Bally's Corporation Seeks Extension for Vegas Casino License Amid Tropicana Demolition

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The Bally’s Corporation, caretakers of the historical brilliance that was the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort, find themselves poised on the precipice of a monumental decision. They are set to petition the Clark County Board of Commissioners to extend their gaming license for a period of two years. This significant request will take place during the board’s public session occurring next Tuesday, as was unveiled in a report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The heartrending remnants of the Tropicana’s demolished entrance now shroud the sign that held open its arms in welcome to countless guests over the years, beckoning them to the thrill and allure of the erstwhile establishment.

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The question of whether to honor the request comes with heavy implications, as it would otherwise necessitate the suspension of the casino resort’s license, given its closure on April 2nd. The Tropicana, one of the remaining vestiges of Las Vegas in the days of round glasses and poodle skirts, finds itself currently in the throes of demolition to make room for a state-of-the-art Major League Baseball stadium and all-new casino hotel.

To date, the quintessential parking structure that once played host to hordes of gamblers ready for a night of fun and the shaded entrance at Las Vegas Boulevard have been unceremoniously reduced to piles of rubble and echoes of the past.

According to the outlined closure application, the deadline to completely demolish and clear the site of the former Tropicana is set for April 1, 2025. From that point onwards, the Oakland A’s are scheduled to kick off the construction of their grand design: a mammoth ballpark with a price tag of $1.5 billion and room for 33,000 enthusiastic fans, with its doors to open in 2028 for the baseball season.

The total requested time for the site clearance and development of the stadium caps at three momentous years, composed of an initial two-year period plus much needed extensions.

The Bally’s Corporation remains adamant about their intention to reinvigorate and breathe new life into the scene with a charming resort hotel once construction is complete. However, accomplishing the critical staging of demolition, securing land use permits, and formulating the construction plan for the long-awaited baseball stadium could potentially extend the expected closure duration.

Already, Bally’s ambitious plan to implode the hotel’s twin towers has encountered resistance in the form of asbestos. Following an interior inspection in late 2021, the deadly carcinogen was found lurking within the walls, prompting safety measures and delaying processes before a valuable blasting permit can be issued from Clark County.

Nevertheless, Bally’s CEO, Robeson Reeves, paints an optimistic picture. “We will be demolishing the Tropicana in October,” he confidently announced during Wednesday’s quarterly earnings call.

Furthermore, Bally’s has ensured the preservation of Tropicana’s iconic stained-glass ceiling, enlisting specialists to delicately remove and store the artifact that graced the resort’s casino pit since the 1970s. The future of this historical piece remains undisclosed, leaving us all in anticipation of where it will next cast its colorful glow.