*Athletics are moving from Oakland to Las Vegas
*City’s first MLB franchise
*Tropicana is one of the oldest hotel-casinos still left standing
The Tropicana Las Vegas, a fixture on the Las Vegas Strip since its inception on April 4, 1957, is set to close its doors on April 2, falling just short of celebrating its 67th anniversary. Bally’s Corporation, the property’s owner since 2022, plans to dismantle the 1,470-room resort to make room for a new $1.5 billion baseball stadium with 30,000 seats, along with an accompanying resort complex.
This stadium is intended to become the venue for Las Vegas’s first Major League Baseball franchise – the relocating Oakland Athletics – with the team expected to start playing there in the 2028 season. The groundwork for this massive construction project is scheduled to start by April 2025.
Oakland Athletics Will Be Demolishing The Historic Hotel-Casino:
Reflecting On Its Past:
The Tropicana has long been one of the most historic properties on the Strip, recognized for its extravagant beginnings as a 300-room hotel that was the priciest in the city at the time. It hosted numerous renowned performers over the years, contributing significantly to Las Vegas’s reputation as an entertainment capital.
The closure will also mean the disappearance of the Tropicana’s substantial meeting and event spaces, which include several large ballrooms and dozens of meeting rooms.
Statements from Bally’s (Hotel/Casino) Brass:
Bally’s President George Papanier expressed excitement over the upcoming changes, viewing the redevelopment as a pivotal growth opportunity for the company that spans 16 hotel-casinos across 10 states.
Papanier highlighted the company’s pride in partnering with the Athletics to establish a major league ballpark in Las Vegas. He emphasized Bally’s broader strategy to broaden its reach and deepen its involvement in sports-related ventures. He also extended gratitude to all those who played a role in securing this opportunity.
Post-demolition plans for the Tropicana site involve allocating a significant portion of the land to the Athletics or a related stadium authority for the baseball stadiums’s construction, which Bally’s anticipates will draw millions of visitors each year and serve as a unique attraction on the Strip.
Bally’s noted the mutual benefits of the partnership with the Athletics and the land provider, Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc. The company is awaiting the finalization of the ballpark’s design before advancing further with the master plan.
The redevelopment is expected to inject new life and excitement into this part of the Strip, according to a statement from Bally’s.
Closure Repercussions:
With the impending shutdown, the Tropicana, currently operated under the DoubleTree by Hilton brand, is in the process of finalizing bookings and arranging alternative accommodations for future guests.
Addressing the resort’s workforce, Vice President and General Manager Arik Knowles acknowledged the dedication and efforts of the staff throughout the years. He assured employees that the company would support them with resources, including job placements within the company, severance for qualifying staff, and assistance with unemployment services.
Labor Union Negotiations:
The labor unions representing around 500 Tropicana employees have successfully agreed to a new five-year labor contract, ensuring severance benefits and employment options for the unionized workers.
Culinary Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge highlighted the unions’ efforts to ensure workers’ rights and the comprehensive severance package agreed upon with the Tropicana. The unions are set to engage with the employees to ensure a thorough understanding of the agreement and to facilitate job placement for those not transitioning to the new development.
No word of how many employees will transfer jobs to work for the baseball team, but that’s where we come in. So stay tuned…
