Though The Sands had been Sinatra’s playground since first performing there in 1953, Hughes and Sinatra’s mutual hatred for each other caused Sinatra to cut ties with the casino and move to competitor, Caesars Palace. In the mid-1960s, Billionaire Howard Hughes acquired The Sands for a cool $14.6 million, and added an additional 500 hotel rooms to the original 200, opening in 1967, making the casino a major Las Vegas landmark. The Sands is probably best known for its association with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, known collectively as ‘The Rat Pack.’ With the release of the movie “Ocean’s 11” in 1960, The Sands garnered iconic status, and ushered in a slew of Hollywood and Political elite for years to come, and was THE place performers would entertain in the casino’s famous Copa Room, hosting the likes of Harry Belfonte, Nat King Cole, Jimmy Durante, Frankie Laine and Danny Thomas, just to name a few.