Why is Tropicana Las Vegas being demolished? Reason explored as popular Sin City Landmark to close its doors on April 2

Tropicana Las Vegas stood tall for over six decades in Sin City, becoming a premiere Vegas landmark. However, on a Monday, January 29, News Release, Tropicana owners Bally’s Corp. announced that the hotel and casino is all set to close its doors on April 2, 2024, in order to make way for a $1.5 billion Major League Baseball stadium.

The planned retractable-roof stadium with a 33,000 seating capacity will belong to the Oakland Athletics, which received the approval of all 30 MLB owners to switch from the Oakland Coliseum. Any hotel bookings or reservations post-April 2 will be relocated.

---

Tropicana Las Vegas will be replaced by a ballpark and a resort

Commanding an enormous $15 million construction cost, the most expensive on the strip at the time, the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort first opened its doors on April 3, 1957. At the time, the resort housed 300 rooms. For 67 years, the hotel stood firm, gradually becoming an iconic Sin City monument. However, the Vegas landmark is all set to close its doors for good.

The actual 35-acre site of the Tropicana, located at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI). GLPI gave the site to Bally’s Corp. in 2021 on a 50-year ground lease with an annual payment of $10.5 million.

Balley's announced on Monday that the hotel and casino would close its doors on April 2 to make way for a $1.5 billion ballpark for the Oakland Athletics. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, 9 acres of the sight will go to the stadium, and the rest of the site will go toward a brand new Balley's resort.

The ballpark will be constructed in 2025 and will be ready by the 2028 MLB season. Owner of the Oakland Athletics, John Fisher, had earlier stated that the artist renderings for the stadium were still only being designed. Once the designs are finalized, Balley's can begin their planning for their new resort.

Bally's Corp. President George Papanier said in a statement:

"This is an incredible accomplishment for us as we continue to expand our global footprint and strengthen our sports portfolio, which already includes our digital sportsbook, Bally Bet, and numerous marketing partnerships with professional teams, and leagues,"

He added:

"We thank our stakeholders, partners, the city of Las Vegas, Clark County, and the state of Nevada for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote that Culinary Local 226, representing around 500 Balley's workers, was informed about the hotel's desire to close. Under a new five-year contract secured by the union in December, 500 employees represented by the union will receive a severance package of $2,000 for every year they worked in the resort.

Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge was quoted by 8 News Now as saying:

"In Las Vegas, hotels are bought and sold on a regular basis,"

He added:

"These new projects are welcome, but workers can’t be discarded like an old shoe."

The package will also include an additional 6-month pension benefits and health care benefits. There is also a recall rights option which provides the ability to return to work at the location when the new Balley's resort is opened, along with a severance package of $15,000. A transition resource center is also set to open to provide employees with placements and unemployment assistance.