Much ado is being made about The Venetian’s “Wizard of Oz” display, which advertises the reimagined take on the classic film opening at the Sphere on Aug. 28. Much of that ado consists of complaints about its temporary displacement of the casino resort’s beloved “LOVE” sculpture photo op.
But millions of us alive from 1993 to 1996 remember a much more impressive, if ill-conceived, tribute to the 1939 cinema classic — one staged by the first corporation to make a connection between the most classic children’s movie of all time and, err, a Las Vegas casino.
Somewhere Over the Top
MGM Resorts basically built the second MGM Grand (the first is today’s Horseshoe) as the Wizard of Oz Casino Resort. It wasn’t called that, but there was no branding differentiation.
Visitors entered the property through a living storybook. Beneath a seven-story atrium featuring projections of lightning and rainbows, they followed a yellow brick carpet past a towering Emerald City, then through a cornfield, apple orchard and haunted forest.
Along the way, they encountered an animatronic Dorothy, who for some reason looked nothing like Judy Garland, as well as the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” the robotic feline tried convincing passersby.
Actors were also employed to portray the main characters, so guests could pose for the photos they couldn’t get with their arms around dangerous robots.
The animatronic characters – which also included both good and wicked witches — all moved and talked. Not in a way that resembled human beings, but even the Roomba wouldn’t be introduced for nine more years.
Check out this home video from YouTuber @B Pintar. And please keep in mind, this was the ‘90s. The Excalibur had a moat with a dragon and Treasure Island had a pirate battle…
Lions and Tigers and Comps, Oh My!
The attraction ended in “The Wizard’s Secrets,” a short magic show featuring more bad animatronics in a small theater. Then you were of course invited to visit the Oz Gift Shop, a casino featuring Oz-themed slots and décor, and the MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park out back.
But those visits didn’t add up to the kind of profit MGM Resorts had promised its shareholders. So it clicked its ruby slippers and escaped.
The MGM Grand was de-Ozzified, rebranded to cater strictly to fantasies of an adult nature. The Emerald City Atrium was demolished and all its contents placed into storage or the trash.
The underperforming amusement park stuck around until 2000, the gift shop until three years later. The only thing remaining today is the color MGM Grand founder Kirk Kerkorian chose for his shiny new hotel’s exterior …
Emerald green.
“Lost Vegas” is an occasional Casino.org series spotlighting Las Vegas’ forgotten history. Click here to read other entries in the series. Think you know a good Vegas story lost to history? Email [email protected].
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