End of an era.
From April 2nd another classic Las Vegas Casino will close its doors for the final time. The iconic Tropicana, currently the third oldest casino on the strip and the last remaining casino from the 1950s Las Vegas casino building boom, will no longer be a part of the Las Vegas strip.
Opened in 1957, the Tropicana was one of the first casinos to open along the famous Las Vegas Strip. Upon opening, the casino was the most expensive hotel ever constructed in Las Vegas and was considered one of the city’s finest at the time.
In order to adjust to changing tastes and trends, the casino would undergo several renovations over its long history that enhanced the properties offerings. The two large towers that still exist today were added in 1979 and 1986 were known as the paradise and club tower respectively. The casino’s tropical/island theme would remain fairly consistent throughout its history with subtle changes made over the years.
During the 1990s, the Tropicana became part of one of the busiest intersections in the world with the construction of the MGM Grand, New York, New York, and Excalibur. With the construction of these three casinos, the intersection of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard would house 12,536 hotel rooms, the most of any intersection in the world.
The Tropicana was also known for its iconic shows, most notably Folies Bergere, a classic Las Vegas style revue that ran for almost 50 years before closing in 2009. Folies Bergere’s run at the Tropicana remains the longest running show in Las Vegas to this day.
Another popular feature at the Tropicana was the 395 m2 stained glass ceiling that covered the casino floor. Installed in 1979 at a cost of $1 million dollars, the ceiling was a first for a Las Vegas casino and would go on to influence the aesthetic of casino design in the city.
The casino was also a popular filming location with many films and television shows using the hotel as a filming location. The Tropicana made notable appearances in The Godfather, Viva Las Vegas and Diamonds Are Forever, James Bond’s hotel of choice during his only visit to Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, in early 2024, the decision was made to demolish the Tropicana in order to build a baseball stadium for the soon-to-be-relocated Oakland Athletics. The Tropicana, like many other classic Las Vegas casinos that have disappeared, has fallen victim to the city’s constant need for change. If a casino like the Tropicana has been located in any other city of the United States it would have been listed as a historic landmark. However, in Las Vegas history seems to mean very little, as much of what made the city famous in the first place continues to disappear.
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