Las Vegas bids farewell to mob-era Tropicana casino in implosion
By Jack Aylmer (Anchor/Reporter), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)
Las Vegas has said goodbye to one of its last mob-era landmarks, with the Tropicana, the third oldest casino on the Las Vegas Strip, reduced to rubble in a 22-second implosion. The towers crumbled in a celebration complete with fireworks, marking the city’s first major demolition in nearly a decade.
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Tropicana implosion in Las Vegas: After 67 years, Rat Pack-era Strip resort falls
Click to see story on USA TodayLas Vegas casino demolished in the most Las Vegas way possible
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Click to see story on abc11 RaleighTropicana implosion paves way for proposed site of A’s Las Vegas stadium
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Click to see story on abc 7 NYTropicana implosion brings down iconic Vegas hotel: WATCH
Click to see story on WNYWTropicana hotel implosion marks the end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip
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Las Vegas has a history of turning demolitions into spectacles, according to Geoff Schumacher, historian and vice president at the Mob Museum. This time, the implosion cleared the way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium, part of Las Vegas’ new role as a sports hub.
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With the Tropicana gone, only the Flamingo remains from the mob era on the Strip, though its original structures were replaced long ago. Once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip,” and a Rat Pack favorite, the Tropicana opened in 1957 and had ties to organized crime.
Mobster Frank Costello was linked to the casino’s early days, and authorities later uncovered a skimming operation that led to multiple convictions.
Jack Aylmer
LAS VEGAS SAID GOODBYE TO ONE OF ITS LAST MOB-ERA LANDMARKS.
THE TROPICANA, THE THIRD-OLDEST CASINO ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP, WAS REDUCED TO RUBBLE IN AN 22-SECOND IMPLOSION JUST BEFORE DAWN.
THE TOWERS CRUMBLED IN A CELEBRATION COMPLETE WITH FIREWORKS, MARKING THE CITIES FIRST MAJOR DEMOLITION IN NEARLY A DECADE.
LAS VEGAS HAS A HISTORY OF TURNING DEMOLITIONS INTO SPECTACLES, ACCORDING TO GEOFF SCHUMACHER, HISTORIAN AND VICE PRESIDENT AT THE MOB MUSEUM.
THIS TIME, THE IMPLOSION CLEARS THE WAY FOR A ONE-POINT-FIVE-BILLION-DOLLAR BASEBALL STADIUM, PART OF LAS VEGAS’ NEW ROLE AS A SPORTS HUB.
WITH THE TROPICANA GONE, ONLY THE FLAMINGO REMAINS FROM THE MOB ERA ON THE STRIP, THOUGH ITS ORIGINAL STRUCTURES WERE REPLACED LONG AGO.
ONCE KNOWN AS THE “TIFFANY OF THE STRIP,” AND A RAT PACK FAVORITE, THE TROPICANA OPENED IN 19-57 BUT ALSO HAD TIES TO ORGANIZED CRIME.
MOBSTER FRANK COSTELLO WAS LINKED TO THE CASINO’S EARLY DAYS, AND AUTHORITIES LATER UNCOVERED A SKIMMING OPERATION THAT LED TO MULTIPLE CONVICTIONS.
FANS HAD A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE WHEN THE CASINO CLOSED BACK N APRIL AFTER 67-YEARS.
FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Tropicana implosion in Las Vegas: After 67 years, Rat Pack-era Strip resort falls
Click to see story on USA TodayLas Vegas casino demolished in the most Las Vegas way possible
Click to see story on Metro NewsLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with a flashy casino implosion
Click to see story on Coast ReporterLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc 6 PhiladelphiaLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc 13 HoustonLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc11 RaleighTropicana implosion paves way for proposed site of A’s Las Vegas stadium
Click to see story on abc 7 NewsLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc30 NewsLas Vegas bids farewell to Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on NBC Bay AreaLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc 7 ChicagoLas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc 7 LALas Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy implosion
Click to see story on abc 7 NYTropicana implosion brings down iconic Vegas hotel: WATCH
Click to see story on WNYWTropicana hotel implosion marks the end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip
Click to see story on KTNVRight
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