The Tropicana, affectionately known as the Trop, was the vision of Miami hotelier Ben Jaffe and organized crime figure Phil Kastel. At its inauguration, the 325-room Tropicana was the most expensive property in Vegas, with a cost of US$15 million—equivalent to over US$470 million in 2024. Its luxurious Caribbean-inspired décor earned it the moniker “the Tiffany of the Strip,” a title befitting a jewel.
This Tuesday (2), the Tropicana’s storied run will come to an end when it closes its doors for good. The resort, now one of only two on the Strip that still date back to the 1950s, is set to be demolished later this year to make way for a new Major League Baseball stadium that is expected to host the Oakland A’s starting in 2028.
The Tropicana’s gaming floor will close at 3 a.m., and the last hotel guests staying in the resort’s nearly 1,500 rooms must check out by Tuesday midday. “Preparations to demolish Tropicana Las Vegas will begin shortly after,” says the website for the resort, which is owned by the gaming and media conglomerate Bally’s Corp.
Over the past few decades, the Tropicana had changed hands repeatedly, landing under the ownership of Bally’s in 2022 for US$308 million. An agreement was later announced to demolish the resort to make way for the future ballpark.
The demolition has been scheduled for October.
After their move was approved by MLB owners last November, the A’s are set to move to Las Vegas in 2028. They will become the state’s first major league team.
Final plans for the US$1.5 billion, 33,000-seat baseball stadium have not yet been set. The A’s unveiled renderings for a new ballpark on the Tropicana site earlier this month showing a multi-deck stadium enclosed by enormous white sails “inspired by traditional baseball pennants,” a look that drew comparisons to the Sydney Opera House.
The 2024 season is set to be the A’s swan song in Oakland. Where the team will play from next year through the move to Las Vegas is uncertain.
Source: GMB / NPR.org
