Tropicana Casino Resort in Las Vegas bids farewell after a 67-year run.
**Tropicana Casino Resort Bids Farewell After Nearly Seven Decades**
The Tropicana Casino Resort, a Las Vegas institution since its founding in 1957, will close its doors permanently on April 2, 2024. The iconic casino, known for its lavish entertainment and ties to Hollywood's Rat Pack, will make way for a new development – a baseball stadium for the Las Vegas A's.
During its illustrious 67-year run, the Tropicana Casino Resort played a significant role in the evolution of the Las Vegas Strip, becoming a premier destination for gaming and entertainment. The casino's heyday in the 1970s saw performances by stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and Debbie Reynolds. Musicians such as Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton also graced the Tropicana's stage with their talents.
The casino's history is not without controversy. In 1957, mafia boss Frank Costello was shot outside his Manhattan apartment, and investigators found a note with casino earnings in his clothing, leading them to believe that it was from the Tropicana. An investigation ensued, revealing that Costello had bribed two resort employees, who were subsequently fired. However, the scandal did little to harm the Tropicana's reputation.
The Tropicana Casino Resort was built when there was nothing but open desert around the Las Vegas Strip. Over the years, the city grew rapidly, with the population increasing from just over 100,000 to over 650,000. A long-time employee who has worked at the Tropicana since 1978 recalls that it used to take only 10 minutes to get to work, but now it takes an hour.
The casino's exquisite design included two hotel towers and a stained-glass ceiling worth 1 million US dollars. In the 1980s, a floating blackjack table was set up in one of the pools, adding to the resort's allure. Some scenes for the film James Bond 007 - Diamonds Are Forever were shot in the Tropicana Casino Resort in 1971.
The Folies Bergère show, imported from Paris, was performed at the Tropicana Casino Resort from 1959 to 2009, and was shown over 29,000 times. The show's closure marked the beginning of the end for the casino, as the growth of the city and the construction of more casinos, including state-of-the-art buildings and casinos that are virtually unmatched in luxury, negatively impacted the Tropicana's business.
Authorities are interested in establishing Las Vegas as a sports city, with the planned construction of a baseball stadium being one of the measures to drive this development. The Tropicana Casino Resort will be demolished, and the stadium will be built in its place by 2025. The casino was imploded on October 9, 2024, marking the end of an era for Las Vegas and the Tropicana Casino Resort.
The Tropicana’s history encapsulates much of the classic Las Vegas story—from mafia ties and celebrity allure to its role in the city's continuous transformation and expansion. As it closes its doors, the Tropicana Casino Resort leaves behind a legacy that will continue to shape Las Vegas for years to come.
| Aspect | Details | |----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Founded | 1957 | | Notable Era | Frequent haunt of the Rat Pack; mafia involvement adds to its historic aura | | Closure Date | April 2, 2024 | | Demolition | October 9, 2024 | | Post-closure Purpose | Site cleared for construction of Las Vegas A’s stadium, opening expected in 2028 | | Influence on Las Vegas| Contributed to the city's growth as a major entertainment and gambling hub on the Strip | | Construction Cost | Approximately 15 million US dollars (13.96 million euros) | | Unique Features | Floating blackjack table in a pool; stained-glass ceiling worth 1 million US dollars (930,000 euros) | | Scandals | Mafia involvement and links to Frank Costello shooting | | Iconic Performances | Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, Gladys Knight, Wayne Newton, and the Folies Bergère show | | Film Appearances | James Bond 007 - Diamonds Are Forever (1971) |
Online casinos in Germany might reminisce about the Tropicana Casino Resort, a historic casino-and-gambling venue in Las Vegas that entertained casino-personalities like Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and Debbie Reynolds. The casino's rich culture, marked by mafia scandals and iconic performances, played a significant role in the casino-and-gambling industry, contributing to the Casino-culture of Las Vegas. Despite its closure in 2024, the Tropicana Casino Resort's legacy will continue to influence Las Vegas, as a new baseball stadium is built on the site, marking the city's ongoing transformation.
