isama, it was shot in Accra, Ghana. It was the fourth video to be released from "Made in Lagos". The visual sees Wizkid and Tems lounging in the streets of Accra, while Wizkid is later seen riding in a car with two women. The video was considered "colourful" and "scintillating", with GRM Daily saying, "The visuals perfectly coincide with the track's blissful feel and include colourful fits, scenic shots and good vibes". "Rolling Stone" said the artists "glow, Wiz bare-chested and draped in diamonds, Tems in slick braids and flowing garb".


title: Essence (song)

text: A remix of "Essence" featuring additional vocals from Canadian singer Justin Bieber was released on 13 August 2021, and appears on the deluxe edition of "Made in Lagos".


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon (Spanish: "San Ramón", meaning "St. Raymond") is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, located within the San Ramon Valley, and east of San Francisco. San Ramon's population was 84,605 per the 2020 census, making it the 4th largest city in Contra Costa County, behind Richmond, Concord and Antioch.


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon is home to the headquarters of Chevron Corporation, Cooper Companies, 24 Hour Fitness, the West Coast headquarters of AT&T, GE Digital, as well as the San Ramon Medical Center. Major annual events include the Art and Wind Festival on Memorial Day weekend and the Run for Education in October.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The lands now occupied by the City of San Ramon were formerly inhabited by Seunen people, an Ohlone/Costanoan group who built their homes near creeks. Sometime around 1797, they were taken by Mission San José for use as grazing land. In 1834, they were part of the Rancho San Ramon land grant to José María Amador.


title: San Ramon, California

text: Amador named "San Ramón" () not after a real saint but rather after a Native American vaquero who tended mission sheep on the land. Amador added the "San" per Spanish custom. In 1850, the first permanent American settlers, Leo and Mary Jane Norris, purchased the northwest corner of Amador's Rancho San Ramon, near the intersection of present-day Bollinger Canyon Road and Crow Canyon Road.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The tracks for the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad were laid down and completed in 1891. The line extended from San Ramon to an unincorporated area known as Avon, east of Martinez, where it connected to the Oakland/Stockton Line. On February 7, 1909, Southern Pacific extended the line south to Radum (near Pleasanton). In 1934, passenger service ended. By 1986, Contra Costa County had obtained the railroad right-of-way and the Iron Horse Regional Trail was established along its path.


title: San Ramon, California

text: Mount Diablo flanks the city to the northeast and is prominently visible from almost all parts of the city. The Las Trampas Regional Wilderness borders San Ramon's extreme northwest, at the northern end of Bollinger Canyon. The smaller Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve straddles San Ramon's western border, located approximately between Interstate 680 and the Alameda County line.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The topography of San Ramon is varied, featuring a mix of the rolling hills of the Diablo Range and the flatter basin of the San Ramon Valley. The city is predominantly urban and residential with many new housing developments; however, much of the land around the city's perimeter regions remains undeveloped, and is covered by grasslands and oak tree orchards. During the drier months the grasses are golden, but with the precipitation of winter and spring, the grasses turn green.


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon's weather typifies a Mediterranean climate, seasonal, and moderate. Summers can range from warm to hot and dry, while winters are mild or cool, wet and rather short. Its weather is similar to the adjacent cities of Danville, Dublin and Pleasanton. Fog can be infrequent but occurs normally in the western reaches of the city, at the eastern mouth of Crow Canyon, through which marine weather patterns funnel in from the San Francisco Bay via Castro Valley. It usually burns off by mid-to-late morning.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The 2010 United States Census reported that San Ramon had a population of 72,148. The population density was . The racial makeup of San Ramon was 38,639 (53.6%) White, 2,043 (2.8%) African American, 205 (0.3%) Native American, 25,713 (35.6%) Asian, 156 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,536 (2.1%) from other races, and 3,856 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,250 persons (8.7%).


title: San Ramon, California

text: The Census reported that 72,073 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 52 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 23 (0%) were institutionalized.


title: San Ramon, California

text: There were 25,284 households, out of which 11,988 (47.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 16,318 (64.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,997 (7.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 850 (3.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,067 (4.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 187 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,682 households (18.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,105 (4.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85. There were 19,165 families (75.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.30.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The population was spread out, with 21,351 people (29.6%) under the age of 18, 3,557 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 22,798 people (31.6%) aged 25 to 44, 18,815 people (26.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,627 people (7.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.


title: San Ramon, California

text: There were 26,222 housing units at an average density of , of which 25,284 were occupied and 18,056 (71.4%) of them were owner-occupied, and 7,228 (28.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 54,705 people (75.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,368 people (24.1%) lived in rental housing units.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The median income for a household in the city was $119,297, and the median income for a family was $132,339. Males had a median income of $97,475 versus $70,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $50,736. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.


title: San Ramon, California

text: As of the census of 2000, there were 44,722 people, 16,944 households, and 12,148 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,491.1/km (3,862.0/mi). There were 17,552 housing units at an average density of 585.2/km (1,515.7/mi). The racial makeup of the city was 36.82% White, 1.93% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 50.94% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 2.16% from other races, and 3.58% from two or more races. 7.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.


title: San Ramon, California

text: There were 16,944 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.12.


title: San Ramon, California

text: In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The median income for a household in the city was $95,856, and the median income for a family was $106,321. Males had a median income of $73,502 versus $50,107 for females. The per capita income for the city was $42,336. About 1.4% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.


title: San Ramon, California

text: Bishop Ranch, a master-planned office park development, with some retail elements, began major construction in the early 1980s, and provides a healthy tax base for the city. Bishop Ranch is situated on 585 acres once owned by Western Electric, and was farmland before that. Current tenants include the corporate headquarters of Chevron Corporation (formerly ChevronTexaco), as well the West Coast headquarters of AT&T Inc. (which had been the headquarters of Pacific Bell from about 1983, when it relocated from downtown San Francisco, until the merger with SBC Communications that created the current AT&T). United Parcel Service has a regional distribution center in Bishop Ranch. Toyota has a regional office and parts distribution center located there. GE Global Research started its Global Software Center in Bishop Ranch in 2011. Bishop Ranch covers the vast majority of "Central San Ramon", which is the large square formed by Freeway 680 on the west, Crow Canyon Road on the north, Iron Horse trail on the east, and Bollinger Canyon Road on the south (though several complexes are south of Bollinger). In December 2016, the Ligier EZ-10 began use in the first autonomous vehicle passenger shuttle route in North America, looping through Bishop Ranch Office Park, with on-sight operation and maintenance by First Transit.


title: San Ramon, California

text: ChevronTexaco's headquarters moved from San Francisco to San Ramon in 2001 but 12 years later, 800 jobs were moved to Houston, a quarter of the San Ramon workforce due to high corporate costs and to consolidate existing units in Houston.


title: San Ramon, California

text: According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:


title: San Ramon, California

text: In 2014, the city approved the project's design that called for an animated civic space featuring . The City Center has a variety of shops, including furniture, clothing, food, and an indoor movie theater. The city center was designed by international architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop. The grand opening was on November 8, 2018.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The San Ramon Library and Dougherty Station Library branches of the Contra Costa County Library and Ramona Library are in San Ramon.


title: San Ramon, California

text: Originally, this city park, located on a hill overlooking Bollinger Canyon Road and San Ramon Valley Blvd., was to be named Alta Mesa Park. During the construction of the park, the City Council voted to change the name to Memorial Park to honor Tom Burnett, a San Ramon resident, and other victims from Flight 93 killed in the September 11 attacks of 2001. A plaque was installed at the base of a lighted flagpole dedicated to those victims and the surrounding meadow is part of the city's memorial tree program dedicated to local residents who have perished. The park was dedicated on September 11, 2002.


title: San Ramon, California

text: This 16-acre park includes a play area, a BMX course, a picnic area, a bocce ball court, horseshoe courts, a ball field, a dog park, rest rooms and water fountains (including a doggy water fountain). The play area has two big play structures, one for ages 2–5 and another for ages 5–12.


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon is governed by a five-body City Council composed of individuals elected to four-year overlapping terms in coordination with a two-year elected mayor. Police services were provided under contract by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department until July 1, 2007, when the city officially took over providing police services. The city of San Ramon is in Contra Costa County.


title: San Ramon, California

text: As of 2020, the elected representatives are Dave Hudson (Mayor), Scott Perkins (Vice Mayor), Mark Armstrong, Sridhar Verose, and Sabina Zafar (Council members).


title: San Ramon, California

text: According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, San Ramon has 41,872 registered voters. Of those, 16,518 (39.4%) are registered Democrats, 8,907 (21.3%) are registered Republicans, and 12,147 (29%) have declined to state a political party.


