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Vacation Elvis Style - Part 7 / 13
Continuing in our series of Elvis's travels, giving you a list of
locations you might want to visit when you're on vacation:
ILLINOIS
Before we move on to the Western part of the U.S., we'll take a look
at Elvis in Illinois.
On 3/28/57 Elvis performed at the International Amphitheater in
Chicago. It was there that he debuted the famous gold lame´suit. He
also gave a press conference at the Stockyard's Saddle and Sirloin
Club.
Elvis performed at the Chicago Stadium on 6/16-17/72, 10/14-15/76,
and 5/1-2/77.
In 1976 he stayed at the Arlington Park Hilton. On 10/22/76 he was
at the University of Illinois Assembly Hall in Champaign. On
10/27/76 he performed in Carbondale at the Southern Illinois
University Arena.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
In Canada, Elvis performed in Vancouver, British Columbia on 8/31/57
at Empire Stadium, which we believe was demolished in the mid 1990s.
He stayed at the Georgia Hotel in Room 1226 and he gave a press
conference in the dressing room of the Lions football team. The show
ended in mid-song when security could no longer contain a growing
riot of fans and Elvis once again had to run for his life.
WASHINGTON
Elvis performed in Seattle at Sick's Stadium, also known as Rainer
Ball Park in the evening of 9/1/57. He had a matinee show that same
day in Tacoma at Lincoln High's Lincoln Bowl.
On 9/4/62 Elvis once again was in Seattle for the location filming
of his movie "It Happened At The World's Fair." He stayed at the
Doric New Washington Hotel while filming at the Seattle World's
Fair.
Today the fairgrounds are known as Seattle Center which hosts many
visitors.
On 11/12/70 and 4/26/76 Elvis had concerts in Seattle at the
Coliseum, later named Key Arena. And on 4/29/73 his show was at
Mercer Arena, formerly Seattle Center Arena. On 8/30/57 his show was
at the Spokane Memorial Stadium. on 4/28/73 and 4/27/76 he performed
at the Spokane Coliseum which became the Spokane Arena.
OREGON
On 9/2/57 Elvis attempted to perform at Portland's Multnomah
Stadium, which became the Portland Civic Stadium. However, after
only 15 minutes on stage, a riot broke out. This trip to Portland he
stayed at the Multnomah Hotel. He stayed at the Benson Hotel when he
performed at the Portland Memorial Coliseum on 11/11/70.He also had
concerts at the Coliseum on 4/27/73 and 11/26/76. He stayed at the
Sheraton Inn in 1976 and the linens from his room were later sold at
auction to benefit the Susan Curtis Foundation and the handicapped
children they served.
On 11/25 & 27/76 Elvis had shows at McArthur Court Pavilion of the
University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. This was over the
Thanksgiving holiday that year and Elvis stayed at the Valley River
Inn where he enjoyed watching football before his concert.
NEVADA
On 11/24/76 Elvis performed at the Centennial Coliseum in Reno,
Nevada. It was later named the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Del
Webb's Sahara Tahoe Hotel was the venue for shows in the 1970s.
Today it is called Horizon Casino Resort. His shows were 7/20/71 -
8/2/71, 5/5/73 - 5/20/73, 5/16/74 - 5/26/74, 10/11/74 - 11/14/74,
and 4/30/76 - 5/9/76. During his engagement in 1971 he tossed small
teddy bears into the audience and clowned around wearing a gorilla
mask on stage. Closing night in 1976 he stayed on stage performing
for over two hours.
Elvis's first visit to Las Vegas was when he performed at the New
Frontier's Venus Room 4/23 - 5/6/56. Contrary to some reports, Elvis
was only booked there for two weeks and not four. Comedian Shecky
Greene and the Freddy Martin orchestra were also on the bill. The
advertisements for Elvis's show proclaimed him "The Atomic Powered
Singer." Accustomed to performing in front of screaming teenagers,
it was and adjustment to play in front of more sedate adults who
patronized the Las Vegas casinos and to garner their acceptance.
Elvis fell in love with the city of Las Vegas, the city that never
sleeps, and spent a great deal of time enjoying the other acts that
were in town as well as the local amusement park. His manager
Colonel Tom Parker arranged a special matinee during Elvis's New
Frontier engagement for teenagers with the proceeds going toward the
purchase of lights for the local baseball park. When Elvis would
return to performing in Las Vegas in the 1970s, he and Col. Parker
would donate the merchandise sold in the lobby of the hotel, and the
stand would be manned by various local charities with the monies
going to their causes. He returned to performing concerts in Las
Vegas for a month-long engagement beginning on 7/31/69 at
theInternational Hotel, renamed the Hilton Hotel in the early 1970s,
and he continued to perform engagments at the Hilton through to his
last one beginning 12/12/76. He generally was there twice a year
performing to sold out audiences. He stayed in a special suite at
the HIlton when performing there, Today in 2005, the remodeled suite
is being used by Barry Manilow who is now a regular entertainer at
the Hilton showroom. Las Vegas was one of Elvis's favorite vacation
spots when he wanted to rest and unwind.
He would often visit on weekends when in California making his
movies in the 1960s. In those days he would often stay at the Sahara
Hotel. He made his most financially successful movie there. "Viva
Las Vegas" co-starring Ann-Margret was filmed in various locations
in and around Las Vegas, including the then Vegas Amusement park in
Henderson, the then drag strip in Henderson, the University of
Nevada- Las Vegas gym, the Flamingo Hotel pool and the Tropicana
Hotel skeet range. Lake Mead Marina and the dam were also used in
shooting. The aerial shots of Las Vegas were filmed over Fremont
Street and what was then called "Glitter Gulch." There are many
wedding chapels in Las Vegas including the Little Church of the West
where Elvis and Ann-Margret's characters were wed in the movie.
Elvis and his real wife, Priscilla, were married in Las Vegas at the
old Aladdin Hotel.
Today that hotel has been replaced by the new Aladdin and Desert
Passage.
Although Elvis never visited the Imperial Palace Hotel,
there is a car museum inside that usually has one of his Cadillacs
on display.
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