THE TROPICANA Hotel’s decades-long Las Vegas reign is coming to an end.
The Las Vegas, Nevada staple is closing after 67 years in business.
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Why is Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas closing?
As NPR reported, the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas is closing to make room for a new MLB stadium.
According to the outlet, the hotel will be demolished later in 2024 to “make way” for the stadium that is anticipated to home the Oakland A’s beginning in 2028.
In November 2023, the baseball team announced they would relocate from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas, per NPR.
The well-known resort “was the most expensive resort that had ever been built in the city” when it opened on Las Vegas Boulevard in 1957, according to NPR.
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“Glamorous and ritzy, the Tropicana was then Las Vegas’ crème de la crème, advertised as the ‘Tiffany of the Strip,'” the publication continues.
“For decades, the resort hosted the city’s longest-running show, the Folies Bergère cabaret, with its iconic feathered showgirls.
“There were rumors of mob connections. Among its most famous guests was James Bond; the film Diamonds Are Forever was set in part at the resort.”
Michael Green, an author and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who specializes in the city’s history, said the hotel “was considered incredibly luxurious,” in its prime, per NPR.
According to the outlet, the Tropicana’s Blue Room venue “was the stage for many of jazz’s greatest musicians during the 1960s,” and the magicians Siegfried and Roy “made their Las Vegas debut” at the resort.
However, the once-thriving hotel has since “fallen out of fashion.”
After shifting ownership multiple times, it sold for $308 million in 2022 “as its most profitable competitors, like the Wynn and the Bellagio, regularly generate more than a billion dollars each year in revenue.”
“One of the things we’ve had to reconcile with ourselves still is that people do not come to the Strip looking for that past. They come here looking for all the bells and whistles that tourists look for these days,” said Green, per NPR.
“It speaks to how Las Vegas has really just become a lot like anywhere else, truthfully,” he also said.
“When the Tropicana opened, this was the only state in the country where you could legally gamble in a casino. Today, almost every state has some form of gambling. Betting on sports is legal.”
When will Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas officially close?
The Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas will officially close on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
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Per KLAS 8 News Now, the hotel’s owner announced that the demolition will begin in October 2024.
“Our team felt that this was the right time, post the peak season, to prepare to close the Trop,” Bally’s Corporation Chairman Soo Kim said.
“It’s been in the works 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.”
“The gaming floor will close at 3 a.m. on April 2, with food and beverage departments shutting down by noon as the last hotel guests leave,” Bally’s website states.
“Preparations to demolish Tropicana Las Vegas will begin shortly after. Following demolition, approximately 9 acres will be granted to the Athletics to construct their proposed 30,000-seat MLB stadium.”
Who owns Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas?
Gaming, betting, and entertainment company Bally’s Corporation owns Las Vegas’ Tropicana Hotel.
Per NPR, Bally’s purchased the resort for $308 million in 2022.
“Bally’s Corporation is one of the world’s leading entertainment companies, with millions of players spread across digital gaming platforms and traditional casino venues,” its website states.
“Recognized for our innovation, energy, and dedication to creating thrilling gaming experiences, we were born to entertain!”