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon's public schools are part of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD), serving approximately 32,000 students. The city has 12 elementary schools and four middle schools. The high schools are California High School and Dougherty Valley High School. An alternative K–12 school is operated by the SRVUSD to support home-schooled students: Venture Independent Study School. The district has three additional high schools outside San Ramon, including Monte Vista, Del Amigo, and San Ramon Valley.


title: San Ramon, California

text: California High School was founded in 1973 and ranked 1049th best high school in the United States by Newsweek. Dougherty Valley High School was founded in 2007 and is ranked 42nd within California; it is ranked No. 158 in the national rankings and earned a gold medal.


title: San Ramon, California

text: Local bus service in the San Ramon Valley is provided primarily by County Connection (Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, or CCCTA). The closest Bay Area Rapid Transit station is West Dublin/Pleasanton station, away from San Ramon.


title: San Ramon, California

text: The major freeway in the area is Interstate 680. No US highways or California state highways run through San Ramon.


title: San Ramon, California

text: San Ramon is located halfway between Buchanan Field Airport and Livermore Municipal Airport, though Buchanan Field only flies to destinations in Greater Los Angeles, and Livermore has no regularly scheduled commercial service. The closest airport with regularly-scheduled commercial service to domestic and international destinations is Oakland International Airport, though San Francisco International Airport handles the majority of international traffic to San Ramon and the rest of the Bay Area.


title: John DeSantis

text: John DeSantis, sometimes credited as John De Santis or John Desantis, (born November 13, 1973) is a Canadian actor, best known as Lurch on Fox Family's television of "The New Addams Family". His other work includes a principal role in Disney's Touchstone Pictures film "The 13th Warrior", in which he played a Viking warrior named Ragnar the Dour. He has also appeared in television series "" and "Supernatural".


title: Nemi ships

text: The Nemi ships were two ships, one larger than the other, built under the reign of the Roman emperor Caligula in the 1st century CE on Lake Nemi. Although the purpose of the ships is only speculated upon, the larger ship was an elaborate floating palace, which contained quantities of marble, mosaic floors, heating and plumbing, and amenities such as baths. Both ships featured technology thought to have been developed historically much later. It has been stated that the emperor was influenced by the lavish lifestyles of the Hellenistic rulers of Syracuse and Ptolemaic Egypt. Recovered from the lake bed in 1929, the ships were destroyed by fire in 1944 during World War II.


title: Nemi ships

text: Lake Nemi (, ) is a small circular volcanic lake in the Lazio region of Italy, south of Rome. It has a surface of and a maximum depth of .


title: Nemi ships

text: There is considerable speculation regarding why the emperor Caligula chose to build two large ships on such a small lake. From the size of the ships it was long held that they were pleasure barges, though, as the lake was sacred, no ship could sail on it under Roman law (Pliny the Younger, Litterae VIII-20) implying a religious exemption.


title: Nemi ships

text: Caligula particularly favoured the Egyptian Isis cult which he had established in Rome and also supported that of Diana Nemorensis whom, in the Roman tradition of syncretism, he likely viewed as an aspect of Isis.


title: Nemi ships

text: Situated on opposite sides of the lake and atop the crater walls are the towns of Genzano and Nemi. Genzano was dedicated by the Romans to the goddess Cynthia, a cult associated with that of Diana Nemorensis. Nemi did not exist in Roman times. The name Nemi derives from the Latin "nemus Aricinum" (grove of Ariccia), Ariccia being an important nearby town associated with the worship of Diana and the god Virbius. Located at Nemi are the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Diana, which was connected by the Via Virbia to the Via Appia (the Roman road between Rome and Brindisi).


title: Nemi ships

text: During the time of the Roman Empire, the area around Genzano was used by wealthy Roman citizens for its clean air, uncontaminated water and cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. The lake has its own microclimate and is protected from wind by the crater walls. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Lord Byron, and Charles Gounod all lived in Nemi and saw the reflection of the Moon seen in the centre of the lake during summer. This phenomenon is the source of the Roman name for the lake, "Speculum Dianae" (Diana's Mirror).


title: Nemi ships

text: Local fishermen had long been aware of the existence of the wrecks, and had explored them and removed small artefacts, often using grappling hooks to pull up pieces, which they sold to tourists. In 1446, Cardinal Prospero Colonna and Leon Battista Alberti followed up on the stories regarding the remains and discovered them lying at a depth of , which at that time was too deep for effective salvage. They damaged the ships by using ropes with hooks to tear planks from them. Alberti learned little more than the type of wood and that it was covered in lead sheathing. In 1535, Francesco De Marchi dived on the wreck using a diving helmet. His finds included bricks, marble paving stones, bronze, copper, lead artefacts, and a great number of timber beams. From material recovered he added the knowledge that mortise and tenon joints had been used in their construction. Despite the successful salvage of entire structures and parts, there was no academic interest in the ships, so no further research was performed. The objects recovered were lost and their fate remains unknown.


title: Nemi ships

text: By 1827, interest had revived and it had become a widespread belief that earlier material recovered had either been part of a temple to Diana or was from the villa of Julius Caesar cited by Suetonius. Annesio Fusconi built a floating platform from which to raise the wrecks. Several of his cables broke, and he called a halt until he could find stronger cables. When he returned, he found that the locals had dismantled his platform to make wine barrels. This led him to abandon the project.


title: Nemi ships

text: In 1895, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Signor Eliseo Borghi began a systematic study of the wreck site and discovered that the site contained two wrecks instead of the one expected. Among the material Borghi recovered was the bronze tiller head of one of the rudders and many bronze heads of wild animals. Borghi placed all of his finds in his own museum and offered to sell the collection to the Government. The timbers he recovered were discarded and lost while no contextual referencing was documented for any of his finds. Felice Barnabei, director general of the Department of


title: Nemi ships

text: Antiquity and Fine Art, claimed all of the artefacts for the National Museum and submitted a report requesting the recovery cease due to the "devastation of the two wrecks". An engineer from the Regia Marina (the Italian Royal Navy) surveyed the site to determine the feasibility of recovering the two ships intact. The engineer concluded that the only viable way was to partially drain the lake.


title: Nemi ships

text: In 1927 Benito Mussolini ordered to drain the lake and recover the ships. With the help of the Regia Marina, the Italian Army, industry and private individuals, an ancient Roman underground water conduit linking the lake to farms outside the crater was reactivated. The conduit was connected to a floating pumping platform on 20 October 1928 and the lake level began dropping. By 28 March 1929, the water level had dropped , and the first ship ("prima nave") broke the surface. By 10 June 1931, the "prima nave" had been recovered and the second ship ("seconda nave") was exposed. By this time the water level had dropped more than with over 40,000,000 m of water removed. As a result of the weight reduction, on 21 August 1931, 500,000 m of mud erupted from the underlying strata causing of the lake floor to subside. Work ceased and, while the risks of continuing the project were debated, the lake began refilling. As the "seconda nave" had already partly dried out, the submersion caused considerable damage. On 10 November 1931, the Minister of Public Works ordered the project and all research abandoned.


title: Nemi ships

text: On 19 February 1932, the Navy Ministry, which had been a partner in the recovery, petitioned the Prime Minister Mussolini to resume the project. Joining with the Ministry of Education they received permission to take over responsibility and pumping to drain the lake recommenced on 28 March. Around this time a small boat was found, about long. The boat had a pointed bow and a square stern. It had been loaded with stones in order to sink it. It is believed to be contemporaneous with the ships. Due to technical problems, the "seconda nave" could not be recovered until October 1932. A purpose-built museum constructed over both ships was inaugurated in January 1936.


title: Nemi ships

text: Both vessels were constructed using the "Vitruvian method", a shell first building technique used by the Romans.


title: Nemi ships

text: The hull had been sheathed in three layers of lead sheeting to protect the timbers from shipworms; as there are none in fresh water lakes, this design feature was not only costly but useless. It is evidence that the ships hulls were constructed following standardised Roman shipbuilding techniques rather than being purpose-built. The topside timbers were protected by paint and tarred wool with many surfaces decorated with marble, mosaics, and gilded copper roof tiles. There was a lack of coordination between the structure of the hull and that of the superstructures, which suggests that naval architects designed the hulls, and civil architects then designed the superstructure to use the space available after the hulls were completed. After their recovery, the ships hulls were found to be completely empty and unadorned.


title: Nemi ships

text: They were steered using long quarter oars, with the "seconda nave" equipped with four, two off each quarter and two from the shoulders while the "prima nave" was equipped with two. Similar pairs of steering leeboards appear frequently in early 2nd-century depictions of ships.


title: Nemi ships

text: The "seconda nave" was almost certainly powered by oars, as structural supports for the rowing positions protrude along the sides of the hull. The "prima nave" had no visible means of propulsion so was likely towed to the centre of the lake when in use.


title: Nemi ships

text: A lead pipe found on one of the wrecks had "Property of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus" stamped on it while many tiles had dates of manufacture. Together it leaves little doubt as to when the ships were built or for whom.


title: Nemi ships

text: Suetonius describes two ships built by Caligula; "...ten banks of oars...the poops of which blazed with jewels...they were filled with ample baths, galleries and saloons, and supplied with a great variety of vines and fruit trees." It is reasonable to speculate that the Nemi ships were equipped to a comparable standard. One year after being launched, the ships were stripped of precious objects, ballasted and then intentionally sunk. The sinking followed the assassination of Caligula (24 January 41).


