Mermaids, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch come to a close on Fremont — PHOTOS
By KRISTEN DESILVA REVIEWJOURNAL.COM
La Bayou Casino and ABC Stores are seen at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Deep-fried Oreos are served up at Mermaids Casino at the Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Tourists take a photo in front of Mermaids Casino at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
From left, Lorena Amaya, co-owner and CEO of Desert Rock Enterprises Derek Stevens and Sarah Cass have their photo taken digging into one of Mermaids Casino’s deep-fried Twinkies Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Pedestrians walk down the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
The Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club is seen at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
People stand in front of Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Melissa Harris, left, and Daniel Torres carry deep fried Twinkies and Oreo cookies at Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino, famous for cheap fried food, will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
People stand in line at the Mermaid’s Casino, lunch counter on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Fransisco Alvarez holds a stuffed animal he won while standing in line at the Mermaid’s Casino lunch counter on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
People wait in line at the Mermaid’s Casino lunch counter on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Women dressed as showgirls walk through the Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Signs promoting food hangs in front of Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Hostess Jasmine De laTorre, left, and cocktail waitress Betel Hailesluse talks at Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Hostesses Amy Spindle, right, talks to Micheal Jackson impersonator Lane Lassiter in front of Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night.(Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Dancers at Girls of Glitter Gulch, 20 Fremont St., sit while waiting for costumers on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Downtown’s only strip club will be closing next Monday night.(Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Cocktail waitress Leidy Shand waits to serve costumers at Girls of Glitter Gulch, 20 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Downtown’s only strip club will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Rudy Nino, general manager at Granite Gaming who owns Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club, Mermaid’s Casino and La Bayou Casino, points to a historical marker in front of La Bayou on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino received the first state gaming license in 1931. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Bartender Tammy Goodwrench serves a frozen cocktail at Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Stephen Spady from Nebraska bites into a deep fried Twinkie at Mermaid’s Casino, 32 Fremont St., on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The casino will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Rudy Nino, right, general manager at Granite Gaming who owns Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club, Mermaid’s Casino and La Bayou Casino, talks to costumer Jim Breeher at Mermaid’s on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The properties will be closing next Monday night. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @jlscheid
Co-owner and CEO of Desert Rock Enterprises, which includes the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, Derrick Stevens his COO Dave Tuttle hold one of Mermaids Casino’s signature deep-fried Twinkies at the Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
The interior of La Bayou Casino is seen Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
The Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club is seen at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Mermaids Casino is seen at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Mermaids Casino is seen at the Fremont Street Experience Saturday, June 25, 2016. Mermaids Casino, La Bayou and Glitter Gulch will close their doors on June 27th to make way for a new project. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Three Fremont Street businesses are closing their doors Monday night, leaving you no where under the canopy to find coin-paying slots, topless dancers and deep-fried Twinkies.
Mermaids opened in 1956 as Silver Palace after the Fremont pharmacy closed and was known as many things before today’s incarnation. La Bayou has been known as something different to each generation, but the property holds the first state gambling license, acquired in 1931.
Read more about the casinos’ closure here. Check out the gallery above.
Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva
