This mob-era casino is closing on the Las Vegas Strip. Here's some big moments in its 67 years
The Tropicana Las Vegas has been a familiar landmark in a city known for constant reinvention since its grand opening in April 1957
LAS VEGAS — From its lavish opening in 1957 on a Las Vegas Boulevard surrounded by wide-open desert, to its sleepier years amid a boom in megaresorts, the Tropicana Las Vegas has been a familiar landmark home to colorful events in a city known for constant reinvention.
Now the Strip’s third-oldest casino is set to shut its doors for good at noon Tuesday, with demolition slated for October to make room for a $1.5 billion Major League Baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics — part of Las Vegas’ latest rebrand as a hub for sports entertainment.
Take a look back on some key moments in the Tropicana's vibrant history.
Before it opened on April 4, 1957, a sign erected at the Tropicana's construction site on a dusty Las Vegas Boulevard teased that a “desert oasis” was coming.
When the Tropicana finally arrived, it was the most expensive and lavish casino on the Strip. Local newspaper reports from the time say more than 12,500 people attended the grand opening.
Nicknamed the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence, the Tropicana cost $15 million to build. It was three stories with 300 rooms split into two wings, creating a footprint shaped like the letter “Y."
Each room had a balcony. Between the resort’s wings was a half-moon pool surrounded by lush landscaping and towering palm trees.
A 60-foot (18-meter) tulip fountain greeted guests at the front when they arrived. Flags from different countries lined the casino's entrance. There were mosaic tiles and mahogany-paneled walls throughout.
Later, the Tropicana underwent two major hotel expansions: The Tiffany Tower opened in 1979 with
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