The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed its victims in many places. Although only financially, it has finally hit one of the casinos in the Las Vegas Valley. The COVID-forced hiatus became a permanent one for this casino. While casino demolitions, usually for even larger and more modern new buildings in Sin City, are often staged for maximum public impact and literally go up in a huge firework display, this is not a public blast show. It is more of an insider tip for those who happen to be in Las Vegas in March and want to experience live the images known from TV of collapsing casino resorts.
The big bang happens on March 5th at 2:00 PM!
If you’re grinding in Las Vegas in March, a detour to the East Las Vegas Valley might be worth it. That’s where the Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel will collapse like a house of cards. The spectacle, which catches many a casino resort, is not public in this case. However, the high hotel tower should be clearly visible as it collapses, even without a special viewing platform or direct access to the site.
Anyone who wants to spontaneously drive by the spectacle can (still) find the building at 5255 Boulder Highway, Sunrise Manor, on the outskirts of Las Vegas.
The Eastside Cannery Hotel & Casino
The Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel began just as it is ending now, with a big bang. On April 30, 2007, 100 rooms of the predecessor resort, Nevada Palace, were imploded in a high-profile event to make room for the sister hotel of the North Las Vegas Cannery Casino & Hotel. The topping-out ceremony for the 64m high tower made of bronze, glass, and steel took place on December 7, 2007. On August 28, 2008, the 5,934sqm casino and the 307 hotel rooms in the 16-story building were opened. In total, the construction cost approximately $250 million at the time.
Since its opening, the Eastside Cannery employed nearly 1,100 people at a time, including many from the Nevada Palace. The casino opened with 2,187 slot machines and 26 gaming tables, as well as a sports betting area and a bingo hall with 450 seats. The area for the increasingly rare coin-operated machines was particularly popular with older gamblers. Various restaurants, a steakhouse, a pool, spa, and a lounge on the 16th floor, from which you could overlook the entire Las Vegas Valley while eating, were also part of the complex.
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With the change of ownership in December 2016, the bingo hall, the sports betting area, and all but one of the restaurants were closed. On March 17, the Eastside Cannery was then closed due to the Corona pandemic, like all state casinos in Nevada, and – as we know today – never reopened.
The site where the controlled collapse (implosion) will take place on March 5 was resold for $45 million. There will not be a casino here again; instead, residential development will take place.
8 News Now reports on demolition plans (incl. freestyle rap)
Anyone who wants to take one last look at the Eastside Cannery in its full glory can do so here on the tui pages, among others – however, we would no longer recommend making a booking!
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