The Strat

The Strat Hotel, Casino and SkyPod is a hotel and casino located in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It includes a 1,149 ft observation tower, the tallest in the United States. It is also the second-tallest in the Western Hemisphere, surpassed only by the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario. The tower is topped by a pod which includes a revolving restaurant, lounges, and observation decks. The top of the tower also has several thrill rides. The hotel and casino facilities are situated at the base of the tower, and the resort also includes a showroom and a shopping mall. The Stratosphere is located within city limits on Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the Las Vegas Strip. The resort is sometimes considered to be a Strip property, although Clark County does not officially recognize it as such, stating that the Strip does not extend into city limits.

A portion of the property was previously occupied by Vegas World, a hotel and casino that Bob Stupak opened in 1979. A decade after its opening, Stupak announced plans for a giant neon sign for Vegas World, to be built on adjacent property. The idea soon evolved into an observation tower with a rooftop restaurant. Construction of the Stratosphere Tower began in February 1992. A fire of unknown origin occurred on the tower in August 1993, during construction. Stupak then had difficulty acquiring funds to finish the tower. In order to complete the project, Stupak partnered with Grand Casinos, owned by his poker friend Lyle Berman.

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