Tropicana Resort & Casino
Encyclopedia
Tropicana Las Vegas is located on the Las Vegas Strip
, in the township of Paradise
, Nevada
. It is owned by Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort Inc. and operated by Alex Yemenidjian
's Armenco Holdings. It offers 1,658 rooms and is attached to a 50000 sq ft (4,645.2 m²) casino. Tropicana Las Vegas also has 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²) of convention and exhibit space.
This location, Tropicana - Las Vegas Boulevard intersection
, has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and is extremely busy. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross at street level. Instead, the Tropicana is linked by overhead pedestrian bridges to its neighboring casinos: to the north across Tropicana Avenue, the MGM Grand Las Vegas
, and to the west across the Strip, the Excalibur
.
Construction ran over schedule and over budget, due in part to competition for labor with the under-construction Stardust
down the road. Jaffe had to sell his interest in the Fontainebleau to complete the project, which finally opened in April 1957.
Jaffe first leased the property to his associate, Phil Kastel
. The Gaming Control Board raised suspicions over Kastel's links to organized crime, which were confirmed in May when a note bearing a Tropicana earnings figure was found in the possession of mobster Frank Costello
. Jaffe next turned to J. Kell Housells, owner of the Las Vegas Club
. By 1959, Housells bought out Jaffe's interest, gaining a majority share in the Tropicana.
In the 1960's, the Tropicana fared poorly from competition with larger hotels like Caesars Palace
and the Las Vegas Hilton
. Houssels sold out in 1968 to Trans-Texas Airways. Deil Gustafson took control in 1971, but sold a 51% share to chemical heiress Mitzi Stauffer Briggs in 1975. Briggs began construction of the 22-floor Tiffany Tower in 1977.
A skimming operation by Kansas City
organized crime members was discovered, and the owners were forced to sell out. In December of 1979, Ramada
Inns, Inc. bought the Tropicana, but in 1989 spun it off along with other casino properties in a separate company called Aztar
. In 2006, Aztar was acquired by Columbia Sussex
, but Columbia soon ran into financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy.
A 21-story Island Tower was constructed in 1986.
In May 2006, Tropicana Entertainment, LLC
acquired the Tropicana Resort & Casino Las Vegas from then publicly-traded Aztar Corporation for approximately $2.1 billion in cash. The acquisition was approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission
on November 17, 2006 and was completed in December of that year.
On May 15, 2009 it was reported by the Las Vegas Sun
and Forbes
that Canadian investment firm Onex Corporation will take control of the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas from Tropicana Entertainment
when it emerges from bankruptcy later this year. Alex Yemenidjian
who previously served as CEO of both the MGM Mirage
resort company and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
movie studio under Kirk Kerkorian
's ownership has been tapped by Onex to be the Las Vegas Strip
resort's new CEO and oversee the casino's day to day operations.
Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort Inc. is the company formed by Onex in which it has the controlling interest but it has several equity partners. Tropicana Las Vegas Inc. owns the property.
of the entire resort. The existing Paradise and Island towers would have received both interior and exterior renovations and 4 new towers would have been built on the property (the last will be branded as a separate hotel).
The plans included a 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) casino, five hotel towers totaling 10,000 rooms and a sprawling 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) retail promenade. Other amenities included spas and fitness centers; more than 20 restaurants and lounges; a 1,500-seat entertainment venue for big-name headliners; and a water–ride attraction. All improvements to the property were put on hold since the recession began in 2008, and became moot when Tropicana Entertainment filed for bankruptcy.
In August 2009, the Tropicana's new CEO, Alex Yemenidjian, announced a "$165 million" plan to renovate the property around a South Beach style, to be done in several phases. The first phase would renovate the Tropicana's back office facilities with completion planned for the end of 2009. The second phase would renovate the conference facilities, rooms, and common areas, with construction to finish at the end of August 2010. The third phase, including a Nikki Beach Night Club and Nikki Beach multi-million dollar pool renovation is planned to be completed by April 2011.
In February 2011, the Tropicana opened a new sports book, operated by Cantor Gaming.
's Comedy Club opened at the Tropicana in July 2010. It will close in January 2012, and reopen at the MGM Grand
. Garrett said he was unable to turn a consistent profit, and that his decision to locate at the Tropicana was partly nostalgic, because the room was once a club run by Rodney Dangerfield
.
In March 2011, the Tropicana opened the Las Vegas Mob Experience, owned independently by Las Vegas businessman Jay Bloom. The exhibit describes the rise and fall of organized crime in Las Vegas, featuring mob artifacts and holograms of famed gangsters like Bugsy Siegel
, Tony Spilotro and Meyer Lansky
. In September 2011, after being plagued by technical issues, litigation, and low ticket sales, much of the attraction was closed for retooling, with plans to reopen by January 2012. The Experience's parent company, Murder Inc., filed for bankruptcy in October 2012, with a plan for outside investor John Vipulis to spend $4 million to buy and operate the attraction.
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, in the township of Paradise
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. It is owned by Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort Inc. and operated by Alex Yemenidjian
Alex Yemenidjian
Alejandro Yemenidjian , also known as Alex Yemenidjian, is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Armenco Holdings and Regal Entertainment Group LLC, the owners of Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas....
