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![\"Scott](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/vitalvegas\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/author-logo-lg-88x88.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n By Scott Roeben<\/a>, on August 26 2024 <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Tropicana finally has an implosion date: Oct. 9, 2024 at 2:30 a.m. (or late night on Oct. 8).<\/p>\n
We almost said \u201cmuch-anticipated,\u201d but it doesn\u2019t really feel that way. The closure of Tropicana barely caused a ripple in the Vegas zeitgeist, the reaction to the implosion date has been pretty much the same: Meh. You know, an anti-climax, something with which we are definitely not familiar.<\/p>\n
That said, the implosion of what\u2019s left of Tropicana (the majority of the demolition has already been done) is the first big Vegas implosion in nearly a decade, so let\u2019s make some boom, already.<\/p>\n Both the Tropicana towers will be brought down at the same time, the 22-story Tropicana Club tower and 22-story Paradise Tower.<\/p>\n The last Las Vegas casino implosion was August 16, 2016, when the final tower of the Riviera came down. Implosions have fallen out of favor in recent years, with demolition companies preferring to dismantle buildings instead.<\/p>\n Despite happening at 2:30 a.m., the Trop implosion will be accompanied by the requisite hoopla, including a drone and fireworks display.<\/p>\n Why is the Tropicana being imploded at 2:30 a.m.? Several reasons. While hoopla is part of the experience, the early morning timing has to do with minimizing disruption.<\/p>\n The Trop is very near the airport, so there\u2019s that. There are myriad safety factors involved with an implosion (asbestos has been mitigated, but there\u2019s still debris and dust clouds involved), so the smaller the crowd, the better. And don\u2019t get us started about traffic snarls.<\/p>\n Yeah, sort of a mixed message. This is mostly for the media, not the general public. This is a lot about P.R.<\/p>\n The Tropicana implosion is being presented as a joint \u201ccommemorative event\u201d with the A\u2019s and Bally\u2019s Corporation, operator of the Tropicana.<\/p>\n Both these entities have made some big promises for what\u2019s next on the Tropicana site, but skepticism abounds.<\/p>\n Neither entity has shown they have the financial wherewithal to fund their whimsical projects.<\/p>\n The A\u2019s confirmed they have no financing<\/a> for a ballpark in July 2024.<\/p>\n Bally\u2019s Corp. made headlines by being acquired<\/a> by its largest stockholder, Standard General, but that has zero to do with financing a Las Vegas resort. There was a glimmer of hope when Gaming and Leisure Properties (the owner of the Tropicana land) agreed to pay for a Bally\u2019s project<\/a> in Chicago, but to put it in plain English, Bally\u2019s is tapped out.<\/p>\n Essentially, they\u2019re paving Paradise Tower to put up a parking lot.<\/p>\n The plan, even prior to the A\u2019s debacle, was the demolish Tropicana. It has always struggled, and it was time to bid the old girl farewell.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an overview of Las Vegas casino demolitions.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/vitalvegas\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/tropicana_demolition-845x563.jpg\"\/)