And there she goes, folks!
The historic Tropicana Las Vegas went down in a cloud of dust during an implosion event that was Vegas style to the very end. It included fireworks and a drone show as the property was cleared to make way for the A’s ballpark and Bally’s Entertainment Resort.
It happened at 2:30 a.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
“Bally’s is honored to have been part of this historic moment, bidding farewell to the iconic Tropicana,” said Soo Kim, chairman of Bally’s Corporation. “As we celebrate its legacy, we look ahead to building a world-class entertainment resort, the future home of the Athletics, and reinforcing Las Vegas as the ultimate sports and entertainment capital.”
“The demolition of the Tropicana is an important milestone in the process of bringing A’s baseball to the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip and the community of Southern Nevada,” said John Fisher, owner of the A’s. “We hope that, in time, this site will become a place of unforgettable experiences for fans of the game. We extend our gratitude to Bally’s and GLPI for their partnership as we embark on this project together.”
The last remaining casino of its era on the Las Vegas Strip, the implosion of the Tropicana’s two 22-story towers, totaling 917,400 square feet, involved a total of 22,000 lineal feet of detonating cord. The structural steel-framed Paradise Tower featured 220 cut-point locations loaded with 490 pounds of explosives, while the reinforced concrete-framed Club Tower had 1,130 boreholes filled with 1,700 pounds of explosives. The implosion was facilitated by Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) and GGG Demolition, both leaders in large-scale implosions.
Ahead of the detonation, a ceremony honored the Tropicana, while looking ahead to the future of the site. Speakers included Bally’s Corporation Chairman Soo Kim, Athletics owner, John Fisher, Tropicana Las Vegas General Manager & Vice President of Hospitality Strategy Arik Knowles, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Steve Hill and Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson.
Following the ceremony and ahead of the detonation, the Tropicana was celebrated with a spectacular 555-drone and fireworks display, created by acclaimed visual creator Fireworks by Grucci.
The Tropicana Las Vegas, often referred to as “The Trop,” had been a cornerstone of the Las Vegas Strip since its opening in 1957. Developed by Miami-based businessman Ben Jaffe, its luxurious South Beach-inspired architecture and tropical theme set a new standard for opulence, quickly earning it the moniker “The Tiffany of the Strip.” The Tropicana boasted the largest casino in Las Vegas at the time of its opening, drawing in an elite crowd of high-rollers and celebrities.
It remained an iconic fixture on the Strip, representing the evolution of entertainment, luxury and gaming in the city for over six decades. From its Rat Pack-era heyday and the glamorous Folies Bergère to now the future home of the Athletics and a cutting-edge entertainment complex by Bally’s Corporation, the Tropicana’s history reflects the spirit of reinvention and excitement that defines Las Vegas. A full timeline of the history of the Tropicana Las Vegas is here.
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