At the time, the resort included the only RV park on the Las Vegas Strip.Ĭircus Circus was originally owned by Jay Sarno and Stanley Mallin.

In 2019, MGM sold Circus Circus to Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin. Fifty years after its opening, Circus Circus remained popular among families. MGM intended to renovate and expand Circus Circus, but canceled such plans amid the Great Recession.

The resort was sold to MGM Mirage (later MGM Resorts International) in 2005. The resort was owned through Circus Circus Enterprises, which was renamed Mandalay Resort Group in 1999. The Circus Circus property also includes the small Slots-A-Fun Casino, which Sarno opened in 1971. The amusement park was added in 1993, and a 35-story tower was completed three years later. Bennett and Pennington eventually purchased Circus Circus in 1983, and added a 29-story tower in 1986. A year later, Circus Circus added a series of motel structures, increasing the total room count to 1,610. Another 15-story tower was added in 1975, followed by an RV park in 1979. The property thrived under its new management. In 1974, the casino was leased to Bill Bennett and William Pennington, taking over operations from Sarno and Mallin. Sarno and Mallin were subsequently investigated for tax code violations and alleged connections with organized crime. A 15-story tower, with 409 rooms, was added in 1972. It struggled financially during its early years, in part because of its lack of a hotel. Circus Circus was the first family-oriented casino in Las Vegas. It included a casino on its first floor, while a second floor contained carnival games for children. It opened without a hotel on October 18, 1968. The resort also includes the Adventuredome, an indoor amusement park.Ĭircus Circus was originally owned by Jay Sarno and Stanley Mallin. It features circus and trapeze acts, as well as carnival games, at its Carnival Midway. Circus Circus includes the largest permanent circus in the world.

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