title: Nemi ships

text: The hull was divided into three "active" or main sections. The general shape of the hull appears wider at the stern and narrower at the bow; in fact, the main section is not amidships but is displaced towards the stern. The superstructures appear to have been made of two main blocks of two buildings each, connected by stairs and corridors, built on raised parts of the deck at either end. This distribution gives the ship a discontinuous look and has no similarity to any other ancient construction.


title: Nemi ships

text: The superstructure appears to have been made with a main section amidships, a heavy building at the stern and a smaller one at the prow. Although nothing remains of the stern and prow buildings their existence is indicated by the shorter spacing of the decks supporting cross beams and distribution of ballast. The arrangement of the "seconda nave" superstructures is comparable to that of the shrines depicted on an Isian lamp held by the Museum of Ostia. If not coincidental, this is further evidence of Isis worship rather than Diana.


title: Nemi ships

text: The discovery proved that the Romans were capable of building large ships. Before the recovery of the Nemi ships, scholars often ridiculed the idea that the Romans were capable of building a ship as big as some ancient sources reported the Roman grain carriers were.


title: Nemi ships

text: For centuries large numbers of lead bars have been found on the Mediterranean seabed, and there was debate over whether they were anchor stocks or not. It was argued by some that iron tipped wooden anchors secured by ropes were not heavy enough to be effective so they had to have metal stocks and there was considerable academic controversy over the issue. The Nemi ships, constructed during the transition period when iron anchors were replacing wooden ones, were the first Roman wrecks found to have intact anchors, and confirmed that the lead bars were indeed anchor stocks. Two types of anchor were found, one of oak with iron-tipped flukes and a stock of lead while the other was of iron with a folding timber stock that closely matched the design of the Admiralty pattern anchor re-invented in 1841. In the 1960s, a similar anchor was found in Pompeii and in 1974 another was found buried near Aberdarewllyn in Gwynedd, Wales. These further discoveries confirmed that these technologically advanced anchors were a standard Roman design.


title: Nemi ships

text: Both ships had several hand-operated bilge pumps that worked like a modern bucket dredge, the oldest example of this type of bilge pump ever found. The pumps were operated by what may have been the oldest crank handles yet discovered; the reconstruction of the cranked pump which was assembled from fragments, including a wooden disk and an eccentric peg, has been dismissed as "archaeological fantasy".


title: Nemi ships

text: Piston pumps (ctesibica machina: Vitruvius X.4?7) supplied the two ships with hot and cold running water via lead pipes. The hot water supplied baths while the cold operated fountains and supplied drinking water. This plumbing technology was later lost and only re-discovered in the Middle Ages.


title: Nemi ships

text: Each ship contained a rotating statue platform. One platform was mounted on caged bronze balls and is the earliest example of the thrust ball bearing previously believed to have been first envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci but only developed much later. Previous Roman ball bearing finds (used for water wheel axles in thermal baths) had a lenticular shape. The second platform was almost identical in design but used cylindrical bearings. Although consensus is that the platforms were meant for displaying statues, it has also been suggested that they may have been platforms for deck cranes used to load supplies.


title: Nemi ships

text: The ships were destroyed by fire during World War II on the night of 31 May 1944. Several shells of the United States Army hit the museum around 8 pm, causing little damage but forcing the German artillery to leave the area. Around two hours later, smoke was seen coming from the museum. There are conflicting views on which side was responsible for the destruction:


title: Nemi ships

text: At that time, Allied forces were pursuing the retreating German army northward through the Alban Hills toward Rome. On 28 May a German artillery post was established within of the museum … An official report filed in Rome later that year described the tragedy as a wilful act on the part of the German soldiers. A German editorial blamed the destruction on American artillery fire. The true story of what happened that night will probably never be known.


title: Nemi ships

text: Only the bronzes, a few charred timbers, and some material stored in Rome survived the fire. Due to the destruction, research effectively stopped until the 1980s. The museum was restored and reopened in 1953. One-fifth scale models of the ships were built in the Naples naval dockyard and these, along with the remaining artefacts, are housed there.


title: Nemi ships

text: In September 2017 a panel made of inlaid marble and mosaic then in the collection of a private owner in New York City was rediscovered by the antiquities restorer and author Dario del Bufalo. Subsequently the New York County District Attorney's Office seized the artefact which was confirmed to have come from the Nemi Museum, and to have once decorated the floor of Caligula's ship. It had been bought by American antique dealers Helen and Nereo Fioratti from an aristocratic family in the late 1960s, and used since then as the surface of a coffee table in their home. In October it was officially repatriated to Italian authorities.


title: Nemi ships

text: Photographs, the drawings made for the Italian Navy survey, and those made by the archaeologist G. Gatti, survived, allowing reconstructions to be made of the two ships.


title: Nemi ships

text: In 1995, the Association Dianae Lacus (Lake of Diana Association) was founded to preserve the culture and history of the Nemi Lake area. The Association initiated Project Diana, which involved constructing a full-size replica of the Roman "prima nave" (first ship) of Lake Nemi. Since no record is known to exist of the shape and size of the buildings and temples built on the deck, the replica was to be constructed to deck level only and when completed would be moored on the lake in front of the museum.


title: Nemi ships

text: On 18 July 1998, the town council of Nemi voted to fund the construction of the forward section and work commenced in the Torre del Greco shipyards. This section was completed in 2001 with the section transported to the Nemi museum where the rest of the vessel was to be constructed. The estimated final cost of the reconstruction was 7.2 million Euros (US$10.7 million).


title: Nemi ships

text: According to the Association Dianae Lacus website, on 15 November 2003 large Italian employer and business confederation Assimpresa announced its immediate sponsorship of all timber required for the construction. No press releases have been made since 2004. The Dianae Lacus web site was deleted on 1 October 2011.


title: Nemi ships

text: Original individual pieces from the Nemi ships that were recovered from Lake Nemi between 1895 and 1932.


The 2022 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Dakota. Incumbent three-term Republican U.S. Senator John Thune, who is the Senate Minority Whip, was first elected in 2004, defeating Democratic incumbent Tom Daschle, then the Senate Minority Leader. He ran for reelection to a fourth term. The Democratic nominee was a 26-year Navy, Air Force JAG Corps Veteran, and former college professor Brian Bengs. Thune was ultimately reelected.


title: 2022 United States Senate election in South Dakota

text: On December 23, 2020, Trump said Thune would face a primary challenger after Thune refused to support a challenge of the 2020 Electoral College results, tweeting: "Republicans in the Senate so quickly forget. Right now they would be down 8 seats without my backing them in the last Election. RINO John Thune, 'Mitch's boy', should just let it play out. South Dakota doesn't like weakness. He will be primaried in 2022, political career over!!!" South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem stated she would not challenge Thune for the seat. On January 1, 2021, outgoing U.S. president Trump tweeted that Noem should challenge Thune in a primary, despite Noem previously saying she will not do so, instead running for re-election as Governor in 2022.


title: JaMychal Green

text: JaMychal Green (born June 21, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Green started his career in the G League (then D-League) and overseas before signing his first NBA contract with the Spurs in 2015. He also played for the Grizzlies and Clippers.


title: JaMychal Green

text: Green led Montgomery's St. Jude to the Class A State Championship in 2006 and 2008, and was voted the MVP of the 2006 tournament. He scored more than 2,500 points in his high school career, and was a member of the National Honor Society at St. Jude. He also garnered many awards in his high school career, including: 2008 McDonald's All-American, 2008 Alabama Mr. Basketball, a three-time Alabama Sportswriters Association "Player of the Year" (2006, 2007 and 2008), and was also rated the #6 overall and #1 power forward in the 2008 recruiting class according to ESPN. Green also played for the USA National U18 Team in Argentina at the 2008 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship where he was coached by Anthony Grant, who would eventually serve as his head coach during his time at Alabama.


title: JaMychal Green

text: On August 23, 2007, Green committed to Alabama over Ole Miss. During his freshman year at The Capstone, Green started all but one of 32 games on the season, while averaging 11.6 points per game and ranking first in rebounding among SEC freshmen with 7.9 per game. He was second among all SEC players with five double-doubles, including four consecutive double-doubles against Georgia, Vanderbilt, Florida and Mississippi State. He was a unanimous Freshman All-SEC selection, and named a collegeinsider.com Freshman All-American.


title: JaMychal Green

text: During his second season, he finished ninth in the SEC in rebounding (7.2) and 17th in scoring (14.1). He scored in double figures in 10 of the last 11 games in the 2009–10 season, including eight straight at one point. Green was named to the 2009 Old Spice Classic all-tournament team; he won the game against No. 15 Michigan with a put-back dunk with 5.4 seconds left and blocked Michigan's game-tying shot attempt as time expired. Green posted his career-high 27 points with 13 rebounds in a win over Mercer and was named the SEC Player of the Week for his efforts.


