and the Silver Slipper casino were kept. Groundbreaking for a new Frontier hotel-casino took place on September 26, 1966, with Friedman set to oversee casino operations. The new project had more than a dozen investors, including future casino mogul Steve Wynn, who purchased a three-percent stake. The Frontier marked Wynn's entry into the Las Vegas gaming industry. It was later discovered that the Frontier project was financed with Detroit mob money, from a group led by Anthony Joseph Zerilli. The $25 million Frontier opened on July 29, 1967, with a four-day celebration. It included 650 hotel rooms, entertainment venues, several restaurants, and convention space. The Frontier's roadside sign had a height of 184 feet, making it the tallest in Las Vegas. The sign, along with the Frontier's new "F" logo, was designed by Bill Clark of Ad Art. The sign featured 16-foot-tall letters, with the giant "F" logo resting at the top. Several individuals in the new property, including Friedman, had difficulty gaining approval of state gaming regulators. Businessman Howard Hughes bought out the group in December 1967, paying $23 million for the Frontier. Like his other casino properties, it was originally operated through Hughes Tool Company, until Hughes' Summa Corporation took over in 1973. Hughes died three years later. A $5 million renovation concluded in 1978. Later that year, the Little Church of the West was relocated to the Hacienda resort, making room for the Fashion Show Mall to be built just south of the Frontier. In December 1987, Summa agreed to sell the Frontier and Silver Slipper – the last of Hughes' Las Vegas gaming properties – to casino owner Margaret Elardi. She took over ownership of the Frontier on June 30, 1988, and acquired the Silver Slipper later that year, demolishing the latter to add a Frontier parking lot. In December 1989, Elardi's two sons, John and Tom, became part-owners with her in the Frontier. The 16-story Atrium Tower, consisting of 400 suites, was opened a month later. Under the Elardis' ownership, the Frontier focused primarily on a low-budget clientele of slot players. It offered few amenities, at a time when new megaresorts were becoming popular on the Las Vegas Strip. Strike The Frontier had a labor agreement with the Culinary Workers Union that expired on July 1, 1989. Upon its expiration, general manager Tom Elardi said that the union presented the Frontier with two contract renewal