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Lux or Luxor

Short answer: Luxor Las Vegas opened on October 15, 1993, as a 30-story, 350 ft (106.7 m) pyramid clad in dark glass. Circus Circus Enterprises built it.

At opening the pyramid held 2,526 rooms. Guests reach them by 'inclinators', elevators that run diagonally up the pyramid's corners at a 39-degree angle, around what Luxor promotes as one of the world's largest atriums. Two 22-story ziggurat-shaped hotel towers added in 1997 brought the resort to about 4,400 rooms, so not all of Luxor's rooms are in the pyramid. The sphinx at the entrance is a stylized, roughly 10-story version, taller than the Great Sphinx at Giza. At the apex, the Luxor Sky Beam shines straight up and has been promoted as the strongest beam of light in the world, which may be the 'lux' in the title.

VideoWrite-up5 sources

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What should you know about Lux or Luxor?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Luxor's elevators, called inclinators, run at a 39-degree angle.

    DD-686-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit C (Inclinators)

  2. The pyramid opened with 2,526 rooms on October 15, 1993.

    DD-686-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (Rooms)

Video transcript: Lux or Luxor: A Pyramid With Sideways Elevators

DID YOU KNOW? The Luxor Pyramid in Las Vegas is an iconic hotel and casino shaped like a massive glass and steel pyramid, standing 350 ft tall on the Las Vegas Strip. Opened in 1993, it was designed to evoke the grandeur of ancient Egypt, complete with a replica sphinx at its entrance and Egyptian themed decor throughout the interior. The pyramid houses thousands of guest rooms arranged along the sloped sides with elevators on the angled walls providing unique access to upper floors. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 25.3s Reel ·

Video coming soonLux or Luxor · Instagram Reel
Lux or Luxor: A Pyramid With Sideways Elevators Instagram Reel · · 25.3s

The write-up

A pyramid with sideways elevators. Luxor's inclinators ride the pyramid's 39° edges.

  1. Exhibit A

    Opening day

    Luxor opened on October 15, 1993, a 30-story pyramid built by Circus Circus Enterprises, with tens of thousands of visitors on its first day.

  2. Exhibit B

    Height

    The pyramid stands 350 ft (106.7 m), and the Skyscraper Center lists it as 30 floors.

  3. Exhibit C

    Inclinators

    Its elevators, called inclinators, travel at a 39-degree angle up the pyramid's corners, moving riders sideways as well as up.

  4. Exhibit D

    Rooms

    The pyramid opened with 2,526 rooms. Two hotel towers added in 1997 brought the resort to about 4,400.

  5. Exhibit E

    The sphinx and the beam

    The entrance sphinx is about 10 stories tall. At the apex, the Sky Beam shines straight up into the night sky.

Questions people ask about Lux or Luxor

When did Luxor Las Vegas open?

October 15, 1993.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Opening day) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; CTBUH Skyscraper Center: Luxor Pyramid

How tall is the Luxor pyramid?

350 ft (106.7 m).

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Height) · CTBUH Skyscraper Center: Luxor Pyramid

What are Luxor's angled elevators called?

Inclinators.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Inclinators) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts

At what angle do the inclinators travel?

39 degrees.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Inclinators) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts

How many rooms did the pyramid have at opening?

2,526.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Rooms) · The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts; Las Vegas Sun (Apr 18, 1997): Luxor unveils $300 mil. expansion; MGM Resorts: Luxor fact sheet 2026

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. When did Luxor Las Vegas open?

    1. October 1993
    2. October 1983
    3. October 2003
    4. October 1973
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. October 1993 October 15, 1993. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Opening day) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; CTBUH Skyscraper Center: Luxor Pyramid

  2. How tall is the Luxor pyramid?

    1. 350 ft
    2. 550 ft
    3. 150 ft
    4. 1,050 ft
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 350 ft 350 ft (106.7 m). Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Height) · CTBUH Skyscraper Center: Luxor Pyramid

  3. What are Luxor's angled elevators called?

    1. Inclinators
    2. Funiculars
    3. Escalifts
    4. Diagonals
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Inclinators Inclinators. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Inclinators) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts

  4. At what angle do the inclinators travel?

    1. 39 degrees
    2. 90 degrees
    3. 15 degrees
    4. 60 degrees
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 39 degrees 39 degrees. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Inclinators) · Las Vegas Sun (Oct 15, 1993): Resort opens a new era in LV; The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts

  5. How many rooms did the pyramid have at opening?

    1. 2,526
    2. 526
    3. 25,260
    4. 1,000
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 2,526 2,526. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Rooms) · The New York Times (Nov 7, 1993): Travel advisory, imagination runs wild at Las Vegas resorts; Las Vegas Sun (Apr 18, 1997): Luxor unveils $300 mil. expansion; MGM Resorts: Luxor fact sheet 2026

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Lux or Luxor." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-686, last updated Dec 30, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/lux-or-luxor/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/lux-or-luxor/ · Last updated

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Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-686-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/lux-or-luxor/#DD-686-F01

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