Iconic Tropicana Casino Closes in Las Vegas
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Vegas landmark shuts down due to upcoming arrival of Oakland Athletics MLB franchise, which is set to relocate to Las Vegas on approximately nine acres of the casino’s property.
One of the most famous casinos in Las Vegas officially closed its doors on Tuesday.
The Tropicana Casino, which opened back in 1957, is closing due to several factors, most notably, due to the upcoming arrival of the Oakland Athletics MLB franchise, which is set to relocate to Las Vegas on approximately nine acres of the casino’s property. It’s a venue replete with a rich history, including its luxurious design, shows, and ties to the mob.
Tropicana Casino history
Dubbed the “Tiffany of the Strip,” the Tropicana Casino earned this title due to its $15 million layout when it opened on April 4, 1957. At the time of its opening, Tropicana was widely considered to be the most expensive casino in Las Vegas, featuring mosaic tiles, 300 rooms, a half-moon pool, and a 60-foot fountain located at the front of the casino.
Feathered showgirls were a big draw starting in 1959 when the Folies Bergere performed in costumes on stage to a live orchestra. This often featured other entertainers, including famous magicians Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn.
The mob was notoriously tied to Tropicana Casino throughout the years, especially Frank Costello, who survived a gunshot to the head in New York. This incident revealed an alleged money-skimming operation Costello and the mob were involved with at Tropicana, as police found a piece of paper with the exact earnings of the casino in the mobster’s pocket following his injury, according to the AP.
Future plans
Tropicana Casino’s current owner, Bally’s Corp., released a statement to the Associated Press, stating “Bally’s looks forward to the development of a new resort and ballpark that … will become a new landmark, paying homage to the iconic history and global appeal of Las Vegas and its nearly 50 million visitors a year.”
Located on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, Tropicana’s amenities and infrastructure, once considered to be top-tier, have been outshined by neighboring megaresorts and U.S. casinos, including MGM Grand, Excalibur, New York-New York, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay. With the relocation of the Las Vegas Raiders NFL franchise in 2020 and the arrival of the Vegas Golden Knights’ NHL franchise, the Athletics are the latest Vegas sports team that will reside in a $1.5 billion stadium partially occupying Tropicana’s property.
The Athletics’ ballpark is backed by $380 million in public funding and was approved for relocation by every MLB owner. The stadium is projected to be open to the public in 2028. Bally’s, a Rhode Island-based company that purchased Tropicana Casino for $308 million in 2021, is no longer taking hotel bookings following its April 2 closing date.
