Historic Las Vegas Tropicana Casino Demolished With 2,000 Lbs. Of Explosives To Make Way For A New Baseball Stadium

On October 9, the historic Tropicana Las Vegas hotel, which opened on April 4, 1957, was imploded to make room for a new baseball stadium.

The third-oldest casino on the strip, Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel closed on April 2, just two days before its 67th anniversary to prepare for its demolition. Many Vegas residents have wondered why the implosion could not be held off for two more days to celebrate the building’s last birthday.

General manager and vice president at the Tropicana Arik Knowles said of the decision, “Let’s not think of it as an ending but as the beginning of something even greater.”

The demolition of the building, which took under 30 seconds, required 2,000 pounds of explosives and four miles of detonating cord. The hotel received fireworks and a 555-drone salute show to celebrate its conclusion.

Due to safety reasons, the demolition was an invite-only event with approximately 500 spectators. Surrounding hotels’ room rates in the days before the implosion skyrocketed as people flocked to venues from which the building’s destruction could be viewed at a distance. Mandalay Bay hosted a watch party on the roof, as did many others.

The Major League Baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics, which the Tropicana has made room for, will cost $1.5 billion and is set to occupy roughly nine acres in support of its 30,000-seat stadium.

The Tropicana Las Vegas was featured in many well-known movies, such as 1972’s The Godfather and the fifth season 2003 premiere of the TV show Malcolm In the Middle, as well as Elvis Presley’s 1964 film Viva Las Vegas and the 1971 classic James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The iconic building was commonly known for its ties to the city’s mob era.

Former TV news reporter Steve Crupi, known for frequently covering major Las Vegas implosions, told USA Today that building destructions regularly draw large crowds. He explained, “There’s something magical about implosions… A structure that big being brought down in as little as five seconds? It just seems impossible. And yet they do it with such precision and such artistry that it really is just more than an act of demolition. It’s a work of art.”