title: JaMychal Green

text: To start his junior season, Green changed his number from 32 to 1, and was named to the first team All-SEC voted on by the coaches. After Alabama went 0–3 in the Paradise Jam tournament, Green was suspended for three games for "conduct detrimental to the team" by Anthony Grant; Alabama went 2–1 in Green's absence. On January 22, 2011, Green scored 15 points against the Auburn Tigers, surpassing 1,000 points for his career at Alabama.


title: JaMychal Green

text: After going undrafted in the 2012 NBA draft, Green joined the San Antonio Spurs for the 2012 NBA Summer League. On October 22, 2012, he signed with the Spurs, but was later waived by the team on October 26. On November 1, he was acquired by the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of San Antonio. In 44 games for the Toros in 2012–13, he averaged 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.


title: JaMychal Green

text: In July 2013, Green joined the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2013 NBA Summer League. On September 30, 2013, he signed with the Clippers, but waived by the team on October 8. On October 31, he signed with Chorale Roanne of France for the 2013–14 season. In 25 games for the club, he averaged 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.


title: JaMychal Green

text: In July 2014, Green joined the San Antonio Spurs for the 2014 NBA Summer League. On August 6, 2014, he signed with the Spurs, but later waived by the team for a second time on October 25. On November 1, he was acquired by the Austin Spurs.


title: JaMychal Green

text: On January 18, 2015, Green signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs. Following the expiration of his contract on January 28, the Spurs decided to not re-sign Green to a second 10-day contract, and he subsequently returned to Austin.


title: JaMychal Green

text: Before reappearing in a game for Austin, Green returned to the NBA, signing a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on February 2, 2015. He signed a second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on February 19, and then a multi-year contract on March 2.


title: JaMychal Green

text: Green returned to the Grizzlies for the 2015–16 season and played decent minutes off the bench early on. His minutes increased post All-Star break thanks to multiple injured teammates, and on March 6, 2016, he scored a then career-high 17 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns. On March 9, he recorded 17 points and a then career-high 13 rebounds in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Two days later, he recorded a then career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 121–114 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans.


title: JaMychal Green

text: On December 8, 2016, Green had a career-high 18 rebounds in an 88–86 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His previous best was 17 rebounds, which he recorded earlier in the week against the New Orleans Pelicans. On February 4, 2017, he scored a career-high 29 points in a 107–99 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.


title: JaMychal Green

text: After the 2016–17 season, Green became a restricted free agent. On September 27, 2017, Green re-signed with the Grizzlies to a two-year, $17 million-plus deal.


title: JaMychal Green

text: After starting in the first two games of the 2018–19 season, Green missed the next 12 games with a broken jaw. He moved to a reserve role upon returning to the line-up, and on December 7, he scored a season-high 24 points in a 107–103 win over the Pelicans. On January 12, he recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 112–108 loss to the Miami Heat.


title: JaMychal Green

text: On February 7, 2019, Green and Garrett Temple were traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Avery Bradley. On July 18, 2019, Green re-signed with the Clippers.


title: JaMychal Green

text: On June 23, 2022, Green was traded, alongside a 2027 protected first-round pick, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the draft rights to Peyton Watson and two future second-round picks. On July 20, Green and the Thunder reached a contract buyout agreement.


title: Reichsleiter

text: The "Reichsleiter" reported directly to Adolf Hitler. The "Reichsleiter" formed part of the "Reichsleitung" (Reich leadership) of the NSDAP which was originally located in the "Brown House" in Munich. Each "Reichsleiter" was in charge of a broad area of responsibility in the party. Hitler originally established the rank of "Reichsleiter" on 2 June 1933 and appointed 16 individuals to that rank. Subsequently, a further 6 individuals were appointed to the rank between 1933 and 1938.


title: Surface Pro

text: The Surface Pro is a first generation 2-in-1 detachable of the Microsoft Surface series, designed and manufactured by Microsoft. The device ran a 64-bit version of Windows 8 Pro operating system with a free upgrade possibility to Windows 8.1 Pro, and eventually also Windows 10. Initially announced as Surface for Windows 8 Pro on June 18, 2012, at a Los Angeles event, Microsoft later renamed the device to Surface Pro, and launched it on February 9, 2013.


title: Surface Pro

text: Microsoft did not take pre-orders for the Surface Pro. It was available for a purchase on February 9, 2013, in the United States, Canada and China, and was released on 23 May 2013, in the United Kingdom and a number of other countries.


title: Surface Pro

text: The Surface Pro shares a lot of its design traits with its lower cost counterpart, the original Surface hybrid tablet, announced on the same day. Both have the dark "VaporMg" coating over the same magnesium body and a 10-point multi-touch enabled screen with crack resistant Gorilla Glass. The Wifi is 802.11 a/b/g/n.


title: Surface Pro

text: However, the resolution on the Surface Pro is higher and is 1920x1080, and the screen has a Wacom digitizer for pen input. Surface Pro runs a dual-core 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5-3317U CPU, with a Turbo Boost frequency of up to 2.6 GHz with a built-in Intel HD Graphics 4000. It has 4 GB of memory and a 64 or 128 GB solid-state drive. Unique to the Surface and Surface Pro is the kickstand which can be flipped out from the back, propping the device up. The kickstand comes out of the devices at a 22 degree angle, the same angle the edges of the device are angled at.


title: Surface Pro

text: Along the right side of the device, the Surface Pro has a micro-SD card slot on top (with support for cards up to 200 GB), followed by the power port, and near the bottom, a Mini DisplayPort to connect a number of external displays. The bottom of the device (dubbed the "accessory spine") contains the cover port to attach a Touch Cover or Type Cover. In addition to the magnetic attachments, the cover port on the Surface Pro contains a pogo pin connector. Unique to the Surface Pro, compared to the Surface tablet, is the addition of power connectors for compatibility with the Surface Power Cover. The left side of the 2-in-1 contains a full-sized USB 3 port, the volume rocker, and the audio jack. The power button is on the top of the device. On the front and back of the device are two 720p Lifecam cameras, and inside is a 42 Watt-hour battery. Other sensors include an ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass.


title: Surface Pro

text: Surface Pro originally shipped with Windows 8 Pro, but was upgradeable to Windows 8.1 Pro. The Surface Pro is further capable of upgrading to Windows 10 Pro, which became a free upgrade for users since July 29, 2015.


title: Surface Pro

text: The 2-in-1 features two types of detachable keyboards: Type Cover and Touch Cover, both with an integrated touchpad. The former is thick and has moving keys for a more traditional typing feel, while the latter is thin and its keys do not move. Both accessories additionally act as a protective screen cover and are sold separately. Later Microsoft introduced the Power Cover (with the Surface Pro 2), which is backwards compatible with the Surface Pro.


title: Surface Pro

text: Surface Pro is the first device in the Surface family to feature a stylus pen input. "Pro Pen" is based on Wacom digitizer technology. It is integrated with OneNote software which is also included with the Surface Pro and used for note taking and sketches.


title: Surface Pro

text: The Surface Pro includes a 48-watt power supply with additional 5 W USB port for charging other devices. In early 2016, Microsoft issued a recall for the cable used to connect Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3 chargers, but not the charger itself, sold before the 15th of July, 2015 due to the risk of electrical fire.


title: Surface Pro

text: Surface Pro received mixed reviews from the computer hardware critics. While most praised the convertible nature of the device, which can be used both as a tablet and a laptop, its design and a precise pressure-sensitive pen, the typical complaints were a short battery life, bulkiness compared to traditional ARM-based tablets and excessive heat and fan noise during periods of heavy load. Other complaints included long response times when the computer was asleep, and even sudden shut downs in the middle of usage.


