LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Next Wednesday morning, what’s left of the iconic Tropicana Las Vegas resort-casino will be imploded.
Theimplosion is set for 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 9, and the spectacle is expected to attract hundreds of people eager to witness the hotel’s last moments.
“It really has been one of the properties that just went from one era to the next, then went to the corporate era and survived all the way up until this year,” said David G. Schwartz, a gaming historian at UNLV.
Known for its distinctive architecture and lush landscaping, the Tropicana became a symbol of Las Vegas's evolution from a desert getaway to a global entertainment capital.
This drone video shows what the Tropicana looks like a week before it's scheduled to be imploded:
Tropicana would be the first resort imploded on the Las Vegas Strip since 2016, when the three Riviera hotel towers were brought down. Before that, two resorts were imploded six months apart in 2007: New Frontier and Stardust.
“This is part of Vegas history. The fact that Las Vegas has always been changing, especially the Strip,” Schwartz said.
This latest demolition is particularly significant because it paves the way for a new chapter on Tropicana's prime real estate. The land is set to be transformed into a Major League Baseball ballpark.
“The Tropicana really is a casino that shows the whole history of casinos in Vegas, and it is very fitting that it’s being torn down to make way, possibly, for a baseball stadium, so it shows the evolution, you know, from gambling, to resorts, to sports,” Schwartz said.
As the countdown to the implosion continues, Las Vegas locals and visitors alike are reminded that while the Tropicana may soon vanish from the skyline, its legacy will live on.
The demolition sequence will start with the Paradise Tower, followed by the Club Tower. Both structures are expected to collapse approximately 22 seconds after the implosion button is pressed.
The Tropicana will take its final bow with a drone and fireworks display, but people will not be able to watch the implosion in person. Bally’s Entertainment says because of safety reasons, the area surrounding the property will be closed off.
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