The implosion of Tropicana marks the end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) – The highly anticipated implosion des Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Casino hit the ground on Tuesday evening.

You can watch the full show here

Full Show: The implosion of Tropicana marks the end of an era on the Las Vegas Strip

The 67 year old hotel-casino The hotel, located at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, joins the list of 13 Las Vegas hotels that imploded between 1993 and 2016.

Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA Archives	Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA Archives
Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA Archives	Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA Archives

The demolition sequence began with the Paradise Tower, followed by the Club Tower.

Public Safety

There was For safety reasons, the implosion areas are not open to the public.

For your safety, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department will close streets in the surrounding areas of Tropicana starting at 11 p.m. Reno Avenue from Frank Sinatra to Koval will also be closed.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

LVMPD expects roads to reopen at 6 a.m. Oct. 9.

Farewell to the Hotel-Casino Tropicana

This drone video shows what the Tropicana looked like a week before the implosion

From 2:05 a.m. to 2:20 a.m., some representatives will take the microphone to reflect historic hotel and its legacy in Las Vegas.

• Bally’s Corporation Chairman Soo Kim
• Tropicana Las Vegas General Manager and Vice President of Hospitality, Arik Knowles
• Sr. Project Manager of GGG Demolition, Vince Gutierrez and President of Controlled Demolition, Inc., Mark Loizeaux
• Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• Jim Gibson, Clark County Commissioner
• CEO and Creative Director of Fireworks by Grucci Inc., Phil Grucci

Knowles said this moment is bittersweet, but the building’s legacy will live on.

Looking back at the Tropicana and its legacy

Two Folies Bergeres ShowgirlsSheri Mirault and Teri Thorndike, also stopped by to reflect on their memories of the Tropicana.

The Folies Bergeres showgirls share their Tropicana memories

Former Channel 13 meteorologist Kevin Janison joined us to share how he thinks the Tropicana fits into the city’s history.

The former Channel 13 meteorologist shares his thoughts on Tropicana’s place in Las Vegas history

Kim said this moment in Las Vegas history is more than just the next chapter — “it’s this.” Development of the stripwhere legend meets innovation create something truly unforgettable.’

While Kim highlights the unforgettable moments, she will also take a look at the plans that will make the Las Vegas implosion possible.

The site will be converted into a new baseball stadium in Las Vegas for the Oakland Athletics. The ballpark will span approximately nine acres – with an on-site resort planned by Bally’s and Gaming and Leisure Properties.

show to start the implosion

Starting at 2:30 a.m. there will be a show hosted by Fireworks by Grucci – the company responsible for many shows on the Strip.

555 drones will fly into the sky and accompany a fireworks display that is expected to last around seven minutes.

Actual implosion

At around 2:37 a.m. the button for the Tropicana’s implosion is pressed. Authorities estimate the implosion will last 22 seconds.

History of the Tropicana

The Tropicana is a hotel casino with a colorful past. Channel 13’s Tricia Kean sat down with two local historians to talk about the Tropicana’s ties to the Mafia, Hollywood legends, jazz greats and glamorous showgirls.

Take a look back at Tropicana Las Vegas’ storied past

How the implosion will work

Controlled Demolition Inc. and GGG Demolition are the two companies responsible for the implosion. Mark Loizeaux, president and owner of Controlled Demolition, Inc., said a lot of preparation was needed for the moment of destruction.

“You hear ‘bang, bang, bang’ – nothing happens – that’s the ignition system going off. Then ‘boom, boom, boom’ – these are the charges that go off, and then the structure starts moving,” said Loizeaux.

After the fireworks he said a button would be pressed to trigger both explosions – making Both buildings fall almost at the same time.

Controlled Demolition, Inc. has fallen 35 buildings in Clark County since 1993 – notable projects such as the Dunes North Tower, Frontier, Hacienda, Stardust and Riviera.

View all Las Vegas hotel implosions from 1993 to 2016

View all Las Vegas hotel implosions from 1993 to 2016

Unforgettable experiences at Tropicana

Channel 13’s Abel Garcia spoke with some locals near the site Tuesday afternoon to get their thoughts on the impending implosion.

Local reaction to the impending implosion of the Tropicana

Channel 13’s Ryan Ketcham also spoke with a UCLA graduate who had his first casino experience at Tropicana. He said while it was sad to see this historic hotel disappear, he had accepted its fate.

First casino experience

What happens to everything at Tropicana?

If you’re wondering where the valuable items go in the Tropicana, you’ve come to the right place.

Las Vegas magician Murray SawChuck is saving some pieces of his history for his home. Channel 13’s Shakeria Hawkins spoke with him about how he plans to keep the hotel’s legacy alive.

What happens to artwork from the Tropicana?

What’s next?

Channel 13 follows what comes after the implosion.

Check back for updates on ktnv.com