What happened in Vegas

Every visitor to Vegas comes home with at least one good story – whether or not they ever tell it is another thing. Here are a few only-in-Vegas moments you may not have heard about.

Dec. 31, 1967: Evel Knievel launches his career, but not his motorcycle

Before he was a household daredevil, Robert “Evel” Knievel’s shows were small potatoes. Realizing that a highly publicized stunt could be his ticket to fame, Knievel organized a jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace, which he hoped ABC-TV would air on “World Wide of Sports.” They agreed that if the jump was spectacular enough, they would run it, and they did – but only after Knievel wiped out.

Dec. 2 to 12, 1976: The King performs his last Vegas shows

Though Elvis devotees typically point their blue suede shoes toward the gates of Graceland, Vegas remains the most memorable backdrop for the King. In 1976, Elvis performed his last Vegas stint at the Hilton for an 11-day, 15-show engagement. He made the crowd wait an hour before coming on stage on Dec. 4, and while the Las Vegas Sun reported that he was “still a little heavier than he should be,” no one seemed to mind.

Jan. 31, 1979: Snow hits Vegas twice in one week

Tourists seeking fun in the sun were shocked to arrive in Las Vegas during … snow season. On Jan. 31, 1979, Sin City was smothered by a 6-inch-thick white blanket – the second snowfall that week – closing schools, outing power, knocking out radio stations and causing 150 traffic accidents. Comedian Gabe Kaplan, who was headlining at the Aladdin hotel, joked “Las Vegas has always been my favorite ski resort.”

Dec. 14, 1995: The Fremont Experience opens downtown

Historic Fremont Street, the site of Vegas’ first hotel, first traffic light, first elevator and first paved thoroughfare, reinvented Vegas once again in 1995 when five city blocks from Main to 4^th Street converted into the Fremont Experience. When the attraction first opened in 1995, it used 1.2 million light bulbs to illuminate its “Viva Vision” canopy, which is now made up of over 12 million LED lights twinkling over downtown.

Dec. 31, 1999: Duracell lights up Barbra Streisand

Partying like it was 1999 also meant preparing for major Y2K glitches. For the 13,000 concert-goers at the MGM Grand Garden Arena who went to see Barbra Streisand’s millennium concert, “Timeless,” Duracell provided personal battery-operated flashlights in case of a power snafu. There was no technological meltdown at the stroke of midnight, and instead the flashlights provided Babs with a special glow and the audience with a one-of-a kind souvenir.

—Sarah Ricard, Brand Publishing Writer