LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Another chapter in Las Vegas history is set to close whenever the Tropicana permanently closes its doors on April 2.
The casino opened on April 4, 1957. Miami hotel owner Ben Jaffe, who was part-owner of the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, owned the land the Tropicana sat on but Conquistador Inc. built and operated the resort.
According to The Mob Museum, the Conquistador’s owner was “Dandy” Phil Kastel, who has previously been partners with Frank Costello, one of the most infamous gangsters in the U.S.
Nevada’s state gaming agency originally refused to issue a license to Kastel but Jaffe convinced J.K. Houssels to take control of the casino, which allowed plans to move forward.
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The Tropicana was built for $15 million and was nicknamed “the Tiffany of the Strip”.
Opening Night marked the stage debut of Eddie Fisher and the Theater Restaurant featured nearly three dozen dancers and original songs.
Harold Filan/AP
The Tropicana is the third-oldest hotel on the Strip, behind the Flamingo and the Sahara. It’s also one of the smallest with 1,470 rooms. It’s the 34th largest hotel in Las Vegas by number of rooms.
In December 1959, the long-running topless show Folies Bergere opened.
Entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin saw the show. Folies Bergere cast members were also featured in Elvis Presley’s film “Viva Las Vegas”. A scene was filmed in Tropicana’s Fountain Theatre and the movie was released in 1964.
The show also helped launch the careers of other Vegas entertainers. For example, Siegfried and Roy’s first show in Las Vegas was at Folies Bergere and Lance Burton was a magician there from 1982 to 1991.
The final show was on March 28, 2009.
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Davis Jr. also made history at the Tropicana. He purchased an 8% interest in the casino and became the first Black person to ever own a share in a major Las Vegas Strip hotel.
After leaving the Sands Hotel, he said the Tropicana would open a new nightclub called the Superstar Room where he would perform.
“I was maybe the first cat to get a chance and so I jumped at it,” he told the New York Times in 1972. “Maybe it’ll open some doors for somebody else.”
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Robbie Knievel also made a record-breaking motorcycle jump outside of the hotel in 1998.
He reached 231 feet as he jumped over a row of limousines.
JEFF SCHEID/AP
The Tropicana also hosted “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition: and “Bodies: The Exhibition” in 2005 and 2006 before they both closed in 2008. Both exhibitions crossed the street and opened at the Luxor.
Other movies and TV shows that filmed at the Tropicana include the Las Vegas sequence of The Godfather, a 1978 episode of Charlie’s Angels, a two-part episode of Designing Women, and the fifth season premiere of Malcolm in the Middle. When Let’s Make A Deal was revived in 2009, half of the first season was filmed at the Tropicana before moving to Los Angeles.
According to the Tropicana’s website, the last day of hotel occupancy will be on April 1 and the doors are expected to close on April 2. Bally’s released the following statement to the Las Vegas community.
“Thank you for 67 years of unforgettable memories and unwavering support. We are immensely grateful to you, our loyal guests, dedicated team members, and the vibrant city of Las Vegas for your role in making Tropicana Las Vegas an iconic destination.”
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Plans continue to move forward for a new A’s ballpark on the site. A hotel/casino is also expected to be located on the property. However, those renderings haven’t been released by Bally’s.
On Thursday, Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim said the company is looking to demolish the casino in October and sent Channel 13 the following statement.
“Our team felt that this was the right time, post the peak season, to prepare to close the Trop. It’s been in the workds for some time. This gives plenty of time to ready the place for the redevelopment and the start of construction to prepare for the demolition in October.”
Bally’s officials said they are planning to turn the site over to the A’s in April 2025.