Farewell to the Golden Age Casino - A Glance at Its Vibrant Past as Its Remaining Structures are Razed
After 67 years of operation, the iconic Tropicana Las Vegas casino closed its doors on April 2, 2024, and was subsequently demolished by implosion on October 9, 2024. The site is now being transformed into a major new development, centred around a $1.75 billion fixed-roof baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics (A's).
The Tropicana, built by Conquistador Inc. in 1957, was a relic of the Golden Age of Las Vegas casinos. It was known for its opulence and glamour, earning the nickname "Tiffany of the Vegas Strip". The casino was associated with infamous mob boss Frank Costello during its early years and was later owned by "Dandy" Phil Kastel, whose explicit mob associations led to the Nevada Gaming Control Board refusing to license him.
The Tropicana was a popular filming location, featuring in movies such as the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Elvis Presley's Viva Las Vegas (1964), and The Godfather (1972). It was also the venue for Elizabeth Taylor's fourth wedding, where she married singer and actor Eddie Fisher in 1959.
Sammy Davis Jr., a founding member of the Rat Pack, made regular appearances at the Tropicana. In 1972, he purchased an 8% share in the casino, making history as the first black man to own a share in a Las Vegas resort.
The Tropicana's first topless revue, Les Folies Bergere, opened in 1959 and ran for almost 50 years. Joe Agosto, a producer for the Folies Bergere, was convicted in 1983 for his involvement in a money-skimming conspiracy at the casino. Agosto had intended to skim $50,000 from the casino every month, a crime that led to the conviction of all defendants, including Nick Civella, his brother Carl Civella, Carl "Tuffy" DeLuna, and Carl Thomas. Thomas was found guilty of 10 counts of skimming totaling $280,000 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Agosto died of a heart attack while in federal custody before serving his sentence.
Bally's Corporation, the current owners of the land, decided to demolish the Tropicana to make way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium and casino resort. Construction on the 33,000-seat A's Stadium is due to start in the second quarter of 2025, with a completion goal of 2028. The stadium complex will provide 2,500 on-site parking spots and a three-acre plaza.
Beyond the ballpark, plans from Ballyβs Corporation include a multiphased casino-resort development surrounding the stadium. This new resort is expected to feature three hotel towers with over 3,000 rooms, integrating with the stadium complex. The initial construction phases of the resort are hoped to coincide with the stadium construction, targeting an April 2028 opening for the ballpark.
In summary, the former Tropicana site is being replaced by a sports and entertainment destination integrated with a major casino-resort complex. The ballpark itself will cover nine of the 35-acre Tropicana site, while the remaining area will include the new casino and hotel resort. The specifics of the resort have not yet been revealed. This redevelopment marks a dramatic transformation of the iconic Tropicana site.
The iconic Tropicana site, previously home to a legendary Las Vegas casino, is now being transformed into a sports and entertainment destination, encompassing a $1.5 billion fixed-roof baseball stadium. The closed Tropicana Casino, synonymous with casino games and gambling in its prime, will make way for a new casino-resort complex. The stadium, scheduled to start construction in 2025, will eventually become a venue for casino-and-gambling activities, much like its predecessor that attracted gamblers from around the world.
