<P> The hotel is named after the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) in Egypt . Luxor is the sixth - largest hotel in Las Vegas and the ninth - largest in the world . </P> <P> As of 2010, the Luxor was designated as a 4 Key rating from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, which evaluates what is known as "sustainable hotel operations". </P> <P> Ground was broken for the Luxor in March 1992 and the resort officially opened at 4 AM on October 13, 1993, to a crowd of 10,000 people . When it opened, the pyramid, which cost $375 million to build, was the tallest building on the strip and contained 2,526 rooms and a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m) casino . The resort was financed by "petty cash" earned from other Circus Circus Enterprises properties and did not include any outside financial investors . The hotel's pyramid is similar in size to the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid of Egypt . </P> <P> A theater and two additional towers totaling 2,000 rooms were added in 1998 for $675 million . When the resort opened, it featured the Nile River Tour which was a river ride that carried guests to different parts of the pyramid and passed by pieces of ancient artwork on a river that encircled the casino . The casino also featured King Tut's Tomb and Museum, a duplicate of King Tutankhamen's tomb as found in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt . </P>

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