Tropicana Las Vegas took its final bow, illuminating the Las Vegas skyline with a drone and fireworks show, followed by a 22-second-long implosion of the Tropicana at 2:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday, October 9. The event marks the next chapter in Las Vegas’ legacy of reinvention: the construction of the (former) Oakland A’s ballpark and an entertainment resort destination in partnership with Bally’s Corporation.
“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 included 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. and GGG Demolition.
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 and Vice President of Hospitality Strategy Arik Knowles; CEO 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 555-drone and fireworks display, created by 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, it had the largest casino in Las Vegas at the time of its opening. It remained an iconic fixture on the Strip for over six decades.
For more information, visit www.ballys.com and www.athletics.com.
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