The El Cortez Hotel & Casino, the oldest hotel in Las Vegas, has introduced a contest challenging participants to document paranormal activity in its basement, with a prize of $5,000. This unusual offer invites brave individuals to spend a weekend surrounded by potential ghostly encounters in a place with a storied past connected to organized crime since its inception in 1941.

Participants will be equipped with advanced ghost-hunting technology, including electromagnetic field meters, EVPs, and thermal sensors, to capture any evidence of the rumored supernatural happenings in the hotel. The basement, where various legends circulate about mafia-related spirits, is at the center of this eerie investigation, notably tied to the infamous gangster Bugsy Siegel, who owned the hotel in 1945, thus bringing a notorious history to the locale.

This intriguing competition not only aims to engage paranormal enthusiasts but also highlights the hotel's historical significance and its connections to Las Vegas's mafia heritage. It presents a unique blend of tourism and heritage, appealing to those fascinated by the unknown while potentially boosting the hotel's visibility in a saturated tourist market.