Circus Circus Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino resort on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. Opened in 1968 by Jay Sarno and currently owned and operated by Phil Ruffin, it holds the distinction of housing the largest permanent circus in the world, with daily trapeze acts, acrobatics and carnival games at its Carnival Midway beneath a distinctive pink-and-white big-top tent. The resort also includes the Adventuredome, a five-acre indoor amusement park covered by a pink glass dome — the largest indoor theme park in the United States.
At a glance
- Type
- Hotel, casino and entertainment resort with permanent circus
- Period
- Opened October 18, 1968
- Style
- Mid-century themed architecture; big-top circus motif
- Location
- 2880 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
- Coordinates
- 36.1380° N, 115.1661° W
Overview
Circus Circus occupies a large footprint on the northern portion of the Las Vegas Strip, comprising several hotel towers, the casino, the Carnival Midway performance area and the Adventuredome. The resort’s pink-and-white tent silhouette has been a Las Vegas landmark for over five decades. It appeals particularly to families and budget-conscious visitors, offering some of the most affordable room rates on the Strip combined with free circus entertainment throughout the day.
History
Circus Circus was conceived by developer Jay Sarno, the same entrepreneur behind Caesars Palace (1966), as a property designed to attract families to Las Vegas. It originally opened as a casino-only venue — the hotel towers were added in the 1970s. MGM Mirage (now MGM Resorts International) acquired and then sold the property; Phil Ruffin purchased Circus Circus in 2019 from MGM Resorts. The Adventuredome, initially called Grand Slam Canyon when it opened in 1993, was rebranded in 1997 and remains a flagship draw.
What you see
The Carnival Midway occupies the mezzanine level above the casino floor, offering free circus and trapeze acts performed several times daily under the big-top canopy — a unique spectacle in a gambling environment. The Adventuredome encloses roller coasters, a log flume, a laser tag arena and more than two dozen rides within a climate-controlled pink glass dome. The casino itself spans approximately 100,000 square feet with slot machines, table games and a race-and-sports book. Several budget-friendly restaurants and the Midway food court complete the offering.
Cultural significance
Circus Circus was a pioneering experiment in bringing family entertainment into a casino environment, decades before Disney-influenced resorts made that concept mainstream. Hunter S. Thompson famously described the resort in vivid, hallucinatory terms in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971), cementing its place in American cultural mythology. Its longevity — more than 55 years in operation — makes it one of the oldest continuously operating resorts on the Strip.
Practical information
- Address
- 2880 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
- Hours
- Casino open 24 hours; Adventuredome hours vary — check official website
- Admission
- Casino free for adults 21+; Adventuredome ticketed separately; circus acts free
- Website
- circuscircus.com
Getting there
The Las Vegas Monorail stops at the Sahara station approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north; the SDX bus stops directly on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the resort. Taxis and ride-share services drop off at the main entrance. The resort offers free parking; Harry Reid International Airport is approximately 5 miles (8 km) south.