close
close

Latest Post

Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings Oct 9, 2024 Box Scores LIVE UPDATES: Hurricane Milton devastates Florida with deadly tornadoes and storm surges

That's all, folks.

The Tropicana Casino, one of Las Vegas' most venerable and historic hotels, suffered major ruin Wednesday when it was demolished to make way for a new Major League Baseball stadium.

According to a press release from Bally's, the infamous mob-era resort was reduced to rubble shortly after 2:30 a.m. in an elaborate and colorful, 22-second controlled implosion involving 555 drones and fireworks to celebrate its longstanding legacy.

The infamous resort was demolished in a controlled implosion on Wednesday. AP

“It's a little sentimental because it's like a part of our neighborhood,” said Louis Gamboa, who lives within walking distance of the Tropicana, according to KVVU.

“But at the same time, I love progress, I love seeing Las Vegas grow.”

The implosion included 555 drones and fireworks. Getty Images for Bally's Corporation and The Athletic

The site, now demolished, will be converted into a $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics and an entertainment complex.

The implosion lasted 22 seconds. AP

The Tropicana opened in 1957 on the legendary Las Vegas Strip as the largest casino in Las Vegas, attracting an elite crowd of high rollers and celebrities, Bally's said.

The three-story building featured 300 rooms divided into two wings and was quickly dubbed the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence, the company added.

A new major league baseball stadium will now be built on the demolished site. Getty Images for Bally's Corporation and The Athletic

The resort experienced two major hotel expansions as Las Vegas developed: the Tiffany Tower opened in 1979 and the Island Tower opened in 1986, Fox News reported.

For more than six decades, it remained an icon on the Strip, with the likes of the Rat Pack and the debut of a risqué show featuring topless feathered showgirls — but it also had close ties to famed gangster Frank Costello, the outlet noted.

The casino was the first to launch a risqué show featuring topless feathered showgirls. AP

Costello was shot in the head weeks after the Tropicana opened in New York, and while he survived, police found a sheet of paper in his coat pocket with the Tropicana's exact earnings figures – underscoring the mob's interest in the casino, it says Report further.

In the 1970s, federal authorities investigating mobsters in Kansas City charged more than a dozen mobsters with conspiring to skim nearly $2 million in gambling revenue from Las Vegas casinos, including the Tropicana.

The Tropicana closed in April, just before its 67th anniversary. AP

Charges related to the Tropicana alone resulted in five convictions.

The casino closed April 2 after welcoming guests for two days 67 years ago.

The resort was also notorious for its ties to the mafia. AP

A's owner John Fisher called Wednesday's implosion – the first in nearly a decade – a major milestone as the baseball association works with Bally's to relocate to Las Vegas.

“Tropicana Las Vegas was one of the Strip's original pioneers, setting the stage for the vibrant, larger-than-life entertainment destination we know and love today,” Soo Kim, chairman of Bally's Corporation, said in a press release.

A $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics and an entertainment complex will be built on the Tropicana site. AP

“It is fitting that this iconic location now represents the future of Las Vegas as we look forward to welcoming Major League Baseball, athletics and an exciting new entertainment complex.”

The Flamingo is now the city's only remaining mob-era casino on the Strip.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *