One hundred and twenty years. That's how long the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino has been operating at 1 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. The property celebrated its milestone anniversary on January 13th, making it the oldest continuously operating casino in the city—by a long shot.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: Golden Gate celebrated 120 years in business
• The history: Opened January 13, 1906 as the Hotel Nevada
• Why it matters: The property predates Nevada gaining statehood
• Fun fact: Still renting 10 original rooms from 1906

Before There Was Vegas

When the two-story Hotel Nevada opened in 1906, Las Vegas didn't exist as we know it. The town had been founded just seven months earlier when 110 acres of land were auctioned off by the railroad. Nevada wouldn't legalize gambling until 1931, so for the first 25 years, this was just a hotel.

The building cost $1 per night. It was the first hotel structure in Las Vegas and the only concrete hotel in southern Nevada at the time. Rooms measured 10 feet square. A local newspaper called them "first class."

In 1907, Las Vegas got its first telephone—installed at the Hotel Nevada, naturally. The number was 1.

The hotel changed names several times over the decades. It became "Sal Sagev" in 1931 (that's "Las Vegas" spelled backward) when gambling was legalized. Eventually it landed on Golden Gate, and that's been the name since 1955.

Still Standing

Derek Stevens—the guy behind Circa Casino—purchased Golden Gate in 2008 and has been the steward ever since. Under Circa Hospitality Group, the property maintains its historical significance while operating as an actual functioning casino.

Those 10 original rooms from 1906? You can still book them. They're not fancy, but they're authentic. The property has expanded significantly over the years, but this connection to the original structure remains.

The Golden Gate also claims to have invented the shrimp cocktail in Vegas back in 1959. Whether that's true or excellent marketing, they've sold over 50 million of them at $0.99 per serving. That's commitment to a bit.

The Anniversary Celebration

Golden Gate hosted a celebration Friday starting at 6 PM featuring historic tours, commemorative events, and displays of artifacts from the hotel's 120-year history. Visitors could see original architectural elements, memorabilia, and documentation from when this building was the most important structure in a railroad town nobody had heard of.

A 120-year anniversary is basically unheard of in Las Vegas. This is a city that implodes casinos for fun. The fact that Golden Gate has survived—through Prohibition, the Depression, the mob era, corporate consolidation, and whatever 2020-2025 was—speaks to something special about the location.

Downtown Renaissance

Golden Gate sits right at the heart of Fremont Street, which has seen a genuine renaissance over the past decade. The M Resort expansion shows that Vegas investment isn't limited to the Strip, and downtown has become increasingly relevant.

Derek Stevens has been instrumental in that transformation. Between Golden Gate, the D, and Circa—the first ground-up casino built in downtown Vegas in 40 years—Fremont Street actually has a pulse again.

The area still caters to a different crowd than the Strip. Cheaper tables, friendlier dealers, less pretense. If you want the old Vegas experience without the Bellagio prices, Golden Gate delivers.

The Bottom Line

Most casinos in Vegas measure their history in decades. Golden Gate measures it in centuries. When this hotel opened, Theodore Roosevelt was president, Ford hadn't built the Model T yet, and the Wright Brothers had only flown their plane three years earlier.

One hundred and twenty years later, the doors are still open. That's not just impressive—it's the kind of staying power degenerates should respect.

If you're in downtown Vegas, stop by and raise a glass to the longest-running game in town.