OLD MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO - Location and Paranormal History
NOW BALLY'S LAS VEGAS
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

1980 MGM Grand Fire - photo © Robert M. Stanzler	Repaired and renamed, photo by vegashotelcodes

Brief Location History:  On the morning of November 21, 1980, 85 people died and more than 700 were injured as a result of a fire at the MGM Grand Hotel. This tragedy was the second largest loss-of-life hotel fire in United States history. At the time of the fire, which broke out in The Deli restaurant, about 5,000 people were in the  26-story hotel and casino. Fire investigators concluded that several factors contributed to the cause of the fire but the primary source of ignition was an electrical ground fault. The MGM Grand was repaired, sold, and renamed  Bally's Las Vegas.  The present MGM Grand hotel-casino was built about a mile south, at the northeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd.  and Tropicana Avenue.

Paranormal Background:  The stairwells and hallways of the hotel are said to be haunted by the ghosts of those that died in the MGM Grand fire. Disoriented apparitions have been seen by guests and employees wandering the halls of the higher floors of the north tower and in the stairwells and elevators. Unexplained weeping and screaming has been heard in those same areas. One ghost in particular is described as a 'misty bluish green' about the height of a tall woman.

Links:
HauntedHoneymoon.com

Haunted Las Vegas Hotels by Leah Still

Las Vegas Review-Journal -MGM Grand Fire - Photo Gallery

Clark County Nevada Fire Department

MGM Grand full Fire Report - Clark Co NV FD

KNPR - Nevada Public Radio - Audio interviews with witnesses and survivors (requires Real Player)

(audio ©Nevada Public Radio)

MGM Grand Fire - Wikipedia

Las Vegas Review-Journal Archives - MGM Grand Fire

The Haunting of Las Vegas' by Janice Oberding. 2008.  - limited preview January 2010