El Cortez Casino Offers $5,000 Reward for Weekend Ghost Hunt

Las Vegas’ historic El Cortez Hotel & Casino is offering a hauntingly unique challenge: a weekend ghost-hunting experience with a $5,000 prize. The contest invites thrill seekers to spend a night exploring the hotel’s older, allegedly haunted areas using ghost-hunting equipment.

The El Cortez, one of the city’s oldest operating casinos—opened in 1941—has long been tied to rumors of paranormal activity, from ghostly hands and disembodied knocks to chilling cold spots in its hallways. Over the years, the property has also carried a colorful legacy with connections to Las Vegas’ storied past, including mob history.

Contest entrants will be given equipment such as specialized flashlights, thermal sensors, and instructed to document any paranormal phenomena via photos or journal entries. They’ll explore dimly lit halls, vintage rooms, and other older corners of the building believed to host reported activity.

The hotel’s current promotional materials detail the El Cortez’s storied past, its vintage neon charm, and tales of spectral presence tied to figures like Siegel’s associates. Despite the supernatural angle, the venue continues to operate as a full casino, drawing guests with its old-Las Vegas aesthetic and gaming offerings.

Original source: The Independent