The iconic Las Vegas casino Tropicana is set to be demolished this fall to make room for a fancy major league baseball stadium. While that is probably exciting news for Sin City, it saddens me to think all that history will be gone.
Just over 12 hours until the Tropicana is permanently closed and it is packed. pic.twitter.com/lPNKbZVSmG
— Las Vegas Issues (@VegasIssues) April 2, 2024
The new sports stadium is not the first to be built on the strip in recent years. Construction started on Allegiant Stadium, the new home for the Las Vegas Raiders, in 2017. This new venue opened in the summer of 2020.
Allegiant Stadium
Funny enough, Allegiant Stadium was first proposed to be built on the Tropicana site, but Southwest Airlines objected. I wonder what changed their minds about this new baseball stadium.
The viability of the Tropicana Avenue site was called into serious question in June 2016, when Southwest Airlines objected to the location because its proximity to the northern end of one of Harry Reid International Airport’s runways could negatively affect the safety and capacity of air traffic at the airport.[33] The list of potential locations soon expanded to nine candidates, including the sites of the Wild Wild West casino, the Wynn golf course, the Riviera casino, the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, and Cashman Center.[34] By September, the list was narrowed to two possibilities: the Bali Hai Golf Club, south of Mandalay Bay, and a vacant lot on Russell Road, just west of Interstate. – wikipedia
The Gent and I have been to Vegas three times: once for vacation, the second time for our son’s wedding, and the last time we went for Christmas. I believe we briefly walked through the casino portion of the Tropicana during one visit. I remember it being small and old compared to the Bellagio and Mandalay Bay.
The funny thing about going to Vegas that first time is that I didn’t even want to go. Vegas was never on my bucket list of places to visit. I thought it was really never my scene. But my gosh, once we landed on the strip, I fell in love instantly.
Still, I can only imagine what it was like in its glory days. The Tropicana opened in April 1957 and was the most expensive Las Vegas resort built then. It was on 35 acres at the southeast corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard.
For decades, it was associated with glitz and glamor; it frequently hosted A-list stars in its showroom – from Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds to Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. – and was the hotel that James Bond chose in the popular 1971 flick Diamonds Are Forever. – The Daily Mail
We just finished a stint where we watched all the James Bond movies in the order they were made. It was a spectacular experience, and I suggest you do the same.
Sidenote: If you visit Vegas, take the time to visit and tour the Mob Museum. I lost myself in real-life stories and how Vegas became the World’s Gambling Capital.
THE FEATHERED SHOWGIRLS OF THE TROPICANA
On Christmas Eve in 1959, the Tropicana debuted “Folies Bergere,” a topless revue imported from Paris and featuring what is now one of the most recognizable Las Vegas icons: the feathered showgirl.
During its nearly 50-year run, “Folies Bergere” featured elaborate costumes and stage sets, original music that at one time was played by a live orchestra, line dancers, magic shows, acrobats and comedy.
The cabaret was featured in the 1964 Elvis Presley film “Viva Las Vegas.” Magicians Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn got their start in the show, as did Lance Burton.
The final curtain fell in March 2009 amid the Great Recession. – AP News
It makes me sad to see buildings like this destroyed. Why couldn’t someone spend the money to restore them to their glory days instead? I guess baseball is more important.
A New Neon City?
Hey, here’s an idea. Let’s build a new Neon City, just not in Mississippi. When I say build a new Neon City, I mean replicate Vegas even if it’s smaller. Can we do that, is that even possible? I want the good ole days of Vegas. Or at least the good ole days they portray in the movies.
While Tunica is no substitute for Vegas, The Gent and I still make weekend getaway trips there. It’s a place in Robinsville, Mississippi, which was supposed to be the Las Vegas of the South. I have no earthly idea why they chose Robinsville, Mississippi.
Everything is spread out over several fields and farms of cotton. It is not conducive to tourists who want an easy and convenient experience. The venture didn’t work out. There was once several hotels, resorts, and casinos, most of them have shut down. Only a handful still stand and operate. We go to the Gold Strike.
And yes, we all know that Fremont Street is the original Vegas. Fremont Street, the old Strip, was paved in 1925 as the downtown area developed. The ban on gambling was lifted in 1931, which would later spark a massive casino development movement in downtown and what would later be known as the Strip. – The D Las Vegas
Now I will make a list of movies to watch that were filmed in or centered around Vegas.
Good bye Tropicana.
Read more about the Tropicana from the USA Today.
Feature Image: Brian/Flickr/Retro Las Vegas early 1960s Tropicana hotel postcard/CC BY-NC 2.0
