The Tiffany of the Strip
The Tropicana opened on April 4, 1957, and was immediately dubbed "The Tiffany of the Strip" for its elegant decor and luxurious appointments. Ben Jaffe and his mob backers built one of the most sophisticated resorts Las Vegas had ever seen — a tropical paradise with lush gardens, a stunning pool area, and interiors that rivaled the finest hotels in the world.
The Folies Bergère show, imported from the famous Parisian theater of the same name, debuted at the Tropicana in 1959. It would run continuously until 2009 — a 50-year stretch that made it the longest-running show in Las Vegas history. The show's combination of elaborate costumes, choreography, and spectacle became synonymous with the Tropicana name.
The Final Chapter
By the 2020s, the Tropicana was a faded relic surrounded by modern mega-resorts. Its rooms were dated, its casino floor felt like a time capsule, and its location at the south end of the Strip — once prime real estate — had become overshadowed by newer developments. But it endured, one of the last physical links to the golden age of Las Vegas.
In 2023, the ownership group behind the relocating Oakland Athletics baseball team announced plans to demolish the Tropicana to build a $1.5 billion stadium. The Tropicana closed its doors on April 2, 2024, and demolition began later that year. It was one of the last surviving casinos from the original golden age of the Strip — the final remnant of a Las Vegas that no longer exists.
Key Facts
Folies Bergère (1959–2009)
The Folies Bergère ran for 50 consecutive years at the Tropicana, making it the longest-running show in Las Vegas history. Imported from Paris, it defined an era of Las Vegas entertainment.
"Tiffany of the Strip"
The Tropicana earned its nickname for its unusually elegant decor and luxury appointments. In an era of neon and kitsch, the Tropicana aimed for genuine sophistication.
The Mob Connection
The Tropicana had deep ties to the Kansas City mob. The skimming operations at the casino were later dramatized in various accounts of organized crime in Las Vegas.
A's Stadium (2024)
The Tropicana was demolished in 2024 to make way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics, who are relocating to Las Vegas. The stadium is expected to open around 2028.
What's There Now
Visiting the Tropicana Site
Address: 3801 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV
Status: Demolished in 2024. The site is being developed for the Oakland Athletics stadium (expected ~2028).
What to See: The intersection of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Ave — one of the busiest intersections in the world — will never be the same. The Tropicana's tropical gardens, its iconic sign, and its pool paradise are gone forever.
Nearby: The MGM Grand, Excalibur, and New York-New York are all at the same intersection.
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