The legendary business tycoon Howard Hughes is the man who famously bought the Desert Inn in 1967 under extraordinary circumstances. Hughes had moved into the hotel's top two floors on Thanksgiving Day in 1966 and refused to leave. When the hotel management, frustrated by the lack of gambling revenue from his penthouse and needing the rooms for New Year's Eve guests, attempted to evict him, Hughes simply decided to buy the entire property instead. He purchased the Desert Inn for approximately $13.2 million, marking the beginning of his massive acquisition of Las Vegas real estate, which eventually included the Sands, the Castaways, and the Silver Slipper. This purchase was a turning point in Las Vegas history, as it helped shift the city's image away from mob-controlled enterprises toward corporate and legitimate business ownership. Hughes lived as a recluse in the Desert Inn for four years, never once leaving his darkened suite. The hotel was eventually demolished in 2001 to make way for the Wynn Las Vegas, but the story of Hughes' "accidental" acquisition remains one of the most iconic pieces of Sin City lore.