Las Vegas Bids Farewell to the Tropicana
Las Vegas, known as Sin City, said goodbye to the Tropicana on Wednesday morning, as the iconic hotel and casino was brought down in an elaborate implosion that marked the end of an era. The event took place just before dawn and turned into a celebration featuring fireworks. This was the first implosion of a casino on the Las Vegas Strip in nearly ten years, adding yet another chapter to the city’s rich history of dramatic demolitions.
A Historic Moment
The implosion lasted seven minutes and was highlighted by a spectacular show involving 550 drones and 150 “pyrodrones” that counted down to the demolition of the resort, which originally opened its doors in 1957. As the Tropicana’s hotel towers crumbled to the ground, it marked a significant moment for Las Vegas, a city that loves to reinvent itself.
Geoff Schumacher, a historian and vice president at the Mob Museum, shared insights into the city’s fascination with casino implosions, saying, “What Las Vegas has done, in classic Las Vegas style, they’ve turned many of these implosions into spectacles.” The city has a long history of using these events as a way to signify a new beginning.
From the Dunes to the Tropicana
The tradition of blowing up casinos as a form of entertainment took off in 1993 with the implosion of the Dunes to pave the way for the Bellagio. Former casino mogul Steve Wynn made the Dunes implosion a public event broadcast on television, where he even added a fictional story about pirate ships attacking the building. This event set the stage for future implosions, changing how they were perceived in Las Vegas.
The last casino to be demolished on the Strip was the Riviera, which was taken down in 2016 to make room for a convention center. The Tropicana’s fall clears a space for a new $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics, continuing the city’s transformation into a multi-sport hub.
A Glimpse into the Past
With the Tropicana’s demise, only the Flamingo remains as a symbol of Las Vegas’s mob era, although its original structures have long been replaced. The Tropicana was once referred to as the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its extravagance and was a favorite spot of the legendary Rat Pack. It welcomed guests for 67 years before closing in April 2024.
The Tropicana opened with three stories and 300 hotel rooms that were designed in two wings. As Las Vegas expanded over the decades, the Tropicana evolved as well, adding more hotel towers and renovations. One of its notable features was a stunning $1 million green-and-amber stained glass ceiling, added in 1979, which became a beloved part of the casino’s history.
Mob Connections
Despite its glamorous exterior, the Tropicana had connections to organized crime, with one of its early backers being reputed mobster Frank Costello. Following its grand opening, authorities discovered ties to the mob when Costello was shot, revealing a notepad with the Tropicana’s earnings. The casino also found itself involved in a federal investigation linking it to a scheme to **skim millions** from gambling revenues. These incidents only added to the mysterious allure of the Tropicana.
Nostalgia for Old Vegas
While the implosion of the Tropicana brought a festive spirit to the city, it also evoked feelings of nostalgia among many. Visitors had the chance to say their goodbyes earlier this year, with some expressing sadness for the loss of what they described as “Old Vegas.” One tearful guest from New Jersey remarked, “Old Vegas, it’s going,” as he left the once-grand establishment.
As Las Vegas continues to evolve, the Tropicana’s fall adds to a long list of vanished hotels and casinos, including others like the New Frontier, Stardust, and Desert Inn. Each implosion adds a new layer of history to the ever-changing landscape of the city.
