Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Some of Moulin Rouge salvageable

Moulin Rouge owner Bart Maybie said Wednesday he wasn't surprised that the fire that destroyed his landmark casino was arson, but he said he was relieved that many key features of the building are structurally sound enough to incorporate into a new building.

Structural engineers determined that part of the front wall, the marquee, the vintage neon sign, three mosaic-tile covered columns and a tower that looms above the casino can be retained.

"Isn't that something? It wanted to stay there," Maybie said, referring to the front wall. "I'm kind of a nostalgic nut and it was completely important" that the building keep some of its historic integrity. It's unclear if the building will maintain its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

After a five-day investigation, officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Las Vegas Fire Department announced Wednesday that the May 29 blaze that destroyed Nevada's first integrated casino was intentionally set.

Federal Investigators wrapped up their work at the scene of the fire late Tuesday afternoon, Joe Riehl, an agent with the ATF, said. The federal investigators have turned the case over to Las Vegas fire officials so they can continue their probe.

Las Vegas Fire Marshal Ken Riddle declined to say what started the blaze, what evidence was recovered, where the fire started, if there are any suspects or give any details about how investigators concluded the fire was arson. He also declined to confirm whether an arson dog found evidence that flammable liquid accelerant had been used inside the casino.

"Some findings are still being pieced together that may take some time," he said.

The Moulin Rouge had been closed and undergoing renovations when the fire occurred. A casino, restaurant and museum were planned.

Katherine Dunn, founder and board member of the Moulin Rouge Museum and Cultural Center, said she applied for a $1 million America's Treasures grant in May. But in order to be eligible for the funds, the building must be on the National Registry of Historic Places.

She's hoping that enough of the original building will be preserved to maintain its place on the registry.

"Before (the fire) we wanted to bring in a preservation expert to look at the wallpaper. Now we need them to look at the whole building," Dunn said.

The building was turned over to Maybie on Wednesday. He said he learned of the arson finding that morning, along with the media, but he said he had gotten prior indications the ATF believed the fire was intentionally set.

Maybie said he thought the fire was in retaliation for a recent crackdown on drug activity on the property. Within the past six weeks, Maybie said he had enlisted the help a better security force -- the city's housing authority police had taken over patrols of the property.

"We've been doing our best to clean up the area in the past few months in preparation for the new Moulin Rogue," Dale Scott, chief executive of the Moulin Rogue Development Corp., said.

Officer Jose Montoya of Metro Police said the Moulin Rogue area is known not only for drug activity, but other crimes.

Metro records show police were called to the Moulin Rogue property, which includes the casino and hotel which has been converted into apartments, 75 times in May and 69 times in April.

The calls involved burglaries, fights, assaults, narcotics offenses, family disturbances, attempted sexual assaults, car thefts and juvenile disturbances.

On Christmas Day last year, a woman was found dead in one of the apartments in what had once served as the casino's hotel. Another woman was killed there in 1997, police said.

Maybie estimated the fire damage at $5 million to $6 million, and said he carried a $2 million insurance policy on the Moulin Rouge.

The renovation of the casino, which had opened in 1955 as the only integrated casino in Nevada, was well under way when the fire occurred.

"We're still pushing ahead," Maybie said. "We're going to make the best of a bad situation."

About 30 fire investigators with the National Response Team -- an arm of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- came to Las Vegas late last week to help with the probe. Some traveled from Florida, Maryland, Washington state and Texas, Riehl said.

Fire Chief David Washington asked federal authorities to come to Las Vegas to help with the investigation because of the amount of damage and because of the historic significance of the building.

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