Random Vegas
The man who brought Folies Bergere to the Tropicana in 1959 was Lou Walters, Barbara Walter’s Father (VitalVegas)
Twitpic of the week
Unlike Fremont St, properties on the strip don’t often have the opportunity to age and evolve. In most cases, resorts serve their purpose for a time then are imploded to make way for the next thing. It’s hard to argue with results but in a very few cases, like exactly 3 cases, we get the opportunity to watch a property evolve. Caesars Palace may be the poster child for cosmetic enhancement and expansion but this week’s winner, brought to you by @Summacorp, of Tropicana circa 1966, only 9 years old at the time, shows that the building you know today is really just the original concept post puberty…or post plastic surgery. If you take away the two large hotel towers, the metaphorical breasts in this analogy, you’re left with the same structure, casino and accommodations, originally conceived 60 years ago. Seriously, look at this week’s winner and compare it to the Google maps image and you’ll be shocked that virtually none of the original building is gone. Some parts of it are no longer in service but could be, if only the property found a use for additional rooms. For the record, Circus Circus is the only other building still sporting its original bones. Despite being the oldest property on the strip, after decades of renovations and expansion, the original Flamingo structure has been completely replaced, although the property likes to perpetuate the myth that there are still secret underground tunnels at the property originally built by Bugsy Siegel. While it's true MGM and SLS have parts of their original self-incorporated into their new designs, neither are still named after those original properties.
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