title: Surface Pro

text: With the release of the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, cooling issues were resolved. Microsoft engineered the computers to dissipate 60% of their heat through the metal body using a combination of heat pipes and copper sinks. The fans only activate under load, allowing the computer to run cold and silent.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Sahara Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It is owned and operated by the Meruelo Group. The hotel has 1,616 rooms, and the casino contains . The Sahara anchors the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, at the corner of Sahara Avenue. It is the site of the northernmost station of the Las Vegas Monorail.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The resort initially operated under the Sahara name from 1952 to 2011. Originally, Milton Prell opened the Club Bingo casino on the site in 1947. In 1951, he gathered former business partners to begin work on the Sahara, which was built on the land partially occupied by Club Bingo. Del E. Webb Construction Company built the Sahara, which opened on October 7, 1952, as the sixth resort on the Las Vegas Strip. It featured an African theme. Martin Stern Jr. designed several hotel additions for the Sahara, including a 14-story tower that opened in 1960. The Sahara was sold to Del Webb in 1961, and a 24-story hotel tower, also designed by Stern, was opened in 1963.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The Sahara began to decline in the 1960s with the opening of several large resorts nearby. Paul Lowden purchased the Sahara in 1982, and a third hotel tower was added in 1988. Lowden sold the Sahara to Bill Bennett in 1995, and Bennett launched a $100 million renovation of the resort that included a Moroccan theme. Bennett's renovation also added a NASCAR-themed attraction that included a restaurant and a roller coaster known as Speed – The Ride.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Sam Nazarian's SBE Entertainment Group, along with Stockbridge Real Estate Group, purchased the Sahara in 2007. The Sahara was closed on May 16, 2011, as it was no longer considered economically viable. In 2013, Nazarian began a complete renovation of the resort before reopening it as the SLS Las Vegas on August 23, 2014, as part of SBE's chain of SLS hotels. SLS Las Vegas featured a chic and modern design, and was targeted at southern California residents.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The SLS experienced financial hardships after its opening, and Nazarian sold his stake to Stockbridge in 2015. One of the hotel towers was rebranded the following year as W Las Vegas, managed by Starwood as part of its W Hotels chain. The SLS was sold to Meruelo Group in 2018, and the W Las Vegas became part of the SLS again after the resort ended its relationship with Starwood. The SLS was renamed Sahara Las Vegas on August 29, 2019, as part of an ongoing renovation by Meruelo.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Before the Sahara was built, an earlier casino had operated on the site as Club Bingo. Around 1942, Melvin D. Close (1900–1974) purchased a 19-acre property on what would become the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip. Club Bingo owner Milton Prell had previously opened the 30 Club in Butte, Montana. Prell and his family then moved to Las Vegas in 1945, with the intention of opening a small hotel. Remembering how successful his earlier casino club had been, Prell opened the similar Club Bingo in Las Vegas before building a full hotel-casino. Prell opened Club Bingo with Frank Schivo, who previously worked at the 30 Club. Schivo managed Club Bingo's casino.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Club Bingo opened on July 24, 1947, on 4 acres of the 19-acre property, and it quickly became a success. Club Bingo included a 300-seat bingo parlor as well as the Bonanza Room, which provided food and entertainment. Entertainers included singer Dorothy Dandridge and comedian Stan Irwin. Irwin eventually became the entertainment director for Club Bingo. The Club Bingo building was considered basic, with the exception of an electric bingo board sign on top.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Prell briefly considered adding a small hotel and a village of adobe buildings to the Club Bingo property, but he decided against the idea because it did not fit in with his ultimate vision of a luxury hotel. In early 1951, Prell gathered several former business partners to begin work on a hotel-casino project that would become the Sahara. In July 1951, Close announced he had sold the remaining land for $225,000 to the Club Bingo owners. Plans were simultaneously announced for a 200-room hotel project that would be built on the land. The site was considered ideal for the new resort because it was located just outside of city limits, allowing Prell and business partner Al Winter to avoid paying taxes on slot machines and property. At the time, the project was expected to cost $2 million.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Winter, a co-owner of Club Bingo, recruited Sam Boyd to be a partner in the new Sahara project. Boyd had previously operated a bingo game for Winter in Oregon. Boyd invested in the Sahara to become an owner and partner. Real estate developer Del Webb and his top executive, L. C. Jacobson, helped arrange financing for construction, which was handled by Del E. Webb Construction Company. Jacobson was also a partner in the project, holding a 20-percent interest. The Sahara was originally set to open in summer 1952, but construction delays pushed back the opening date.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The $5 million Hotel Sahara opened on October 7, 1952, with an African Sahara theme. Attendees to the grand opening included Ray Bolger and Gus Greenbaum. It was the sixth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. Max Maltzman was the architect, and Ragnar Qvale was the interior designer. The Sahara utilized a modern and simple design. The North African desert theme was conveyed only minimally in the Sahara's architecture. Outside, the only depiction of the theme consisted of fake camels and Arabian people. The interior included statues of Arab guards.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The Sahara was located on , employed 500 people, and contained 240 hotel rooms. The hotel consisted of two-story motel wings that formed a quadrangle around the pool. Each room included a patio or balcony. Other amenities included a casino, an 85-foot bar, and two restaurants: The Congo Room, which was the primary dining choice; and The Caravan, a coffee shop featuring hand-painted murals. These areas of the resort, as well as the Casbar Theatre, featured African images. Like at Club Bingo, Schivo managed the casino at the Sahara. Schivo's wife, Shirlee, would later help to decorate the hotel's interior during a refurbishment. Irwin also retained his position as entertainment director, responsible for arranging celebrity performances at the Sahara.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The Sahara included the first Olympic-size swimming pool in Las Vegas, and would become the first hotel to host hydroplane races on Lake Mead. The Sahara Cup hydroplane races were first held in 1956, and continued for several years. In 1958, the hotel began sponsoring the Sahara Pro-Am golf tournament, played at an off-site golf course. It later became known as the Sahara Invitational. The hotel ended its sponsorship of the hydroplane races in 1959, stating that they had become too big of an event for a single organization to sponsor.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Upon realizing that the resort needed more rooms, Prell hired Del Webb in 1954 to build additional units. The project took five months to construct, and was completed by 1955. Originally known as the Sahara Oasis Motel, the addition contained 192 rooms. It consisted of seven interconnected buildings, one of which connected to the main resort through an air-conditioned walkway. The addition was designed by Martin Stern Jr. as a two-story motel wing, built out in an "E"-like shape just south of the quadrangle structures. The addition marked Stern's first project in Las Vegas.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 1959, a $3.5 million construction and remodeling project began at Hotel Sahara, including the start of construction on a 14-story hotel tower. The tower was designed by Stern, and construction was handled by Del E. Webb Construction Company. It was built southeast of the hotel pool. Construction on the tower had reached the eighth floor in November 1959, and the project was topped out in early 1960. Aside from the tower, other new features included a coffee shop with seating for 300 people, and a 700-person convention hall, located on the resort's north side. The 14-story Sahara Tower (later the Tunis Tower) opened in June 1960, adding 204 additional rooms for a total of 604. It was the tallest building in Nevada at the time. A flashing, electric clock was located atop the tower. The clock included the time as well as the temperature, and was topped by a letter "S" sign. Also added was a 127-foot vertical roadside sign, designed by YESCO and installed in front of the resort.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: By July 1961, there were plans for a $2.5 million renovation of the Hotel Sahara. Also planned was a 24-story hotel tower, designed by Stern, that would cost $4.5 million. The project would also include a parking garage along the Las Vegas Strip. Del E. Webb Corporation completed a purchase of the Sahara later in 1961, by acquiring shares in its corporate owner, the Sahara-Nevada Corporation. At the time, state law for gaming licenses meant that every shareholder in a company would have to undergo the mandated investigations of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Because large corporations have many shareholders, this essentially prevented such companies from operating casinos in Nevada. Del Webb devised a plan to work around this issue by operating as a landlord, meaning its shareholders would not need to undergo investigations. A separate organization, Consolidated Casino Corporation, was set up by Del Webb to operate the casino. Jacobson, Prell and Winter owned Consolidated Casino Corporation, and Prell and Winter were also retained to serve, respectively, as chairman of the board and president of Sahara-Nevada Corporation. An expansion of the restaurant and lounge facilities was underway in late 1961, and an enlargement of the Casbar Theater was completed in early 1962.