[zuluking]

The Stardust was the first casino I ever stepped into.

1986, my ex-wife and I are driving North/South across country that summer and we stop off in Vegas. Being young and broke, we try for a room at Circus Circus, but the inn was full.

They call the Gold Key motel and they have a room, so we drive there and check in. Its right across the street from the Stardust, and back then you could cross the strip anywhere.

We walk into the Stardust and right up front they have $1 Blackjack. I plunk $20 and get these big, heavy coins. With the wife watching over my shoulder, I turn my $20 into like $25 over the course of an hour. I remember being so nervous that my palms were sweating, and my hands were shaking. After that, we tried Roulette for the first time, and lost the whole wad (Hey! $25 bucks was ALOT back then!)

I think the worst part of the 2 day stay was the freaking gross-a$$ Gold Key motel.