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Saying Goodbye To The Tropicana Las Vegas After 67 Amazing Years

On April 2, 2024, we say farewell to a Sin City icon. A staple of the Las Vegas Strip. A place that meant so much to so many people (ok…

The exterior of the Tropicana Resort shows a white casino hotel with red lettering and three palms tree adorning the front. People can be seen in the foreground walking across the lawn.

The exterior of the Tropicana Las Vegas is seen on April 13, 2021. The Strip will say goodbye to this iconic hotel after almost 70 years.

Ethan Miller via Getty Images

On April 2, 2024, we say farewell to a Sin City icon. A staple of the Las Vegas Strip. A place that meant so much to so many people (ok maybe that's hyperbole, but I’m trying be nice in my send off). Goodbye, Tropicana. It's been Real.

Remember The Tropicana Hotel

When I first moved to Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay and Bellagio weren't finished. Excalibur and Luxor were dominant structures that inspired awe when you drove up the I-15 freeway. MGM Grand was the Big Green Monster (still is). The Boardwalk was still kicking and The Tropicana... well it was just there.

Unlike so many of the hotels in Vegas, The Tropicana wasn't some grand, opulent hotel to bring a date to. It wasn't sexy, or even glamourous. It just was... there. But also unlike many hotels in Vegas, the Trop was a friend. Not that friend that was such a hot mess you couldn't help being entertained by their chaos. It also wasn't so close a friend that you could tell all your secrets to them. No, the Trop was just that one friend, that was there when ya needed them. The dependable one.

A long shot of the Tropicana Resort is seen on the corner of two streets. The building is white with red lettering and bushes are in the foreground, with the Tropicana sign behind them.

Long shot of the Tropicana Las Vegas as seen from Tropicana Blvd. You can see the bridge that that connects the hotel to the MGM Grand Resort across the street.

For instance, if you needed to go to the MGM Grand for a show but parking at the MGM is absolutely the worst, you parked at The Trop. Then you walked over the bridge and bam! You were all set to see that big show at the Grand Garden Arena. Parking disaster averted.

The Trop was a great place to take people from out of town if you were broke but needed to still be a “baller.” Restaurants like Robert Irvine's Public House and Red Lotus Asian Kitchen provided “fine dining” while not beating up my wallet. Then, of course, after dinner you could check out the most EPIC Prince Tribute show “Purple Reign”, all on a budget that didn't make doves (or my bank account) cry.

Exterior shot of the Tropicana Las Vegas at night. The white hotel is in the background behind a black marquee sign showing the Purple Reign Prince Tribute Show advertisement.

A digital sign of the Tropicana Las Vegas displays advertising for the Purple Reign Tribute show. Another staple of Sin City.

The Trop is one of the rare casinos that actually lived long enough to collect retirement. They're pulling the plug on that old girl two days before her 67th birthday, according to historiclasvegasproject.com.

The Trop was that friend you had since the days of being able to party, get maybe three hours of sleep and still manage to get to function like an adult (sort of). Which is also the same days that Las Vegas had free parking, $2.99 Steak Dinners and $1 Blackjack. Those days are gone.

And now so is The Tropicana. Goodbye, friend. Thanks for always being there.

The Luckiest Casino In Las Vegas: 7 Places To Put Your Money

Are those Vegas casinos getting the best of you? Well, maybe you're just not picking the right ones to gamble at. A new study has revealed the luckiest casino in Las Vegas, and you might want to check it out next time you've got some extra playing money.

A "loose slots" sign on a marquee is illuminated in gold letters with a dollar sign in the middle. It is surrounded by a red border and gold lights. Many casinos in Las Vegas try to draw players in with similar marketing.

A "loose slots" sign on a marquee is illuminated in gold letters with a dollar sign in the middle. It is surrounded by a red border and gold lights. Many casinos in Las Vegas try to draw players in with similar marketing.

Many casinos try to get gamblers in their doors with big promises of winning. Phrases like "big jackpot" and "loose slots" have become common place on those billboards you see on the Nevada freeways. And not much time goes by before there's another headline about a tourist landing a jackpot in Las Vegas.

New Study Reveals The Luckiest Casino In Las Vegas

Usually it's just dumb luck when someone wins at a Vegas casino, but there's a new study out that suggests there might be a little more skill than we previously thought. And that skill might come even before a player sits down at their first table. The casino they choose to play at in Vegas matters too.

At least according to this study posted on casino.org. Which involved gathering information from TripAdvisor to compile a list of casinos people seem to win at the most.

