End Of A Las Vegas Era: Time For Tropicana's Final Goodbye

It’s about to go down in a big, dramatic, but super-fast way! 

The time has come to say your last goodbyes to the iconic TropicanaLas Vegasas the ground is being prepared for a brand new state-of-the-art Major League Baseball stadium - a new home for the Oakland Athletics. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 2:30 a.m. (tonight), what’s left of the Trop is going down, and in under 30 seconds. 

The demolition of the Tropicana’s two 22-story towers will take place at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The implosion will bring down 917,400 square feet with nearly 500 pounds of explosives. This is going to be the first Vegas casino implosion since 2016 when the Riviera’s Monte Carlo tower was brought down. 

Before the Tropicana’s big finale, there will be a drone and fireworks show to send off the iconic property in only a way Vegas can.

The beloved hotel that’s stood strong on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip for 67 years is being brought down to make room for the Oakland A’s $1.5 billion ballpark. The stadium will sit on 9 acres of the 35-acre site. There are plans to build a new resort on the remaining acres in the future. 

Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that while the Tropicana had it’s “heyday, it’s time for something new to breathe life into the busy intersection.” 

“It’s been kind of a tire property to operate in the last decade, maybe more than the last decade,” he said. “This is an awfully exciting opportunity for the landowner (Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc.) and Bally’s, to take a hard look at what is next. I think anchoring whatever is there with the A’s stadium, it sounds, to somebody who is not in that business, like a really good idea.” 

The festivities will begin with a drone and fireworks show, before the big moment happens at 2:30 a.m. 

“It’s going to be a milestone, in both a farewell to the Tropicana and what it meant for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada and the Strip and also to look forward to our incredible ballpark that we’re going to be building on the Strip,” A’s President Dave Kaval told the Review-Journal.

“It’s going to be a really fun night and a great way to showcase the project and build the momentum for the future opening in 2028.” 

KLAS reported that 150 “Pyrodrones” will shoot sparks 400 feet above the Tropicana before the demolition. There will be 550 LED drones and 150 Pyrodrones, as well as fireworks, before saying the last goodbyes to the 67-year-old building. 

Construction on the new ballpark is set to begin in the second quarter of 2025 and will be completed in time for the 2028 MLB season. 

Just two days shy of its 67th anniversary of opening, the Tropicana closed its doors for the final time in early April. 

With so many amazing memories in the walls of the long-standing casino/hotel, an Instagram post earlier this year (that has since been deleted) shared that they are partnering with a few local places to keep some of the memories alive and well for all to continue to enjoy.

“Tropicana Las Vegas is collaborating with esteemed institutions such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the Neon Museum, and the Showgirl Museum to preserve the heritage and items of sentimental value within the Tropicana. Through these partnerships, we will be able to document and showcase the unique history and cultural impact of Tropicana Las Vegas,” the post shared earlier this year reads. 

Standing tall on the south side of the world-famous Strip for 67 years means there’s tons of history and memories to reflect on. 

The Tropicana was featured in the 1971 film “Diamonds are Forever” when James Bond stayed in a suite at the hotel. The hotel was also a frequent haunt of the legendary Rat Pack and offers tons of mob history. 

At its height, the hotel hosted A-list performers often, including Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and many other well-known names. 

The Tropicana was home to the city’s longest-running show, “Folies Bergere,” the topless review that had a nearly 50-year run. 

The Tropicana's Instagram page has been revamped since closing the doors for the last time in April. Now only a few posts remain that are all about the memories the popular hotel/casino holds for many. Many have dropped into the comments to share some of their own fondest memories.

"Special place in my heart for Tropicana. Got married at the island of Las Vegas May 2007, celebrated with Trop from age 20 to 60th Birthday May 2023. Thx for the beautiful, amazing memories," one person wrote.

Another added, "This was my wedding venue…during hurricane Hillary…and we had a little Tropicana surprise nine months later."

One other wrote, "Out home away from home for more than 35 years…will cherish the memories of our 3 generations together here throughout those years… the Trop was good to us."

Do you have a memory of the Tropicana you would like to share? Email me!