most of the creditors who sought reorganization were not eligible to do so. Stockholders alleged that Louis Cornero was incompetent in his position as president. The creditors' petition was ultimately approved. In January 1957, several offers were put in by groups wanting to purchase and complete the Stardust. The Sheraton hotel chain was among prospective buyers for the resort, but eventually passed. United Hotels Corporation, which consisted of Desert Inn shareholders, also expressed an interest in buying the Stardust. By mid-1957, the Stardust had five prospective buyers, including Rella Factor, who was the wife of John Factor. Each buyer submitted a plan to pay off creditors, and Factor's was viewed most favorably. In November 1957, Factor and her group received court approval to take over the Stardust, with an opening expected around April 1, 1958. Factor paid $4.3 million for the resort, and took over ownership in January 1958. Construction of the Stardust resumed that month, after 18 months of inactivity. Opening and early years The Stardust opened at 12:01 p.m. on July 2, 1958. Attendees of the opening included Nevada governor Charles H. Russell, U.S. senator George Malone, and various celebrities such as Bob Hope, Milton Berle, and Ethel Merman. The Stardust continued to face financial problems after its opening. John and Rella Factor had agreed to pay off the Stardust's debt through monthly payments. However, a month after the opening, they requested a reduction in the amount of money to be paid out each month. Up to that point, the Stardust had more than $1 million in liens filed against it, and a local glass company filed a foreclosure suit against the resort later in the month. Also among the creditors were two attorneys, seeking payment after representing the first group of proposed casino managers in 1955. The Stardust's casino portion was managed by United Hotels Corporation, which also operated the Desert Inn. United Hotels took over complete management of the entire resort on September 1, 1958. United Hotels was renamed as United Resort Hotels in 1959, and the company continued to manage the Stardust hotel. The casino portion was now managed by Karat Inc., also consisting mostly of Desert Inn officials. The Desert Inn group took over ownership from the Factors in August 1962, after the Stardust exited reorganization. Investors from years earlier were soon reimbursed. Subsequently, the Teamsters Union Pension Fund made several loans to the