The study collected 2,867 reviews in November 2023 that included words like won, lucky and jackpot. They then researched where the reviewers won and compiled a list of casinos in Vegas that produced the most winners.

Casinos In Las Vegas Revealed As Unluckiest

A man in a white button-up shirt leans against his arms on a slot machine upset about a loss. All Las Vegas casinos have slots but not all of them pay out.

A man in a white button-up shirt leans against his arms on a slot machine upset about a loss. All Las Vegas casinos have slots but not all of them pay out.

Now, while this is not a complete list of everyone who has won or lost in a Vegas casino, it gives interesting insight. Specifically when it comes to which Vegas casinos have been the luckiest for TripAdvisor users. And which have been downright busts.

According to the study, the most unlucky Vegas casino is Resorts World. With only 0.78% of reviewers saying they had any luck playing there.

Next unluckiest was Wynn Las Vegas, with only 1.72% of reviewers having success. STRAT, Planet Hollywood, and Luxor also fell into the bottom five. All with less than 3.52% of reviewers saying they got lucky.

Falling in the middle at neither luckiest nor unluckiest were the casinos at Mandalay Bay, New York New York, and Bellagio. They all had less than 4% of reviewers getting lucky at their tables.

The Luckiest Casino In Las Vegas: Top 7 To Spend Your Money At

Those are some big names on the Las Vegas Strip. And it may just be that more players means a lower average of winners. But, according to these reviews, these casinos are the ones you want to play at if you want to get lucky in Vegas.

7. Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace Exterior

Caesars Palace Exterior

According to the study, 4.13% of TripAdvisor reviewers had luck at Caesars Palace. And they weren't just talking about finding great food in the Forum Shops.

6. MGM Grand

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14:  An exterior view shows MGM Grand & Hotel & Casino as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States on March 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Several employees at MGM Resorts International hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip have tested presumptive positive for COVID-19. MGM Resorts International employees who can will start working from home next week. MGM has closed all nightclubs, dayclubs, buffets, spas, gyms and salons at its properties in Las Vegas and on Monday, it will close 150 food and beverage outlets and furloughs and layoffs will begin. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

Coming in second in the list of luckiest casinos in Vegas is the MGM Grand. 4.24% reviewers from TripAdvisor said they got lucky in this casino.

5. Treasure Island

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14:  The marquee at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino shows advertisements for the “Mystere by Cirque du Soleil” show as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States on March 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cirque du Soleil announced that it is temporarily suspending all six of it's Las Vegas shows beginning tomorrow as well as around the world to help stop the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Treasure Island Resort

Treasure Island...T.I....whatever we're calling it these days, feel free to call it lucky. 4.34% of TripAdvisor reviewers did.

4. Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on the Strip

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on the Strip

It's not just beautiful views you'll get inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. According to 4.36% of reviewers, you'll also get lucky in the casino.

3. ARIA

LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 17:  A general view of the Lumia fountain in front of the Aria Resort & Casino at CityCenter during the property's grand opening early December 17, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 67-acre, USD 8.5 billion mixed-use urban development center, a joint project between MGM Mirage and Dubai World, is said to be the biggest privately financed construction project in United States history and one of the world's largest green projects being built with the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified Green Building Rating System. Aria is CityCenter's centerpiece and includes a 150,000-square-foot casino and 4,004 hotel rooms and suites.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for CityCenter)

Aria Resort & Casino

If you're feeling a little on the fancy side, try your hand at the Aria. It might land you some winnings, according to 5.55% of reviews.

2. Venetian

LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 21:  An exterior sign on top of The Venetian Las Vegas is illuminated in purple light in memory of recording artist Prince on April 21, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prince died on Thursday at his Paisley Park Studios in Minnesota at the age of 57.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Venetian Las Vegas

You don't have to go to Madame Tussauds to see a celebrity. 5.92% of reviewers say you have a chance to feel like one when you play at Venetian.

1. Mirage

The Mirage

And the luckiest casino in Las Vegas, according to experiences of TripAdvisor reviewers, is the Mirage. 6.03% of the 2,867 reviews indicated having luck there. Might be worth a visit on your next gambling trip!

carlotaWriter
Carlota is the music director and midday on-air personality for KXTE Las Vegas. She has been with the station since July of 2023. Carlota has been in the Las Vegas market since 1998, First with KXTE, 92.3 KOMP for 18 years, and now back with KXTE. She is known mostly for her on air work but also writes about Las Vegas happenings and where to find the best tequila in Sin City.