Earth-Rattling Destructions: Most Memorable Demolitions in Las Vegas's Past

The glamour and allure of Las Vegas have been marked by the rise and fall of numerous iconic hotels over the years. From the opening of the Stardust Resort & Casino in 1958, with its 1,000 hotel rooms, to the recent closure of the Tropicana Las Vegas, these establishments have left an indelible mark on the city's skyline.

In April of this year, the Tropicana Las Vegas, a symbol of glitz and glamour in the 1950s, closed its doors. The property was purchased by Bally's Corporation in 2022 for $308m, and demolition was scheduled for May of 2023. The Tropicana's implosion attracted approximately 200,000 spectators, who watched the spectacle from the Strip.

The Tropicana's implosion was not the first nor the last in Las Vegas' history. On October 27, 1993, the Dune Hotel & Casino was imploded, marking the first spectacle of a Las Vegas landmark's destruction. The Dune's implosion utilized 650 pounds of dynamite, with black rifle powder and 600 gallons of aviation fuel.

Another notable implosion was that of the Hacienda Hotel Resort & Casino, which was 40 years old at the time of its implosion on New Year's Eve of 1997. The Hacienda was imploded to make way for MGM Resorts International's Mandalay Bay. The Hacienda's implosion was broadcast live on the FOX network and attracted 300,000 people.

The Landmark Hotel & Casino met a similar fate after the Dune Hotel & Casino, and its implosion was used in Tim Burton's Mars Attack. The Landmark's implosion used 100 pounds of dynamite placed in certain locations throughout the first four floors of the tower. The Landmark was cleared to make way for a 21-acre parking lot to be used by the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Stardust Resort & Casino, which opened in 1958, was once the biggest hotel in Las Vegas. It held the record as the tallest building to ever be imploded on the Strip, with a height of 32 stories, until its implosion on March 13, 2007.

Unfortunately, not all demolished hotels found new life. The New Frontier Hotel & Casino site was sold to Israeli investors for $1.24bn in 2007, but the planned resort was never realized. The New Frontier Hotel & Casino tower, which opened in 1931, was imploded in November 2007 after being closed in May of that year.

As these iconic hotels fall, new projects rise. Bally's Corporation plans to demolish the Tropicana Las Vegas in early 2023 to build a 30,000-seat baseball stadium for the MLB team Oakland Athletics. Wynn Resorts purchased the site of the former New Frontier Casino in 2018, but has not yet announced plans for the site.

The demolition of these hotels serves as a reminder of the ever-changing landscape of Las Vegas, where the allure of the city's glitz and glamour continues to draw crowds, even as the buildings that once defined it crumble away.