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: A groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 9, 1962, for the $6 million, 24-story Sahara Skyscraper hotel tower, located next to the Sahara Tower. The new tower, built by Del Webb, was expected to measure 260 feet in height. It would add 400 rooms, for a total of 1,000. Three swimming pools, including the original Olympic pool, opened in April 1962, after construction and remodeling. A keno facility opened later that year, making the Sahara the second hotel on the Strip to offer the game. The House of Lords steakhouse opened in August 1962. It became a popular hangout among celebrities who performed at the Sahara, including the Rat Pack. The restaurant was modeled after the real House of Lords in the United Kingdom.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: By October 1962, construction on the new tower had reached its 17th floor. A Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened the following month. At the time, Prell and other Sahara executives sought to rename the adjacent San Francisco Avenue as Sahara Avenue. Beldon Katleman, owner of the former El Rancho Vegas across the street, objected to the proposal, stating that the road should be renamed after his hotel-casino property. Despite the opposition, the street was renamed after the Sahara.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In early 1963, several new facilities were opened in a new three-story building as part of a $12 million expansion. These facilities included the Caravan Room coffee shop and a 1,000-seat convention hall. Don the Beachcomber and the House of Lords were also part of the three-story addition. Temporary walls had been put up to shield casino customers from construction of the new facilities.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The 24-story hotel addition, eventually known as the Alexandria Tower, was opened in May 1963, with Nevada governor Grant Sawyer attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The clock and "S" sign were relocated from the original tower to the new tower. During 1963, to attract visitors, the casino introduced its Shower of Money, in which a selected participant would get into a plexiglass booth and be showered with $100,000 in money bills. The participant had one minute to push as much money as possible out through an opening in the booth, and that person would get to keep the ejected money.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In August 1964, the Sahara paid $25,000 to have the Beatles perform in Las Vegas and stay at the resort, although their performance took place at the nearby Las Vegas Convention Center, as the Sahara's 600-seat showroom could not handle the crowd size of a Beatles concert. The Sahara would later display photos of the Beatles' visit to the resort. U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson stayed at the hotel in October 1964.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 1967, there were plans to add a $3 million, two-story convention facility to the Sahara. In July 1968, the hotel was nearing completion on the facility, known as the Sahara Space Center. The facility opened in September 1968, and hosted U.S. vice presidential candidate Spiro Agnew for a speech. The Sahara Space Center measured , and included seating for up to 5,000 people.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: A rooftop fire occurred at the Sahara in August 1964, causing nearly $1 million in damage. A work crew had been on the roof installing a sprinkler system, and the fire was believed to have been caused by a smoldering rag. Firefighters put it out with thousands of gallons of water, which soaked through the main casino area's ceiling and also flooded the main showroom. Las Vegas sheriff Ralph Lamb believed the fire to be more financially destructive than the one which destroyed the El Rancho Vegas, stating that it was "probably the biggest hotel fire we've ever had in Las Vegas." Some gamblers had been hesitant to quit playing and evacuate the casino.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Approximately 100 workmen began repairs immediately following the fire, and most of the affected facilities reopened the day after. For its reopening, the Sahara sign advertised, "Visit The Hottest Casino In Town." Casino operations were moved to a recently completed casino addition, adjacent to the main casino, that was unharmed by the fire. Full repair work was expected to take 30 days.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In May 1967, three men were arrested after planting a homemade bomb in a Sahara hotel room on the 12th floor, part of a failed extortion attempt. A note was left demanding $75,000 for information to disarm the bomb. The note also warned that bombs had been placed in two other hotels owned by Del Webb. Seven hotels in three states were evacuated, but no other bombs were found.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In July 1968, a fire started on the roof of the casino building, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people. A crew had been working on a rooftop air conditioning unit, and the fire was believed to have started from a spark created by welding equipment. The fire caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the main casino area, the hotel's executive offices, the coffee shop, a lounge, and the showroom. The fire was stopped before it could damage a new casino addition, which had been in operation for several months and was located north of the main casino. The hotel portion was also unaffected by the fire, and its guests were not evacuated. Most of the affected facilities were expected to be quickly repaired and reopened the next day after the fire.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In July 1981, a fire started in a third-floor hotel room and smoke poured through the upper floors, prompting the evacuation of more than 200 guests. The cause of the fire was considered suspicious.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Revenue declined at the Sahara following the opening of several large resorts nearby, including Caesars Palace in 1966, the International Hotel in 1969, and the MGM Grand in 1973. Many of the Sahara's high rollers started going to Caesars Palace instead. Eugene Moehring, a history professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), said the Sahara "helped establish Las Vegas as a major resort city after World War II. But its contributions to Las Vegas shifted as the years went by. By the early 1970s it was getting to be old. One problem is that it just didn't have the money to keep up with the times." Webb died in 1974, leaving the resort under new management through his eponymous company.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 1975, a new, larger keno facility was opened to replace the original. The following year, Del Webb canceled its sponsorship of the Sahara Invitational golf tournament, due to rising costs over the past six years. In the late 1970s, the Sahara was among several casinos involved in a scam pulled off by gamblers. As a result, the Sahara faced a $37,500 fine by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which alleged that the resort had violated casino procedures.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: A renovation was concluded by 1977. At the end of 1978, Del Webb launched a $50 million expansion project, with Stern as the architect. The project would include the addition of a 27-story hotel tower with 625 rooms. At the time, the Sahara had 953 rooms. The expansion would also increase the casino by nearly double, adding . The expansion was scheduled for completion in 1981. Increased parking space was also part of the project. In 1978, Del Webb purchased 25 acres at the southeast corner of Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue, directly east of the resort, and turned it into a rear parking lot for customers. A pedestrian bridge was also built over Paradise Road, allowing for direct access to the Sahara. The parking lot was once the site of Las Vegas' first airport, Anderson Field, during the 1920s.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 1980, Del Webb had a new sign installed in front of the resort. The sign was created by YESCO and measured approximately 223 feet in height, making it the world's tallest free-standing sign. A new entrance was also added to the resort's south side near Paradise Road, which had become the main exit road from McCarran International Airport. A foundation had been set for the new tower, but construction was halted in 1980, because of financial problems, as Del Webb and the Sahara struggled during the early 1980s recession.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 1981, Del Webb announced that it would have to sell the Sahara to reduce its debt. Paul W. Lowden, who owned the Hacienda hotel-casino, purchased the 932-room Sahara for $50 million. With the purchase, Lowden owned the southernmost and the northernmost casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. At the time, the Sahara had a casino, as well as 2,500 employees, five of whom had been working there since its opening in 1952. As part of the sale, Del Webb retained the "House of Lords" restaurant name. Lowden finalized his purchase of the resort in August 1982, and he acquired the rear parking lot from Del Webb the following year.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Shortly before Lowden took over, a Sahara blackjack dealer and seven card players were indicted for taking part in a cheating scheme at the casino. In addition, 50 table game dealers and six supervisors were laid off because of a reduction in business. The table dealers had previously voted to be represented by the Teamsters union, but Del Webb declined to discuss a contract. As Lowden assumed ownership, the dealers considered striking against him to protest the firing of longtime employees. They also wanted contract discussions to take place between Teamsters and Lowden. The dealers failed to get two-thirds support to go on strike.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Shortly after taking over, Lowden, a born-again Christian, arranged for the hotel to host a convention of born-again Christians that would include speakers, singers, and teachers. Lowden also planned various improvements for the Sahara, including the hosting of boxing matches. A long-running production show, "Bottoms Up", would be removed. Lowden considered the Sahara overstaffed and intended to make the resort more cost-efficient. He also disliked the way some of the employees behaved: "I don't like to see the dealers leaning on the tables when no one is playing. There doesn't have to be regimentation, but they will stand up straight. The pit bosses won't be drinking coffee on the job. It's a firm but fair approach."


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Lowden believed that the resort could no longer attract high rollers, and he instead focused on middle rollers. He also expanded the Sahara Space Center to attract mid-sized conventions and more business meetings. Lowden had the casino expanded to and had columns removed for a spacious appearance. He also moved the hotel lobby to the south entrance, allowing hotel guests to skip walking through the casino. This design had previously been implemented at competitors such as Caesars Palace. Because of interest costs, the Sahara failed to make a profit during the first four years of Lowden's ownership, but room occupancy was up in 1986 as a result of the renovations.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In January 1987, Lowden announced the formation of Sahara Casino Partners, a master limited partnership. A portion of the interest in Sahara Casino Partners would be sold through an initial public offering to pay off debt and resume construction of the third hotel tower. Later that year, Sahara Casino Partners became the first casino-based limited partnership to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The partnership raised $51 million, and the debt was paid off later in 1987.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The proposed hotel addition would bring the Sahara to 1,500 rooms, helping it compete with other major resorts in Las Vegas. A new sportsbook was opened in early 1988, and the hotel addition, ultimately known as the Tangiers Tower, was completed that September. In 1989, Lowden announced plans for 600 additional rooms, with completion expected the following year, at an expected cost of $30 million. The new rooms were housed in an additional tower attached to the Tangiers Tower. This brought the Sahara up to 2,100 rooms.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The Sahara continued to decline in popularity as newer, bigger resorts opened on the Las Vegas Strip, including The Mirage in 1989 and the new MGM Grand in 1993. Lowden ultimately decided to sell the Sahara, saying later, "All you had to do was look at The Mirage and say 'How do you compete with that?' The only way is (room) price and you can only do that for so long. We would have had to do something very expensive and we chose not to." The Sahara was also hurt by its location at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, as newer resorts were opening further south.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In June 1995, Lowden's Sahara Gaming Corporation announced that gaming executive Bill Bennett had agreed to buy the Sahara. Bennett completed his purchase later that year, at a cost of $193 million. Bennett owned the Sahara through his company, Gordon Gaming Corporation. The opening of the nearby Stratosphere resort in 1996 helped bring revenue back to the northern Las Vegas Strip and the Sahara.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Bennett hired Joel Bergman to redesign the Sahara. A $65 million renovation began in March 1996, and was aimed at attracting midlevel gamblers. The original African theme had been largely discarded ever since Del Webb took over ownership, but Bennett restored it. His complete remodel featured a Moroccan theme throughout the resort. The prominent theming was in line with other new resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Part of the renovation would include additional casino space and a new sportsbook. Two new restaurants would also be added, along with a new buffet. The renovation was funded entirely by Bennett and his company. The start of the renovation project was marked by the demolition of the original poolside motel structures, which had housed various celebrities such as Ann-Margret, George Burns, and Tony Bennett. The renovation was scheduled for completion in January 1997, at which point a second phase of remodeling was scheduled to begin. The second phase was intended to add 1,300 rooms, for a total of more than 3,000. Plans for an additional hotel tower were later put on hold in order to evaluate the performance of other new hotel additions in Las Vegas. Ultimately, construction never began on the new tower.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: As part of the renovation work, the resort's main entrance was relocated from the north side of the property to a new southwest entrance on the Las Vegas Strip. The casino was increased to , with expansion into the southeast area of the property, bringing the gaming closer to the hotel and the newly relocated pool area. Chandeliers were placed throughout the resort. A $4.6 million porte-cochère was added, consisting of an expansive overhead Moroccan-style dome, measuring 140 feet high and 200 feet in diameter. Fountains and palm trees surrounded the hotel's circular entryway. A seven-story parking garage with 2,000 spaces was added as well, replacing the 1954 motel addition. The demolition of the Sahara's old motel buildings reduced the room count from 2,100 to approximately 1,800. A new sign, featuring two neon camels, was added along the Las Vegas Strip. A smaller neon camel sign was also added to the rear entrance on Paradise Road.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In January 1997, the resort opened its new Sahara Buffet, which had been relocated to the second floor for views of Sahara Avenue and the nearby Stratosphere tower. The new buffet was part of the ongoing renovation work, and it occupied the site previously used for the Sahara Space Center. With 1,154 seats, it was the second largest buffet in Las Vegas, only behind the buffet at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. On October 10, 1997, the Sahara opened Speedworld, its $15 million race car simulator attraction. It measured and featured 24 vehicles with a television screen built into each one. Bennett enjoyed auto racing, and he had previously helped finance the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The resort's renovation project ultimately cost $100 million. Part of the project included the new Sahara Steak House, which opened in December 1997, as the renovations were nearing completion. Plans were approved in July 1998 for a new Sahara convention center to be built on the parking lot behind the resort. However, these plans were put on hold later that year as there was also a preliminary idea for a parking garage to be built on the land, for the upcoming Las Vegas Monorail.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In October 1998, plans were approved for a roller coaster that would be built inside the Sahara, with a height of 100 feet. The following year, the design plans changed so that the roller coaster would be located outside, with a new height of 244 feet. The coaster was part of a planned NASCAR restaurant that would be added to the resort. The original Congo Showroom was demolished in 1999, to make room for the NASCAR Cafe. The showroom was relocated to the second floor. The NASCAR Cafe was housed in a new building constructed at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. The restaurant and roller coaster were part of Bennett's $100 million renovation project.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The NASCAR Cafe opened on March 2, 2000. The grand opening was attended by 20 NASCAR racers. The NASCAR roller coaster, known as Speed – The Ride, opened a month later. The $6 million roller coaster included a 79-foot loop and a 224-foot tower peak. At 70 miles per hour, it was the fastest roller coaster in Las Vegas. It was designed and built by Premier Rides. The Sahara Speedworld was renamed as the Las Vegas Cyber Speedway, and it was included as part of the new NASCAR-themed attraction, which was owned by a company separate from the Sahara. The Sahara received $2 million a year through a lease agreement, as well as 50 percent of the gross revenue. A video game arcade was also added in 2000 along with the NASCAR attraction, and the Sahara Theater was added later that year. At the time, Bennett was still considering the addition of a convention center to the rear parking lot, which was under-used.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The Sahara began appealing to middle-class customers under Bennett's ownership, offering dollar specials to stay competitive against newer resorts. UNLV professor Moehring considered the Moroccan and race car themes to be an awkward combination. He stated that Bennett's idea of combining "Arabs with NASCAR" was a desperate move that ultimately did not work, and that the Sahara mainly attracted low rollers from the 1990s onward.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: A modest celebration was held in October 2002, marking the resort's 50th anniversary. By that time, the capacity for the Congo Room theater had been reduced from 1,000 people to 850, and dinner was no longer served with the show. Bennett was suffering from an illness at the time, and employees stated that he was micromanaging the resort, having a negative effect on the staff. During 2002, the Sahara had gone through three general managers. Bennett died in December 2002. Following his death, there were no plans to sell the Sahara. Bennett's wife, Lynn, oversaw daily operations from that point forward along with her brother, Al Hummel, who served as the resort's chief executive officer. The steakhouse reopened under the House of Lords name on April 30, 2003.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In June 2003, Gordon Gaming sought to evict the NASCAR Cafe and owner Dyer Ventures. The attempted eviction was in response to alleged breaches in its lease regarding maintenance. Efram Rosenfeld, an attorney for Dyer Ventures, said, "We had an excellent relationship with [Bennett]. The current management has become very hostile. They just want to see if they can grab the money." Rosenfeld believed that the resort wanted to operate the NASCAR attraction on its own to avoid sharing revenue. Gordon Gaming stated that the cafe was not being operated in a way that would maximize its gross sales. Later that month, the two companies resolved the issue, with Dyer agreeing to make improvements to the attraction. Gordon Gaming later purchased the attraction in 2005. The sale included Speed – The Ride, the race car simulators, and a NASCAR store. The cafe remained under Dyer's ownership.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The opening of the Las Vegas Monorail increased visitation to the Sahara. By February 2006, Hummel had turned down hundreds of offers to purchase the resort, saying that the prospective buyers and the timing never seemed right. By June, the Sahara site was reportedly up for sale. Lynn Bennett died in December 2006, at the age of 64.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In March 2007, Sam Nazarian's SBE Entertainment Group, along with Stockbridge Real Estate Group, agreed to purchase the Sahara from the Bennett family, at a cost of $331.8 million. The purchase would include the Sahara and its 17.45 acres, but not the rear parking lot. Stockbridge would be the majority owner. Nazarian considered the Sahara ideal because of its proximity to the Las Vegas Convention Center, the planned Echelon Place resort, and several new high-rise condominiums.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: SBE and Stockbridge completed their purchase on August 1, 2007. Under the new ownership, the Sahara's casino portion was operated by Navegante Group. SBE and Stockbridge also filed for their own gaming licenses. Navegante had a one-year lease, and was to operate the casino only until SBE and Stockbridge received their licenses, but Navegante ultimately operated it for the next four years until the resort closed. SBE managed the hotel and restaurants.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Nazarian had plans to renovate and redesign the Sahara. In the months after taking ownership, the companies spent $2 million on various upgrades, including new carpeting, seating and wallpaper in the hotel lobby. Hotel employees received new uniforms and the landscaping was also improved. Mini-baccarat was added to attract an Asian clientele, and casino specials were added to lure more local residents to the property. Revenue improved following the changes, and there were plans for a complete renovation of the resort. The companies intended to keep much of the historic hotel intact rather than demolish it, although there was the possibility of a name change. The Clark County Commission approved renovation plans in February 2008. The plans would include the demolition of the original Tunis Tower, the renovation of the two newer high-rise towers, and the addition of a new tower measuring 520 feet in height. The plans were scheduled for completion in 2011, but construction never began due to the Great Recession, which negatively impacted the Sahara and the northern Las Vegas Strip.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In 2008, the Sahara designated a portion of its casino space as "Locals Lane," part of an effort to appeal to local residents. Slot machines in this area gave higher payouts, and a separate slot club redemption center was also set up for locals. In addition, the slot club provided such customers with discounts on hotel rooms, restaurants, and shows. In 2009, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Sahara employee who said he was repeatedly harassed because of his Egyptian heritage. Gordon Gaming, SBE and Stockbridge subsequently agreed to pay a total of $100,000 to settle the lawsuit. In December 2009, the Sahara closed its buffet and two of its hotel towers due to weak demand during the holiday season. The Tangiers Tower remained open. In 2010, Nazarian was in negotiations with lenders to restructure the Sahara's debt, ultimately reaching a forbearance agreement with Royal Bank of Scotland Group, the primary lender.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: On March 11, 2011, it was announced that the Sahara would close in two months. At the time, the Sahara had 1,720 hotel rooms and of casino space, and offered the only $1 blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip. The resort featured two primary restaurants at the time: House of Lords steakhouse, and the NASCAR Cafe. The Sahara had 1,050 employees who would be affected by the closure. SBE intended to help find new jobs for Sahara employees at MGM Resorts' properties. Hotel customers with reservations following the planned closing date would also be transferred to MGM Resorts' properties.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: At the time of the closing announcement, Nazarian, the CEO of SBE, said, "We are working with our partners to assess a variety of options for the property, including a complete renovation and repositioning. While no final decisions have been made at this point, the continued operation of the aging Sahara was no longer economically viable." Jerry Lewis, once a performer at the Sahara, said, "We are losing what was considered by most of us Las Vegans as one of the trademarks of the city." Lowden said he was not saddened by the closure: "I like progress. I like change. It's fun to look back, but this might be a chance for the Sahara to move forward."


