LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The historic Tropicana Hotel & Casino is gone. Now that the dust is settling on its implosion, crews are working to clean up all of the debris.
What exactly is going to happen with all that debris?
I spoke with the Senior Project Manager at GGG Demolition, Vince Gutierrez, to get those answers for you. Gutierrez was part of the implosion team and is now the head of the clean-up crews.
He told me they're expecting the process to take about three to four months to sort through and remove all of the debris — plus the Tropicana's foundation, which is still in the ground.
“We can see the cleanup from our hotel room," said Lettice Lagurre, who is visiting Las Vegas from Atlanta. "It’s unfortunate that they had to pull those buildings down."
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Lagurre and her family said they were amazed at what the implosion left behind.
“I definitely saw it each time that I visited and I remembered something familiar was there, I was telling my niece," Lagurre said.
In place of the historic hotel and casino are now just piles of rubble.
“Concrete. There’s roughly 130,000 to 140,000 tons as I recall," said Gutierrez. “I know we’re going to have upwards of 1,000 loads of steel and rebar.”
Debris that Gutierrez and his team have to now go through and remove. He said the debris will not go to waste though. About 98% of it will be recycled.
He said the debris will be turned into base to use in roadways and some used for construction projects across our valley.
Lagurre hopes some of the recyclables can be used in the making of the new ballpark and entertainment resort as a way to honor the Tropicana.
“That would be nice if they could just dedicate one area just to be donated, to the debris, that would be nice and you could come in and see it, make it like a little museum," Lagurre said.
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Gutierrez told me the famous Tropicana stained glass ceiling is still safely stored away. While he's not working on the new builds, he did hint the glass might reappear in the future.
He also said along with removing the debris and foundation, they will have to re-pack the soil filling in any holes from the clean-up and foundation removal.
They will then have to inspect the property and soil to make sure it's ready for the new construction.
Bally's Corporation said construction on the new ballpark is expected to start in Spring 2025.
You can watch the full implosion here
