what’s the word Thunderbird….. built in 1948 by Marion Hicks … same owner as the El Cortez originally and the Algiers next-door …. Had several ownerships and failures due to mob related stories. Caesars Palace once owned it Del Webb once owned it … became the silver bird then the El Rancho hotel …. no casino has had more logo changes than the Thunderbird. Now the brand new fountainblue hotel just opened on its site.