In 1928, a luxury hotel and casino opened in Tijuana, Mexico, which attracted Hollywood stars such as Laurel and Hardy, Charles Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich. Built in a mix of Mexican and Californian architecture, it remained a playground of the rich and famous for many years. Drinking, gambling, and horse racing were illegal in neighboring California, so many wealthy Americans and Hollywood celebrities flocked to Agua Caliente. Rita Hayworth was discovered there while performing in a show. The films In Caliente and The Champ were filmed on location there. The highlight of the opulent casino was the Gold Room, where patrons could only bet using gold chips, with a rumored $500 minimum wager. Bugsy Siegel cited Agua Caliente as his inspiration for building the resort on what became the Las Vegas Strip. The Agua Caliente racetrack, where Seabiscuit and Phar Lap raced, provided further entertainment. Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas outlawed gambling in 1935 and closed the resort. It became a school and eventually fell into disrepair.