El Cortez Readies Barbie Suite in Advance of Movie

Come on, Barbie, let’s go party … at the El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas. The casino hotel’s Jackie Gaughan Suite features a room splashed in the iconic pink color that’s long been a staple of the famed Mattel doll.

el cortez
The El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas. The venue’s Jackie Gaughn Suite is a play on the Barbie movie. (Image: Visit Las Vegas)

It’s good timing, too, because the Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie in the lead role, is slated to be in theatres on July 21. Simu Liu, Ryan Gosling, Helen Mirren, and Ariana Greenblatt are among the costars in the Warner Bros. film.

As for the room at the El Cortez, the Jackie Gaughan Suite is viewed as one of the glitzier accommodations on Fremont Street.

Once the residence of the legendary Jackie Gaughan, our former owner, and his wife, Bertie, this penthouse suite is the crown jewel of the El Cortez. Unlike anything else in Las Vegas, this apartment features a massive living room with original figures handpicked by Mrs. Gaughan, an amazing dining room with immaculate white marble table, a stunning bar and lounge area with a breathtaking view of Las Vegas, and two master bedrooms and bathrooms that have to be seen to be believed,” according to the El Cortez.

The El Cortez opened in November 1941, making it the oldest casino hotel in Las Vegas. The venue opened on Nov. 7, 1941, one month before the attack on Pearl Harbor that prompted the US to join the Allied forces in World War II.

El Cortez, Barbie Tie Interesting Because …

The El Cortez is leveraging the Jackie Gaughn Suite as a play on the Barbie movie because Barbie is a child’s toy, and well, El Cortez is an adults-only venue.

The venue adopted that policy on April 1, 2022. Circa, a downtown neighbor to El Cortez, kicked off the adults-only movement when it opened in October 2020, and other properties have followed or rolled out accommodations that cater exclusively to adults.

Gaming industry veteran Kenny Epstein owns El Cortez. The venue has some of the richest history of any casino in Las Vegas, as it was acquired by notorious gangsters Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and associates in 1945.

Jackie Gaughan Suite Has Interesting History, Too

The Jackie Gaughan Suite has its own compelling history.

The retro architecture and design come together perfectly, making for a great tribute to both the visionary Jackie Gaughan and to the El Cortez itself,” added El Cortez. “The Jackie Gaughan Suite is such a one-of-a-kind slice of vintage Las Vegas, it was the setting of Ellie Goulding’s hit music video “On My Mind.” Come live it up like a Las Vegas casino mogul, and enjoy an unparalleled experience with an unforgettable and iconic setting in the Jackie Gaughan Owners Suite.”

The suite is also pricey. It’s available only by request and is believed to cost $1,000 a night during the week and $1,500 nightly on the weekends.

Todd Shriber
Todd Shriber Financial Reporter

Todd Shriber is a senior news reporter covering gaming financials, casino business, stocks, and mergers and acquisitions for Casino.org.

Todd got his start in financial markets as a reporter with Bloomberg News. Later, he became a trader at a Southern California-based long/short hedge fund, where he specialized in the trading sector and international ETFs leading up to and during the financial crisis. He joined Casino.org in 2019.

Currently, Todd analyzes, researches, and writes on ETFs for various web-based publications and financial services firms. Shriber has been featured and quoted in Barron's, CNBC.com, and The Wall Street Journal. His work can also be found on Benzinga, ETF Daily News, ETF Trends, MarketWatch, Fox Business, and Nasdaq.com.

He currently resides in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golf and taking his black lab to the dog park. He's also an avid sports fan and likes to wager on college football and the NBA. You can also find him at the three-card poker and roulette table, even though he knows better.

Contact Todd at todd.shriber@casino.org.

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  • RH
    R. Marshall Morton Hitler June 12, 2023
    Thank you El Cortez esp. Mr Kennny Epstein My upmost in respect and apologies for that which is spoken out of my mouth. There is no association… Thank you El Cortez esp. Mr Kennny Epstein My upmost in respect and apologies for that which is spoken out of my mouth. There is no association within myself or any connections to a people of my knowing and that of said past occurances. This being of that of my truths, perspectively. None.. My all in and respectfully to a person, place[El Cortez], and a people whom I am extremely fond of. Sincerely, R.Marshall Morton H
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