Las Vegas recently bid farewell to the iconic Tropicana casino in a spectacular demolition. As dawn approached, the last true mob-era building on the Las Vegas Strip was reduced to rubble in a dramatic display, complete with fireworks. This demolition marked the first implosion in nearly a decade for a city that thrives on reinvention, where the destruction of old casinos is as much a tradition as gambling itself.
Geoff Schumacher, historian and vice president of exhibits at the Mob Museum, noted, “Las Vegas has always turned these implosions into spectacles, in classic Vegas style.” This transformation of demolitions into public events began in 1993 when casino mogul Steve Wynn orchestrated the implosion of the Dunes. Wynn’s innovative approach included televising the event and creating a storyline that involved pirate ships at his other casino firing at the Dunes, setting a precedent for future demolitions.
The Tropicana’s implosion paves the way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium, set to become the new home for the relocating Oakland Athletics. As Las Vegas shifts its focus to sports and entertainment, only the Flamingo remains from the city’s mob era, though its original structures were rebuilt in the 1990s.
The Tropicana, which opened in 1957, was once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence and was a favorite spot of the Rat Pack. Despite numerous renovations over the years, the low-rise hotel wings that were part of the original structure survived, making it the last authentic mob-connected building on the Strip. The casino’s ties to organized crime were exposed when reputed mobster Frank Costello’s connection to the Tropicana was revealed in the 1950s.
As the casino doors closed in April, many long-time fans, like Joe Zappulla, expressed nostalgia. “Old Vegas, it’s going,” he said, reflecting on the end of an era. The Tropicana’s legacy, entwined with glitz, glamour, and a touch of mob intrigue, will forever be a part of Las Vegas history.
