It’s TRUE. Ralph did have a HUGE collection of NAZI MEMORABILIA. His birthday was the same day as Hitler’s. I worked there and one year he celebrated his birthday with a huge party, dressed as Hitler. He had a large sheet cake made with him and Hitler’s side profile looking at each other. He wanted all the guests to greet him at the door with SIEG HEIL SALUTE, Some of his managers were JEWIISH, REFUSED TO SALUTE and called the GAMING COMMISSION and POLICE. Ralph got a huge fine and was told to get rid of all memorabilia immediately or lose his gaming license. About a week later my husband and I were driving on Valley View. We saw three I.P trucks unloading numerous boxes into a storage unit. It was about 3 A.M. We had a unit there and I needed to get some of my boxes. His boxes had big letters, MEMOIR on them. A ladyfriend I worked with had to go to his office and read letters from Germany. Then she had to write letters back in German. We both said he was a disgusting human being but we had to stay working there until we found something else.
]]>The only comment here with any real validity is the one made by Edward Hughes!
There is a clear cut distinction between what was Ralph Engelstad’s Imperial Palace Antique and Classic Auto Collection and what was the Auto Collections at the Imperial Palace and all its many names it was called there after.
The Engelstad Foundation will not acknowledge any information regarding the original Auto Collection and most everything else out there is pure speculation.
The truth of the matter is that, there were a very small number of staff who were directly involved in the actual Auto Collection owned by Ralph Engelstad. Most are dead or will not say anything for fear of repercussions.
I have heard that one of the original Auto Collection employees is still alive and lives some where in Arizona, maybe he will right a book?
]]>Jay Dandy, I own that very 76 Eldo today. It is the one from the museum.
]]>So this is a relatively late reply, but now I know the fate of Johnny Carson’s car. It was on Jay Leno’s Garage this week. Turns out, Carson told the Auto Collection that after they were done displaying it, it should be given to Leno… and that’s where it’s at now. Put away in his garage in Burbank.
]]>The guy was mistaken. There are no new owners of the casino.
Caesar’s has owned the place for 12 years. My guess is that their long-term lease was up and either Caesar’s wanted too much to continue or Caesar’s has other plans for the location. Heck, with them now charging for parking, they could just return it to the parking garage. The level right below on the south side used to house cars that were coming in/going out of the collection. They’ve already started tearing out the walls there to return it to parking.
They currently have a 1985 VW Rabbit Convertible. They want $45,000 for it. That’s laughable. Even with the low mileage (only 34 miles on it, I think) that is WAY overpriced. Not worth more than $25,000 on a good day.
]]>I saw this coming a while ago – when they closed the room on the south side.
I have no doubt Carson’s car will go to the Blackhawk. (Though the salesman I talked to wasn’t sure where it would go.) Most of the *really* expensive cars (or the ones that said “for display only” I think are the property of the Blackhawk.
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