20 Old-School Las Vegas Photos From the 1950s and ’60s

The MGM Grand did not exist in 1954; the original Las Vegas MGM Grand opened in 1973. A more accurate photo choice would be high rollers at the Flamingo, Desert Inn, Sands, or another casino. Period images show tuxedoed dealers, evening-dressed guests, and crowded craps tables beneath polished chandeliers. Gambling was presented as sophisticated theater, complete with formal clothing and serious expressions, even when somebody’s vacation budget was disappearing each dice roll at a time.