's Armenco Holdings. It offers 1,658 rooms and is attached to a 50000 sq ft (4,645.2 m²) casino. Tropicana Las Vegas also has 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²) of convention and exhibit space.
This location, Tropicana - Las Vegas Boulevard intersection
Tropicana - Las Vegas Boulevard intersection
The Tropicana - Las Vegas Boulevard intersection on the Las Vegas Strip , is noteworthy for several reasons...
, has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and is extremely busy. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross at street level. Instead, the Tropicana is linked by overhead pedestrian bridges to its neighboring casinos: to the north across Tropicana Avenue, the MGM Grand Las Vegas
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
, and to the west across the Strip, the Excalibur
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
The Excalibur Hotel and Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, in the United States. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International....
.
History
In 1955, Ben Jaffe, an executive of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, came to Las Vegas and bought a 40-acre parcel at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Bond Road (now Tropicana Avenue). Jaffe aimed to build the finest hotel in Las Vegas, featuring a Cuban ambience, with four room themes for guests to choose from: French Provincial, Far East, Italian Renaissance, and Drexel.Construction ran over schedule and over budget, due in part to competition for labor with the under-construction Stardust
Stardust Resort & Casino
The Stardust Resort & Casino was a casino resort located on along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be...
down the road. Jaffe had to sell his interest in the Fontainebleau to complete the project, which finally opened in April 1957.
Jaffe first leased the property to his associate, Phil Kastel
Phillip Kastel
Phillip "Dandy Phil" Kastel was a Jewish-American mobster, gambler, and longtime associate of the Genovese crime family.-Early life:...
. The Gaming Control Board raised suspicions over Kastel's links to organized crime, which were confirmed in May when a note bearing a Tropicana earnings figure was found in the possession of mobster Frank Costello
Frank Costello
Frank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
. Jaffe next turned to J. Kell Housells, owner of the Las Vegas Club
Las Vegas Club
The Las Vegas Club is a casino-hotel located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada owned by the Tamares Group and operated by Navegante along with the Plaza Hotel & Casino across Main street.-History:...
. By 1959, Housells bought out Jaffe's interest, gaining a majority share in the Tropicana.
In the 1960's, the Tropicana fared poorly from competition with larger hotels like Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
and the Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
. Houssels sold out in 1968 to Trans-Texas Airways. Deil Gustafson took control in 1971, but sold a 51% share to chemical heiress Mitzi Stauffer Briggs in 1975. Briggs began construction of the 22-floor Tiffany Tower in 1977.
A skimming operation by Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
organized crime members was discovered, and the owners were forced to sell out. In December of 1979, Ramada
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
Inns, Inc. bought the Tropicana, but in 1989 spun it off along with other casino properties in a separate company called Aztar
Aztar
Aztar Corporation is a hospitality company that focused on resort hotels and casinos. In 2005, the company had revenues of more than $915 million and earnings before interest and taxes of $212 million. During 2006 the company became the subject of a bidding war for ownership, with Columbia Sussex...
. In 2006, Aztar was acquired by Columbia Sussex
Columbia Sussex
Columbia Sussex is a private hospitality company based in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The company, owned by the Yung family, owns and operates hotels in various parts of the United States. , the company operated 73 hotels under 13 different brands. The current president is William J...
, but Columbia soon ran into financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy.
A 21-story Island Tower was constructed in 1986.
In May 2006, Tropicana Entertainment, LLC
Tropicana Entertainment
Tropicana Entertainment Inc, is a privately owned but publicly reporting corporation located in Las Vegas, Nevada, that owns or operates 9 casinos and resorts in the United States....
acquired the Tropicana Resort & Casino Las Vegas from then publicly-traded Aztar Corporation for approximately $2.1 billion in cash. The acquisition was approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission
Nevada Gaming Commission
The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. It was founded in 1959 by the Nevada Legislature....
on November 17, 2006 and was completed in December of that year.
On May 15, 2009 it was reported by the Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sun
The Las Vegas Sun is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It is one of Las Vegas, Nevada's two daily newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group....
and Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
that Canadian investment firm Onex Corporation will take control of the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas from Tropicana Entertainment
Tropicana Entertainment
Tropicana Entertainment Inc, is a privately owned but publicly reporting corporation located in Las Vegas, Nevada, that owns or operates 9 casinos and resorts in the United States....
when it emerges from bankruptcy later this year. Alex Yemenidjian
Alex Yemenidjian
Alejandro Yemenidjian , also known as Alex Yemenidjian, is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Armenco Holdings and Regal Entertainment Group LLC, the owners of Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas....
who previously served as CEO of both the MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
resort company and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
movie studio under Kirk Kerkorian
Kirk Kerkorian
Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian is an American businessman who is the president/CEO of Tracinda Corporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. Kerkorian is known as one of the important figures in shaping Las Vegas and, with architect Martin Stern, Jr...
's ownership has been tapped by Onex to be the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
resort's new CEO and oversee the casino's day to day operations.
Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort Inc. is the company formed by Onex in which it has the controlling interest but it has several equity partners. Tropicana Las Vegas Inc. owns the property.
Film history
- A scene from Folies Bergere is featured in the 1964 Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
film Viva Las VegasViva Las VegasViva Las Vegas is a 1964 American romantic musical movie starring music icon Elvis Presley and actress/dancer Ann-Margret. This movie is regarded by many fans of these actors and by film critics as one of Presley's best movies, and it is noted for the apparent on-screen chemistry between Presley...
. - In the 7th James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever (film)Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
, 007 stays at the hotel Tropicana, claiming it looks "quite comfortable". - The Las Vegas sequence of The GodfatherThe GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
was filmed in the Tropicana. - The hotel is also referred briefly in The Godfather Part IIThe Godfather Part IIThe Godfather Part II is a 1974 American gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. The film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, chronicling the story of the Corleone family following the events of the first film while also depicting the...
and a few deleted scenes take place inside the hotel. To avoid copyright issues, the name of the hotel was changed to "Tropigala" during filming, although the original name remained in the final draft of the script. - It was featured on the TV Show Charlie's AngelsCharlie's AngelsCharlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
in the episode "Angels In Vegas" in 1978 with Dean MartinDean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
guest starring. - It was featured on the TV Show AngelAngel (TV series)Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
in the episode "The House Always Wins" as the casino where the character Lorne had his show. - A show was taped here for Malcolm in the Middle in 2003.
- A two part episode of Designing Women, Season 7, is set here. Anthony meets and marries a showgirl from the Folies Begere.
- The game shows Dealer's ChoiceDealer's Choice (game show)Dealer' s Choice was an American game show that aired from January 21, 1974 to December 12, 1975 in syndication for a total of 210 episodes. Bob Hastings was the host for only the first few weeks and was later replaced by Jack Clark. They were assisted by hostess Jane Nelson and by announcer Jim...
& Las Vegas GambitGambit (game show)Gambit is a television game show, created by Wayne Cruseturner and produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions, that originally ran on CBS from September 4, 1972 to December 10, 1976. A slightly retooled version, Las Vegas Gambit, aired on NBC from October 27, 1980 to November 27, 1981, originating...
were taped here. - The first half of the first season of the revival of the game show Let's Make a DealLet's Make a DealLet's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
was being taped here. Hosted by Wayne BradyWayne BradyWayne Alphonso Brady is an actor, singer, comedian and television personality, known for his work as a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and as the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show...
, it began airing on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
October 5, 2009. The show moved to Los Angeles during a reconstruction period.
Expansion
On November 2, 2006, Tropicana Entertainment publicly announced a $2 billion renovation of the Tropicana planned to be completed in 2010, making it the largest resort casino in the world. Unlike previous Las Vegas projects however, there would have been no demolitionDemolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
of the entire resort. The existing Paradise and Island towers would have received both interior and exterior renovations and 4 new towers would have been built on the property (the last will be branded as a separate hotel).
The plans included a 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) casino, five hotel towers totaling 10,000 rooms and a sprawling 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) retail promenade. Other amenities included spas and fitness centers; more than 20 restaurants and lounges; a 1,500-seat entertainment venue for big-name headliners; and a water–ride attraction. All improvements to the property were put on hold since the recession began in 2008, and became moot when Tropicana Entertainment filed for bankruptcy.
In August 2009, the Tropicana's new CEO, Alex Yemenidjian, announced a "$165 million" plan to renovate the property around a South Beach style, to be done in several phases. The first phase would renovate the Tropicana's back office facilities with completion planned for the end of 2009. The second phase would renovate the conference facilities, rooms, and common areas, with construction to finish at the end of August 2010. The third phase, including a Nikki Beach Night Club and Nikki Beach multi-million dollar pool renovation is planned to be completed by April 2011.
In February 2011, the Tropicana opened a new sports book, operated by Cantor Gaming.
Entertainment
Brad GarrettBrad Garrett
Bradley "Brad" Garrett is an American actor, voice actor, stand-up comedian, and professional poker player. Throughout he has appeared in numerous television and film roles....
's Comedy Club opened at the Tropicana in July 2010. It will close in January 2012, and reopen at the MGM Grand
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
. Garrett said he was unable to turn a consistent profit, and that his decision to locate at the Tropicana was partly nostalgic, because the room was once a club run by Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield , was an American comedian, and actor, known for the catchphrases "I don't get no respect!," "No respect, no respect at all... that's the story of my life" or "I get no respect, I tell ya" and his monologues on that theme...
.
In March 2011, the Tropicana opened the Las Vegas Mob Experience, owned independently by Las Vegas businessman Jay Bloom. The exhibit describes the rise and fall of organized crime in Las Vegas, featuring mob artifacts and holograms of famed gangsters like Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
, Tony Spilotro and Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
. In September 2011, after being plagued by technical issues, litigation, and low ticket sales, much of the attraction was closed for retooling, with plans to reopen by January 2012. The Experience's parent company, Murder Inc., filed for bankruptcy in October 2012, with a plan for outside investor John Vipulis to spend $4 million to buy and operate the attraction.