The Tropicana Las Vegas will take its final bow at 2:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, October 9, to make way for a $1.5 billion 30,000-seat baseball stadium expected to be ready in 2028.
“The highly anticipated implosion of the Tropicana will pave the way for the construction of the A’s state-of-the-art ballpark and a world-class entertainment resort destination created in partnership with Bally’s Corporation,” the Oakland organization and Bally’s said in a joint release on Monday.
The implosion of the Tropicana will feature 555 drones and a fireworks display by Fireworks by Grucci.
There will be no public viewing areas of the implosion due to safety restrictions. A livestream of the implosion will be presented by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on X (formerly Twitter) at x.com/lvcva, by Bally Live at ballylive.com, and via the Bally Live app, available for download on all major platforms.
The implosion, held during the Global Gaming Expo week, will also be shown on most major networks’ local affiliates.
“The Tropicana was one of the original pioneers of the Strip, setting the stage for the vibrant entertainment destination we know and love today,” said Soo Kim, chairman of Bally’s Corporation. “It’s fitting that this iconic site now represents the future of Las Vegas as we look forward to welcoming Major League Baseball, the Athletics, and an exciting new entertainment complex.”
Ten acres of the Tropicana property have been earmarked for the domed stadium that will have views of the Strip.
The Tropicana, often referred to as the Trop, has been a cornerstone of the Las Vegas Strip since its opening in 1957. It was developed by Miami-based businessman Ben Jaffe with South Beach-inspired architecture and a tropical theme. It boasted the largest casino in Las Vegas at the time of its opening, drawing an elite crowd of high rollers and celebrities.
“For over six decades, the Tropicana has remained an iconic fixture on the Strip, representing the evolution of entertainment, luxury, and gaming in the city. From its Rat Pack-era heyday and the glamorous Folies Bergère to the future home of the Athletics and a cutting-edge entertainment complex, the Tropicana’s history reflects the spirit of reinvention and excitement that defines Las Vegas,” the statement read.
The implosion is being facilitated by GGG Demolition in coordination with Controlled Demolition, Inc., which has a history of demolishing structures in Clark County.
CDI will take down the Tropicana’s two towers, with a total of 917,400 square feet being demolished. The steel-framed 23-story Paradise Tower will feature 220 cut-point locations loaded with 490 pounds of explosives, while the concrete-framed 23-story Club Tower will have 1,130 boreholes filled with 1,700 pounds of explosives. A total of 22,000 lineal feet of detonating cord will be used for implosion initiation in both structures at the end of the fireworks and drone show. The demolition sequence will start with the Paradise Tower and both structures are expected to collapse approximately 22 seconds after the implosion button is pressed.
Having felled 35 buildings in Clark County since 1993, CDI’s notable projects include the Dunes North Tower, Frontier, Hacienda, Stardust, and Riviera. CDI partnered with the film industry to implode the Landmark Hotel during the production of Hollywood hit, Mars Attacks!
