project, Echelon Place, on the site. The Stardust closed on November 1, 2006, and the two hotel towers were imploded on March 13, 2007. The resort had a popular roadside sign, which was given to the city's Neon Museum. Construction on the Echelon project was halted in 2008, because of financial problems caused by the Great Recession. Genting Group bought the Echelon project in 2013, and announced plans to finish it as Resorts World Las Vegas. It opened in 2021, after several delays. The Stardust hosted numerous entertainers and shows throughout its history. At its opening, it debuted Lido de Paris, which featured topless showgirls. The show continued playing until 1991, when it was replaced by a modernized show known as Enter the Night. Wayne Newton was the resort's resident headliner from 2000 to 2005. Other entertainers who performed at the Stardust include Don Rickles, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Siegfried & Roy, and Steve and Eydie. In 2020, Boyd launched its Stardust Social Casino online game. The following year, Boyd partnered with FanDuel to launch Stardust-branded online casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. History Construction and financial problems The Stardust was conceived by Tony Cornero, also known as Tony Stralla. He and two partners applied for a gaming license in April 1954. However, the Nevada Tax Commission said that it would never grant a license to Cornero, who had previously engaged in illegal gaming operations. Despite the commission's unwillingness, Cornero would make repeated attempts to gain approval. Work on the hotel was underway in August 1954, using tilt up construction. Approximately 60 percent of bricklayers in the Las Vegas Valley were hired to construct the Stardust, leaving few workers available to build new school facilities in the area. The Stardust was scheduled to open in April 1955. However, a request for a gaming license was denied two months prior by the tax commission, which cited a policy that applications not be considered until a casino is one-third completed. Early on, the Stardust had more than 1,000 stockholders. Sale of the stock was banned in California in May 1955, as Cornero and his associates had been selling shares without a state permit. The Securities and Exchange Commission also alleged that Cornero had failed to file statements regarding Stardust stock sales. Cornero eventually gave up on trying to receive a gaming license. Instead, he planned to lease the casino to a small