In a bid to sustain its gaming activities, Bally’s Corporation, the powerhouse that previously owned the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort, plans to petition the Clark County Board of Commissioners to extend its active gaming license for a minimum of two additional years. The formal request is anticipated to be presented to the board during the upcoming public session on Tuesday, as noted in the widely-read Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The Tropicana’s once thriving porte cochere now lays in ruins, shielding any remnants of the once prestigious sign that used to greet the establishment’s global clientele. Should the commissioners consent to the petition, this decision will allow for an avoidance of the impending suspension of the resort’s gaming license in light of its recent closure on April 2. This iconic symbol of the 1950s Las Vegas era is currently in the process of being razed, slated to be replaced with a sophisticated Major League Baseball stadium and an alluring casino hotel.
To date, the expansive parking structure and the porte cochere shading the portal to Las Vegas Boulevard have been leveled. Last Thursday, for instance, saw a significant part of the Tropicana’s legacy erased with the demolition of its parking facility.
As stated in the closure application released by the Tropicana, all demolition and site-clearing operations must be concluded by April 1, 2025. This allows the Oakland A’s to start the construction of their much-anticipated $1.5 billion, 33,000-seat ballpark, projected to be ready for use by the 2028 baseball season.
The application has asked for a grace period of three years, inclusive of possible extensions, to fully prepare the site for the construction of the stadium. In a statement from company representatives, Bally’s has underscored its intentions to promptly re-open the new resort hotel after completion of construction works.
However, they also noted that the baseball stadium’s design, the land use permit acquisition, as well as construction planning, and a year-long demolition project must come before any serious steps towards developing the new resort hotel.
Bally’s implosion plan for the Tropicana’s twin hotel towers has suffered from an unwanted delay owing to the presence of asbestos, a known carcinogen detected during an inspection in November and December. Bally’s must safely dispose of the hazardous material to obtain a blasting permit.
Nonetheless, Bally’s CEO Robeson Reeves radiated optimism during the company’s quarterly earnings conference on Wednesday. “Having recently received the necessary permits, we’re expecting to demolish the Tropicana in October,” he emphatically asserted.
Having only been granted demolition and dust-control permits, Bally’s has initiated the labor-intensive work of demolition on site this week.
Bally’s has reportedly hired professionals who specialize in stained-glass to carefully remove and store the Tropicana’s famed ceiling ornament, which was installed above the casino pit in the 1970s. The future fate of this treasured architectural artefact remains undisclosed. However, its careful preservation suggests that Bally’s respects its historical significance and may repurpose it in their future endeavors.