LAS VEGAS (AP) — A collection of eclectic remnants from the heart of the Las Vegas Strip is making its way into history as Crystal chandeliers, vibrant blue costume feathers draped over showgirls, and artificial palm trees—symbols of a bygone era—are salvaged from recently closed casinos. These artifacts come largely from the Tropicana, which met its end in a dramatic implosion on October 9 to pave the way for a new baseball stadium, and from The Mirage, the first megaresort on the Strip which wrapped up its operations in July and plans to reopen as a new casino more than 39 years after it first opened its doors.
As the lights of the famed casinos began to fade and the final bets were placed, an entirely different scene unfolded behind closed doors. Countless items, both large and small, were carefully sorted for different fates—some were sold, others donated, and many discarded altogether.
“When you take a hotel-casino and turn it upside down, you have to shake everything out until it’s empty,” stated Frank Long, whose family-owned business, International Content Liquidations, oversaw the liquidation of the Tropicana’s merchandise before its demolition. Long, a third-generation auctioneer, humorously claims his home in Ohio is furnished with “early hotel” decor, reflecting his extensive work with numerous casinos around the country, including the Dunes, Aladdin, and Landmark.
Long expressed that buyers in Las Vegas have a unique connection to their community, emphasizing their desire to own a piece of its history. On a warm June day, two months after the Tropicana closed, Long opened the casino floor to eager buyers. The once-buzzing slot machines were gone, replaced by an unusual assortment of items: desks, chairs, rattan nightstands, floor lamps, and even sofas. A high-limit gambling room was filled with discarded mattresses while small chandeliers—priced at $1,000—dangled from old luggage carts.
People look at items for sale at the shuttered Tropicana hotel-casino on May 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Shoppers of all ages flocked, filling carts with armchairs for $25, mirrors for $6, and floor lamps for $28. Customers stood behind velvet ropes, where check-in once occurred, clutching 43-inch flat-screen TVs. One buyer precariously balanced a mattress and box spring to avoid them toppling over.
In the Tropicana’s expansive conference hall, large vintage spotlights, labeled “FOLIES,” filled waist-high bins destined for donation to the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum. The Tropicana was home to the iconic “Folies Bergere,” a topless revue that ran for nearly 50 years, cementing the feathered showgirl’s status as a Las Vegas icon.
People walk by a sign for the Tropicana, now on display at the Neon Museum, on April 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Uncovering Historical Treasures
One of Long’s favorite aspects of his work involves rifling through forgotten spaces within casinos. In his search, he uncovered black-and-white photographs of stars who once graced the Tropicana with their presence, including an iconic candid shot of Elvis Presley found tucked away in an unused office.
During its glory days, the Tropicana was a playground for A-listers like Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr.
Long shared that his team enjoys the work, too, noting the amusing chaos during their collection of thousands of pillows from the hotel’s towers, which turned into a playful “world’s biggest pillow fight.”
People examine a pile of pillows for sale at the shuttered Tropicana hotel-casino on May 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Preserving the Past
When director Sarah Quigley learned the Tropicana would be closing, she quickly moved to secure historical records for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Special Collections, and Archives. After discussions with the Tropicana’s management, her department successfully obtained five boxes of records spanning from 1956 to 2024. This collection includes vintage 1970s advertisements for the Tropicana’s showroom, old restaurant menus, architectural blueprints, and original film reels of the “Folies” showgirls rehearsing in the mid-1970s.
People view signs from defunct Las Vegas casinos at the Neon Museum on April 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Renovating the Vegas Skyline
The Neon Museum has taken charge of preserving some of Las Vegas’s most iconic signs, receiving the Tropicana’s recognizable red sign and the original archway from The Mirage, a landmark welcoming guests for over 35 years. In a monumental task, this 30-foot archway was transported on a flatbed truck in August, shifting traffic on the Strip as it made its way to the museum.
Opening its doors with a Polynesian theme in 1989, The Mirage ignited a building boom on the Strip, continuing through the 1990s. Its volcano fountain became one of the Strip’s landmark attractions, drawing tourists eager to see Cirque du Soleil performances featuring The Beatles or Siegfried and Roy entertaining with white tigers.
Before long, the skyline of the Strip is set to undergo significant changes. The Mirage will take on a new identity as Hard Rock Las Vegas in 2027, featuring a hotel tower shaped like a guitar, while a new baseball stadium is expected to open in 2028 at the former Tropicana site.
Though the Tropicana fell in 22 seconds, crucial pieces of this Las Vegas icon have found new homes in museums, curated collections, and personal residences. “There’s history here,” remarked Aaron Berger, executive director of the Neon Museum. “You just have to look beyond the glitter to find it.”
Associated Press Contributions
This report also includes contributions from Ty O’Neil, a video journalist in Las Vegas.
