The history of the Las Vegas Ballroom in Tuam, is much like that of the showband era itself, constantly changing and
evolving in an effort to keep up with the times. The ballroom was built by Con Hynes from Portumna and opened on
February 6th, 1962. The names listed on the dance license application also mentioned local Tuam musician Johnny Flynn,
so it appears he was also involved in the ownership and his band did play the opening night. Like Con Hynes' other
Las Vegas ballrooms, it was state of the art (for its time) and included a 5,000 sq ft spring maple floor which delighted
dancers of all styles. In the late sixties, as we have discussed elsewhere on the site, the showband era split into the pop and country factions
and many ballrooms (including the Las Vegas) decided to go with country and was renamed The Country Club in 1970.
For a few years, the new format prospered but by 1973 the hall had been repurposed into a sports facility and was renamed the
Sports Centre. It continued to run dances though for a couple a years. In 1975, the club was closed and refurbished and re-opened as the
"new ballroom" called Club Amarillo (like the song). The updated ballroom was reborn and had another 5 or 6 years of success before
the hotel, discos and supper dances won out and it became a snooker hall, which included a gaming license. Sadly, this
stage in the ballrooms history would be short-lived and in 1982 it was for sale. At one time, it housed the local Ford dealership, and for
years it stood along the Dublin Road, just outside town, as a monument to the bygone days of the showband era.
Sadly, a check of Google Earth in June, 2019 shows that the ballroom is no more.
In its place was a steel structure, which was completed in 2020.