LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Implosions are a part of the fabric of Las Vegas, just as much as the bright lights and Lady Luck.
One man, perhaps a familiar face to some in this city, has had a front row seat to them all.
"Well after being on TV for so long, people would see me around town and say, 'you're the implosion guy!'" said Steve Crupi.
Steve Crupi, "The Implosion Guy," was a fixture on local TV in the '90s and 2000s, including 10 years on Channel 13.
He's been on the front lines for every major hotel implosion in Las Vegas over the last 30 years and felt called to preserve history unique to Las Vegas in a way only he could.
"I inherited all sorts of video tapes, and to preserve them for the sake of history, I put them all together in a one hour presentation," Crupi said.
From the first major implosion, the Dunes in 1993, to the latest, the Riviera in 2016, Crupi says each one is special.
"There's an element of magic to it," he said. "The building comes down and it almost doesn't feel real. It's a disappearing act with smoke and fireworks."
WATCH| We asked Crupi what his favorite implosion has been. Here's his answer.
Each one turns decades of memories to dust, and people who grew up in Las Vegas, like Elizabeth Hart, know firsthand how implosions have changed the landscape here.
"You remember how many times you were at that hotel, did you eat at this restaurant," Hart said after the presentation. "It gives you a memory and a little history in your mind. We don't revamp them; we blow them up for something bigger and better."
Crupi's debut presentation couldn't come at a more perfect time, days away from the Tropicana joining the long list of resorts past.
"To be honest with you, I can't wait for them to get rid of the Tropicana," Crupi said. "Not that I didn't like it, but every time they implode something here in Las Vegas, we build something better. I can't wait to see what's next."
Crupi says he'll be donating all of his digitized implosion footage to UNLV and other libraries to ensure history is preserved.
For more information on his presentation, visit Crupi's website.
