The Stardust opened at 12:01 p.m. on July 2, 1958. Attendees of the opening included Nevada governor Charles H. Russell, U.S. senator George Malone, and various celebrities such as Bob Hope, Milton Berle, and Ethel Merman. The Stardust continued to face financial problems after its opening. John and Rella Factor had agreed to pay off the Stardust's debt through monthly payments. However, a month after the opening, they requested a reduction in the amount of money to be paid out each month. Up to that point, the Stardust had more than $1 million in liens filed against it, and a local glass company filed a foreclosure suit against the resort later in the month. Also among the creditors were two attorneys, seeking payment after representing the first group of proposed casino managers in 1955.