No town celebrates the detonation of a massive, perfectly functional edifice quite like Las Vegas.
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning (approximately 2:30 a.m.), the Tropicana will be blown to smithereens. The implosion, necessitated by the soon-to-relocate Oakland A’s need for land on which to build a new stadium on Las Vegas Boulevard, will be celebrated with a “Drop the Trop” soiree featuring fireworks (natch) and a drone show.
The Trop’s blazing drop will mark the first implosion of a casino-resort since the Riviera’s three towers were razed in 2016. In terms of a golden (molten?) era, no less than 12 classic Sin City properties were reduced to rubble in the 1990s and 2000s as Vegas underwent a fiery facelift, in part to attract more upscale travelers and diversify its entertainment offerings.
In speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about Wednesday morning’s Tropicana implosion, Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson said, “This is the last [of the] real major structures on the boulevard that will be coming down anytime soon. It’s been years since we did our last one, and it will likely be many, many years before we do another.”
We’ll see about that. Las Vegas seems to simply have too much fun blowing up buildings to wait too long before demolishing another. To this end, here are Action Network’s hypothetical odds on which property on or near the Strip might next have a date with the dynamite.
Excalibur & Luxor, 2-1. When these two properties opened in the early ‘90s, they were pretty cool. Thirty years later, they’re a little corny. Borrowing from horse-racing parlance, these properties are a coupled entry because they sit next door to each other on the far south side of the Strip, are connected by walkway and tram, and are owned by the same company (Vici). It wouldn’t seem to make a ton of sense to do away with one dated casino-resort and not the other, especially when considering the enhanced redevelopment potential two massive lots would have compared to one. If this double implosion comes to pass, it would be a pyrotechnic spectacle the likes of which Las Vegas has never seen.
Flamingo & Cromwell, 4-1. Another coupled entry with a similar dynamic (adjacent properties, Caesars owns both), albeit one with a bit more charm and verve than the Luxor-“Sexy Exy” combo. Birthed in the mid-’40s, the Flamingo is the oldest continuously operating resort on the Strip and has been cared for in a manner that makes it quite the silver fox (or pink lady). And fans of $5 table games will appreciate the Cromwell’s previous incarnation as the Barbary Coast, while the ongoing existence of Drai’s still makes the property a hot non-gaming draw. But if the Flamingo falls, it only makes sense to obliterate the Cromwell along with it, as big footprints are more attractive to developers than smaller ones.
Trump Las Vegas, 5-1. Do you believe in MAGA — as in the movement’s durability, even after its aging progenitor has passed on to the sweet hereafter? Because if you do, then you won’t want to take these odds. But if you feel as though Trump-mania will fade not long after its namesake does the same, then this property — which is just a hotel, with no casino — could be a juicy play.
Circus Circus, 8-1. On the one hand, Circus Circus is kind of a dump. On the other hand, it was a kid-friendly property long before its splashier, southerly competitors figured out there was money to be made by catering to entire families instead of focusing on bachelor parties. Its onsite steakhouse is also way better than you’d expect it to be. On looks alone, this should be the favorite, but Circus Circus’ intangibles are not to be underestimated with predictions involving perseverance.
Westgate, 20-1. Located a couple blocks off the Strip but well-connected to it by a dedicated Monorail stop, the family-owned Westgate is home to Barry Manilow’s long-running residency and the SuperBook, which, for fans of brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, is a living shrine. Those are a pair of formidable attributes, but the Westgate’s average hotel room is unspectacular and whoever’s in charge of the pool’s sound system plays way too much Pitbull. That’s a sin worthy of execution right there.
Fontainebleau, 150-1. Wait, you’re offering hypothetical implosion odds on the newest casino-resort in Las Vegas? Well, yes, simply because the Fontainebleau might be cursed. First proposed in 2005, it took 18 tumultuous years of fits, starts and ownership changes to finally open; it suffered through a storm of negative press when it finally got out of the blocks; and its north-of-the-Wynn location is an issue when it comes to foot traffic. But it seems to have corrected its course to a degree, and plenty of Sin City properties — the Cosmopolitan comes to mind — have shown resilience after shaky starts.
The STRAT, 300-1. While native Seattleites (like me) might have first considered the STRAT’s tower to be a poser Space Needle, it’s earned a grudging respect by virtue of its daring high-altitude rides and shrewd culinary amenities, and it’s now an indelible part of 21st-century Las Vegas’ skyline. But while the tower has become a destination, the casino and hotel portion of the property are ho-hum, and the location — in a sort of no man’s land between the Strip and the Arts District — is less than ideal. If we took the tower out of the equation and offered odds on just the hotel and casino getting blown into oblivion, they’d be the favorites. But it’d take a lot to topple the tower.
