The property was initially occupied by the Thunderbird hotel and casino , opened in 1948 . It was later renamed as the Silverbird , and then as the El Rancho , before closing in 1992 . In May 2000 , Turnberry Associates purchased the property for $ 45 million and imploded the El Rancho later that year , to make room for a London-themed resort that ultimately never materialized because of an economic downturn caused by the September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
The Drew Las Vegas