Beyond the hums of slot machines, the desert winds and neon-lit lands, the echoes of Las Vegas’ history can be felt all throughout the city. But sometimes, the past seems to stay; creating a few eerie places, paranormal playgrounds and haunted places.
As Halloween approaches, it’s time to dust the cobwebs and reignite our spirits with fineish fun and scary stories. Ghost lore is no stranger to Las Vegas. Often times, the macabre finds its way to Vegas. The tales of organized crime, gambling and tumultuous history has created a trail of stories and really interesting history. The layer of secrecy surrounding our city also adds to this “creepy” fire of scary stories.
Most people know about the Clown Motel (which is Tonopah, Nevada), Zak Bagan’s Haunted Museum and the abandoned ghost towns. But, many people are unaware of the real-lift stories of gruesome and violent crime that happens under the glittery marquee of Las Vegas’ lights.
Ghosts and the paranormal are scary — there’s no doubt. But there’s something bone-chilling and hair-standing about real scary incidents that’ve happened throughout time. We’re talking about the types of incidents with history, stories and more that make it seem unreal.
For example, many people know about the tunnel system in Las Vegas. Essentially, it’s a catacomb-like system meant for storm drainage, tunnels, freeway under passes. This system is not meant for living or even inhabiting in the slightest.
However, tons of people live in this maze of concrete — making this a real-life horror movie about an underworld of poverty. 8 News Now did a story about the “underground tunnels” and the people who inhabit it. It’s a story about survival, the grit of people and how our Las Vegas community comes together despite being in unfavorable situations.
Our city is a microcosm of the peculiar, and we love it. Here are a few haunted places in Las Vegas that are also haunted in history.
Oasis Motel
Downtown Las Vegas’ tangle of wedding chapels, bars, motels and eclectic shops attracts a certain energy. The Oasis Motel, which is now operated by OYO, is infamous for death and prostitution back in the day. A few infamous deaths have happened at this motel. Famous World Series of Poker winner and professional gambler Stuart Errol Ungar allegedly checked into room 20, according to Vegas Ghosts.
“On November 20, 1998 Ungar was found dead in his room at the Oasis Motel,” Vegas Ghosts said. “…. The cause of death was likely brought on by his long-term drug abuse.”
Ungar was 45 years old when he died, according to the Las Vegas Sun. He was a genius and aggressive poker player, who had a rags-to-riches then riches-to-rags story. It seemed that drug abuse and the high-speed life of gambling caught up with him.
Along with that, actor David Strickland hung himself in the Oasis Motel in 1999. According to news reports at that time, he was partying in Vegas. Strickland was known for playing Todd in the beloved ’90s sitcom “Suddenly Susan,” with Brooke Shields and the movie “Forces of Nature,” with Sandra Bullock and “Postcards From America.” A few months before the star’s death, he went into a drug diversion program. However, the last hours of his life were spent at the Oasis Motel.
To top off this morbid-sundae of death, the city temporarily shut the Oasis Motel down in 2012 due to “unabated prostitution” and rampant drug activity, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Overall, the area that Oasis Motel is located in represents a certain tone of Vegas that’s synonymous with salacious acts and seedier activities. There’s no doubt the the walls of Oasis Motel have seen some pretty dark things that have left a few lingering residents.
The infamous Oasis Motel located in the strong of other wedding chapels and motels near the downtown area of Las Vegas. This area is also called “naked city.”
The Las Vegas School of the Arts
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas School of the Arts has rumors about a ghost named Mr. Petri haunting the school’s theater. A teacher from the school did an interview with the Review-Journal in 2014, and said although he didn’t believe in ghosts himself, there were two incidents that stuck out to him as being “creepy.” Overall, the teacher — named John Morris — said he believes the paranormal activity can be more blamed on the theater being ” a concentrated energy, where all this ensemble energy can float.”
A local legend says the halls of the las Vegas School of the Arts are inhabited by more than just students.
The Former Alpine Motel
Located at 213 North 9th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, you wouldn’t recognize it today. However, this was the site of one of the worst fire incidents to have occurred in the city — and the fire happened in 2019 to make things more surprising. 6 people died in that fire and 13 others were injured, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The building lacked a functional sprinkler system, the Review-Journal reported. Now, the Alpine Motel is an apartment building called DLUX Lofts. From a horrible tragedy to a truly “one-of-a-kind living experience.”
There’s just something so creepy about living in the same spot that a brutal fire ripped away at.
