Las Vegas said goodbye to the Tropicana in a spectacular implosion early Wednesday, marking the end of the last true mob building on the Strip. The hotel’s towers collapsed in a dazzling seven-minute ceremony featuring 550 drones and 150 “pyrodrones,” culminating in a fireworks display. This event was the first of its kind in nearly a decade in a city known for transforming its skyline and celebrating new beginnings.
Historian Geoff Schumacher noted that Las Vegas has turned such demolitions into grand spectacles, enhancing their allure. The Tropicana, which closed its doors in April after 67 years in operation, was originally opened in 1957 and was once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip,” frequented by the Rat Pack and entwined with mob history.
The site will soon be replaced by a $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics, reflecting the city’s shift toward becoming a major sports hub. Following the demolition, only the Flamingo will remain on the Strip from the mob era, although much of its original structure was rebuilt in the 1990s.
The Tropicana had undergone several renovations over the years, including the addition of two hotel towers and a renowned stained glass ceiling in 1979. Its past was marked with connections to organized crime, particularly mobster Frank Costello. In an interesting historical twist, the resort also served as the fictional casino for Michael Corleone in 1972’s “The Godfather.”
While there were no public viewing areas for the implosion, fans of the Tropicana expressed their nostalgia prior to its closing, reflecting on the changes in Las Vegas and the disappearance of iconic properties throughout the city.