An Evening with Howard Hughes, Escape the Darkness

04/28/2026

Howard’s Las Vegas House.

03/19/2026

One of the strangest business stories in Las Vegas history began with a hotel checkout dispute.

In 1966, billionaire aviation tycoon Howard Hughes moved into the penthouse suites of the Desert Inn while staying in Las Vegas. Hughes ended up occupying several floors of the hotel for months.

When the resort’s owners eventually asked him to vacate the rooms so they could prepare for high-paying guests during the holiday season, Hughes refused to leave.

Instead of checking out, Hughes made a stunning move — he offered to buy the entire hotel and casino.

The deal went through soon after, making Hughes the owner of the Desert Inn. His arrival and investments soon expanded to multiple casinos across the Strip, helping push Las Vegas toward a new era of large corporate ownership.

Year & Place — 1966, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA



Source Note — Nevada Gaming Control Board archives and Las Vegas historical records document Howard Hughes’ purchase of the Desert Inn in 1966.

02/27/2026

02/11/2026

Get ready for the most interesting dinner in the dark experience on Earth starring Rusty Bolin actor extraordinaire!

02/10/2026

Meet the cast! Frank Fiedler as Robert Mayhew, Howard's Advisor

02/06/2026

Who was Howard Hughes?

He checked into the Desert Inn on Thanksgiving night, nineteen sixty-six, and never checked out. For four years, Howard Hughes ran Las Vegas from a penthouse...