Tropicana Las Vegas to Close in April Ahead of Construction of Baseball Stadium
Summary:
- Tropicana Las Vegas will terminate its operations on April 2
- The casino resort will be demolished to make way for the Oakland Athletics’ new $1.5B baseball stadium
- Bally’s is expected to build a new resort at the site
Tropicana Las Vegas will officially shut its doors on April 2 to clear the way for the construction of a $1.5 billion baseball stadium which will become the new home of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics franchise.
The Tropicana Las Vegas site on the Strip was designated as the location of a 33,000-seat ballpark for the relocated Oakland Athletics, under a Bill approved in June last year by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo. The casino resort sits on 9 acres of the 35-acre site which will be surrendered to the Oakland A’s as part of the plan.
Tropicana – End of an Era
In a January 29 memo, Tropicana management notified employees that the casino-resort would be demolished ahead of the construction of the $1.5 billion baseball stadium which is expected to commence in 2025.
Tropicana General Manager Arik Knowles stated in the memo that the company would no longer accept hotel bookings and would relocate future reservations. He reassured employees that Bally’s, which has been operating Tropicana since 2022, is in talks with the relevant parties to assist all team members through the transition period.
Launched in 1957, Tropicana has been operating for nearly seven decades and was once considered the most expensive US casino resort in Las Vegas. Its closure will impact about 700 employees, around 300 of whom are members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
According to Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Secretary-Treasurer, union members will be paid $2,000 for every year they worked for the resort as part of their severance agreement with the company. The severance package deal was reached in December last year through a series of negotiations with Bally’s and the resort’s negotiating team, Pappageorge revealed. Many of the employees have worked at the property for between 20 and 30 years, he added.
Bally’s Likely to Build New Casino Resort on the Strip
Bally’s has remained tightlipped on its next steps, but it is understood the company will develop a new resort at the site. More details of the master plan will be announced once the concept design of the ballpark is finalized, Bally’s said in a statement after the April 2 closure was confirmed.
Bally’s President George Papanier said Tropicana’s shutdown would open an exciting new chapter for the company.
Doug RamirezAuthor
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