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Speed – The Ride closed on May 1, 2011. It was later sold and removed. The sports book and Sahara Theater closed later in May 2011. The resort's hotel and casino closed at 2:00 p.m. on May 16, 2011, marking the end of the Sahara's 58-year operation. National Content Liquidators began a two-month liquidation sale at the Sahara in June 2011, with more than 600,000 items available for sale on the first day. The contents of the NASCAR Cafe were initially excluded from the sale, although an auction was later held for 2,000 items from the restaurant. The sale of the resort items concluded in September 2011, and it attracted thousands of people over the course of its run. It was the largest liquidation sale in Las Vegas history. Items that did not sell were donated. The camel sign at the rear entrance was donated to the city's Neon Museum.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In September 2011, plans to redevelop the Sahara were accelerated, as SBE and Stockbridge announced the purchase of the resort's mortgage debt. Gensler was hired as the architectural design firm, while Penta Building Group would serve as the general contractor. Philippe Starck would handle the interior design. Starck was a longtime partner of Nazarian, and his design plans for the Sahara dated to 2007.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Later in 2011, the Clark County Commission approved renovation plans for the resort. The Sahara would be renamed as SLS Las Vegas, part of SBE's growing chain of SLS-branded hotels in the United States. The name "SLS" stood for style, luxury, and service. Nazarian planned to remodel the Sahara into a luxurious boutique hotel, matching his other properties. The Las Vegas location would include restaurant and nightlife brands affiliated with SBE, and would provide a Beverly Hills experience. The room count would be reduced from 1,720 to 1,622 as a result of the renovations. The plans would also include the demolition of Speed – The Ride. The SLS Las Vegas would oversee all amenities, unlike other casinos which would lease such space to third-party operators.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Nazarian hoped to have SLS Las Vegas opened in the second quarter of 2014, and he needed to raise $415 million from investors and lenders to convert the Sahara into the new resort. The project was expected to cost a total of $744 million, with SBE and Stockbridge contributing $329 million. The project's financing plan would include investors through the EB-5 program. Moody's and Standard & Poor's considered the project risky because of its location, and they questioned the owners' ability to pay off future debt.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In April 2012, the project secured $300 million in funding through JPMorgan Chase. Nazarian said the Sahara hotel towers would be "stripped down to their skeletons" to allow for renovation work. SBE was known for redeveloping old hotels into new ones rather than demolishing them. Nazarian said, "Instead of exploding an Old Vegas landmark like everybody else does, I am reusing the bones to build something new. I'm making it smaller and more personal, though, so the experience is more manicured. Bigger isn't better." Retaining the hotel buildings would allow the SLS to offer low room rates.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Groundbreaking for the SLS Las Vegas project took place on February 13, 2013, after the EB-5 program provided the remainder of the $415 million needed to renovate the Sahara. Senator Harry Reid, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, later received criticism for using his power to expedite the EB-5 process for Asian investors in the SLS. Reid defended his action, stating that the project otherwise could have lost funding, resulting in the loss of future jobs. The EB-5 financing came from 800 Chinese investors. A three-month demolition phase was underway in March 2013, with much of the interior gutted. The Sahara's camel sign on the Las Vegas Strip was dismantled, followed by the removal of the Moroccan-style dome.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: In early 2014, it was announced that the SLS Las Vegas would open later that year on August 29, during the Labor Day weekend. In June 2014, it was announced that the SLS would be part of Hilton's Curio brand, which allowed customers to use and earn points at select hotels. The SLS was also part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts guest loyalty program, increasing the potential for a customer base. SBE also had a loyalty program of its own with more than five million customers in its database, with an average age of 38 years. Many of those customers lived in southern California.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Construction progressed ahead of schedule, prompting a new opening date of August 23, 2014. A $5.2 million marketing campaign was launched to promote the opening. The campaign honored the original Sahara through photographs taken during the 1960s, alongside modern images of the SLS. Historical photos were also featured inside the SLS. Carpeting throughout the resort featured the images of celebrities who had performed at the Sahara over the years, including Dean Martin. Approximately 50 S-shaped Sahara door handles were turned into a chandelier for the SLS.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Stockbridge received state approval to operate the casino two days prior to the scheduled opening. Stockbridge would operate it through a subsidiary known as SB Gaming. The Nevada Gaming Commission requested that Nazarian and SBE not have any involvement in the casino operation until his license investigation was concluded, a process that was expected to take up to five months. Nazarian and SBE would manage all other areas of the SLS. Stockbridge owned 90 percent of the resort, while SBE owned the remainder.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: SLS Las Vegas hosted a VIP party on the night of August 22, 2014, ahead of the public opening at midnight. The VIP party hosted 3,600 guests, including various celebrities. Thousands of local residents arrived for the midnight opening, which was celebrated with performances by Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora, and Lenny Kravitz. A fireworks display also marked the celebration. It was the first new resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip since the Cosmopolitan in 2010. The SLS employed 3,400 people, including nearly 100 former Sahara employees.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The SLS Las Vegas was SBE's flagship property with 1,620 rooms, the most of any of its hotel properties. The SLS featured a chic and modern design. The target demographic consisted of residents from southern California, as well as younger people. The resort had a focus on offering amenity brands that were popular in Los Angeles, where Nazarian owned several businesses such as nightclubs. The SLS also sought to attract between 35 and 40 percent of its business through local residents, a demographic that generally did not venture to the Las Vegas Strip. Restaurants and nightclubs were priced low to attract locals, and resort entrances were situated to allow locals to easily access the eateries. The SLS would also appeal to local residents through gaming and restaurant promotions. The Sahara's original entrance for the Las Vegas Monorail was demolished and rebuilt for easier access from the casino. The resort also took advantage of its proximity to the Las Vegas Convention Center by offering convention guests with discounts on the monorail.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Little remained of the earlier Sahara resort, aside from the exterior shell of its buildings. The Sahara hotel towers were renamed as the Lux, Story, and World towers, catering respectively to luxury travelers, younger people, and tourists. Kravitz designed four suites for the SLS, and the former Alexandria Tower was turned into an all-suite building. The World tower was the largest, with 1,100 rooms. The rooms in the Story tower featured a basic design with gray walls and exposed concrete ceilings. Nazarian's plans made the resort more spacious and provided easier access to the hotel towers and the conference center. The Sahara's Congo Room was renamed as the Congo Ballroom. A portion of the former NASCAR Cafe was turned into space for gambling, nightclubs, and the Bazaar Meat steakhouse. Along the Las Vegas Strip, an indoor-outdoor patio area was added to serve as a beer garden, taking the place where Speed – The Ride once operated.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Nazarian had the casino floor redesigned for a darker appearance resembling a nightclub, with a high ceiling and exposed ductwork. Part of the casino featured floor tiles that changed colors. The casino measured and included 790 slot machines, as well as 74 table games. The casino was small compared to others on the Las Vegas Strip. In contrast to the Sahara casino, the number of slot machines in the SLS was reduced to allow more table games. The updated SLS floor plan had gaming throughout the property, including table games in one of the nightclubs and in a restaurant's lounge area. The casino also included a sports book operated by William Hill.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Prior to its opening, observers were concerned that the SLS did not have enough of a focus on its casino portion. The Cosmopolitan, also a modern resort with a limited focus on gaming, had lost money since its opening in 2010. However, gaming was no longer a primary source of revenue for most casino resorts in Las Vegas. As the opening approached, analysts believed the SLS would perform better than the Cosmopolitan.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The SLS opened with nine restaurants, many of which were popular in Los Angeles. José Andrés had two restaurants at the resort, including Bazaar Meat. Andrés had been a partner of SBE for six years. The resort also included an Umami Burger, the SLS Buffet, the Griddle Cafe, and a Mediterranean restaurant known as Cleo.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The SLS had three nightclubs: Foxtail, Life, and Sayers Club. Foxtail had an interior space. It also featured a exterior area known as Foxtail Pool Club, open during certain times of the year. Foxtail Pool Club parties included 3D images projected onto the wall of the resort's parking garage. Life measured , and took the space formerly occupied by the Sahara Theater. Life had capacity for 1,800 people, and included three bars, 70 VIP tables, DJ music, and a rooftop pool smaller than the one at Foxtail. The Sayers Club originated in Hollywood in 2011, and the SLS Las Vegas marked its second location. The club measured and included capacity for 168 people. It doubled as a live music venue.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: Clothing retailer Fred Segal operated seven stores throughout the SLS, each offering different merchandise and taking up a total of . Fred Segal was a well known retailer in the Los Angeles area and was added to SLS Las Vegas to provide southern California tourists with familiarity. It marked the first time that Fred Segal opened a location outside of southern California.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: A 32-foot-tall abstract statue, known as "Sam by Starck", was designed by Starck and placed in front of the SLS, as a homage to Nazarian. The statue, resembling a silver starfish, was compared by some observers to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the Pillsbury Doughboy. The statue, which used an internal steel frame, was constructed on-site and in pieces. A 12-foot metal duck statue, also by Starck, was added to the hotel's pool area. The duck statue was filled with Styrofoam and was glued in place.


title: Sahara Las Vegas

text: The opening of the SLS was considered a positive step for the north Las Vegas Strip following the Great Recession. The resort soon became a popular hangout for celebrities.