Frank Sinatra
The Cal Neva survived many owners during the early years, but none were as famous or visible as Frank Sinatra who purchased the Cal Neva and was licensed on September 10, 1960. He did extensive remodeling, and the Celebrity Showroom was built on the Nevada side with a helicopter pad on top of it. The helicopter pad was used only while Sinatra owned the Cal Neva Lodge. The Cal Neva Lodge filled to capacity during the summer months when Frank Sinatra owned and operated it. He booked big name entertainers for the Indian Room and for the Celebrity Showroom. A controversy with the Nevada Gaming Control Board resulted in the revocation of Sinatra's license on October 22, 1963. On Labor Day, September 1963 Frank Sinatra closed the Cal Neva Lodge bringing and end to a reign that was as colorful as himself.

Rat Pack
Hollywood followers were enamored with Sinatra and the "Rat Pack," an unforgettable fraternity that linked itself with the White House through Peter Lawford, brother-in-law to of then president elect John F. Kennedy. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Juliet Prowse, and Marilyn Monroe (among others) "sang for their suppers" in the Celebrity Showroom and the Indian Room while politicians and Hollywood stars played at the tables and in the private cottages overlooking Lake Tahoe.