We are barely into 2008 and word came on Friday last week that the lobby of the first Travel Lodge was being destroyed.

This is, we believe, the first Travel Lodge that opened in Las Vegas. It is located across from Circus-Circus and the lobby fronted on Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Maxwell Kelch and his family owned this Travel Lodge when it first opened in 1957 and Kelch is credited with bringing the Travel Lodge chain to Southern Nevada.

The current owners are keeping the motel room section of the building and will rebuild a new, smaller lobby where the old one stood.

Progress, Las Vegas-style.  At least it won't be a Walgreen's.