When it first opened on April 4, 1957, the Tropicana was the most expensive hotel-casino ever built on the Las Vegas Strip. It was dubbed the “Tiffany of the Desert” in a nod to the status jewelry store. That elevated level of style set a new bar for what guests could and should expect, on a visit to Vegas.

The story of the Las Vegas Strip started more than 80 years ago this week on a ranch. More specifically, a Western-themed resort called El Rancho Vegas.

One of Las Vegas’ longest-standing Strip casinos is shuttering its doors for good. Tropicana Las Vegas is set to close Tuesday, just two days shy of its 67th anniversary. Once a crown jewel on the Strip, the aging property has struggled to stand out in recent decades amid a sea of megaresorts.

One of Las Vegas’ longest-standing Strip casinos is shuttering its doors for good. Tropicana Las Vegas is set to close Tuesday, just two days shy of its 67th anniversary. Once a crown jewel on the Strip, the aging property has struggled to stand out in recent decades amid a sea of megaresorts.

A legendary resort and casino has confirmed it will close permanently later this week. Guests at the Tropicana Las Vegas have only hours left to enjoy the property.

Throughout its nearly 67 years in business, the Tropicana's ownership has changed several times, and some of its early history even involved the mob. "It opened April 4th, 1957, and it was called the Tiffany of the Strip," said Michael Green, a history professor and chair of UNLV's history department.

The world of this old Vegas-set video game remains so compelling, fans travel here to visit the real thing. As I stand in the Goodsprings cemetery, I do my best to be respectful of its residents, especially since only bona fide citizens of the town can be buried here. The place has a sepulchral serenity. Miniature American flags on headstones flap in the wind. There is a bench for contemplation. The sun shines all day. It’s a fine place not only to spend eternity, but also to reflect on the fleeting nature of life, the passage of time, and one’s own mortality.

When the Tropicana opened on Las Vegas Boulevard in 1957, it was the most expensive resort that had ever been built in the city. On Tuesday, the Tropicana’s storied run will come to an end when it closes its doors for good.

Las Vegas loses one of its classic casinos this week. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with UNLV historian Michael Green about the glamor, gambling, and one-time mob connections of the Tropicana.

The Tropicana is dead; long live the Tropicana. The storied hotel-casino closes its doors April 2, just two days shy of its 67th birthday, to make way for a Major League Baseball stadium and a new Bally’s resort. Over the next year, the land the Tropicana now occupies will be cleared, with the intent that the organization currently known as the Oakland A’s will claim the empty lot in April 2025 and begin to build.

The Tropicana will be closing two days shy of when it would have marked 67 years of business on the Las Vegas Strip.

B-boy sensation JD Rainey goes from leg braces to the Vegas stage of Magic Mike Live. Then he takes us backstage to meet the Lady performers and get their take on the show's empowering message. Explore the Sahara Casino's history at the Neon Museum. Meet Chuck Frommer, owner of John Mulls Meats and Road Kill Grill, tracing his family legacy from the Hoover Dam to BBQ fame.