Las Vegas’ Riviera is reduced to rubble (or, at least, some of it is)
The walls, they came a-tumblin’ down as a part of one of Las Vegas’ oldest resorts was imploded early Tuesday morning.
As fireworks illuminated the night sky, local officials pushed the plunger at 2:37 a.m., setting off a series of explosions within the Riviera’s Monaco Tower.
One tower of the Riviera comes down in an implosion in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
The spectacle was free, but it was a short show. As the crowd cheered, the 24-story hotel tower was reduced to rubble in about 12 seconds.
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“While we bid a fond farewell to a special part of Las Vegas’ history, we will never say goodbye to what the Riviera has meant to this city and our tourism industry.” Rossi Ralenkotter, president and chief executive of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a statement.
The Riviera, built in 1955 as one of the first hotels along what’s now the Strip, was, in its heyday, a playground for both ordinary citizens and celebrities. It closed in May 2015, just weeks after observing its 60th anniversary.
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FOR THE RECORD
June 14, 2:40 p.m.: An earlier version of this post said the Riviera observed its 50th anniversary in 2015. It was the casino hotel’s 60th anniversary.
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