In a relatively short period the Las Vegas Strip will lose a number of its most iconic properties and another beloved Strip fixture has quietly joined that list.
Most Las Vegas fans know that the Tropicana, the second-oldest resort casino on the Strip, will close forever on April 2. That's a sad moment but also a joyful one as The Trop, as many fans know it, will be shuttered in order to build a stadium for the Oakland Athletics.
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Losing the Tropicana is a blow for old-school Vegas fans, but bringing the A's to the Las Vegas Strip cements the city's position as one of the sports capitals of the world.
It also puts added pressure on the National Basketball Association to move a team, or add an expansion team, to Las Vegas, as Sin City will have the other three major sports.
The Tropicana is not the only piece of Las Vegas history set to close. The famed Mirage Volcano does not have a closing date, but the end for the beloved attraction is near
Since 1989, the volcano has been erupting and drawing big crowds. The attraction's days became numbered when Hard Rock International bought Mirage from MGM Resorts International in late 2022.
The new owner has been vague about its overall plans but made clear that the volcano would someday make way for its signature Guitar Hotel. Plans for that hotel have been approved by Clark County. While construction has not begun, time for the Mirage volcano is likely very limited.
The same can now be said for another iconic Strip-facing Las Vegas property.
Image source: Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Another legendary Las Vegas Strip property closing
Jimmy Buffett's beach vibe somehow found a place on the Las Vegas Strip, even though the Strip is landlocked. The singer's "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" message resonated with Las Vegas visitors, and his Margaritaville has occupied a huge spot on the Strip, bringing the beach to Las Vegas.
"For more than 20 years, the restaurant has occupied a street-front space (about 30,000 square feet today) at the Flamingo," the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. "But the restaurant is closing after service on April 15, an employee who was not authorized to speak publicly confirmed for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The restaurant’s reservations system is no longer taking bookings after April 15."
That's a quick end for a bar/restaurant that has been the gateway to the Flamingo, a Caesars Entertainment (CZR) property and the oldest resort casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Flamingo has been making dining changes
Caesars has been trying to up the food game at the Flamingo.
The company has not commented on the Margaritaville closure, but it has been overhauling nearly the entire dining lineup at the Flamingo, a property it tried to sell in 2022.
Lisa Vanderpump, the reality-TV star who has bars and restaurants in multiple Caesars properties, will open Pinky’s by Vanderpump at the Flamingo Las Vegas in summer 2024
"Like her other locations, Pinky’s by Vanderpump (coined after Vanderpump’s nickname, “Pinky”) will feature distinctive dishes, statement cocktails and the restaurateur’s signature design aesthetic," Caesars wrote.
"With a nod to the Flamingo’s vibrant history, the restaurant and bar will combine Art Deco glamour with sumptuous and decadent Vanderpump flair. Spanning nearly 7,000 square feet and set against a palette of muted greens, brass accents, and blush pink,"
Vanderpump will bring her personal touch to the restaurant and bar.
"The signature Vanderpump extravagance will also translate to the cocktail and food menu, with playful nods to the vintage theme, and some seriously Instagrammable moments," Caesars added.
In addition to Pinky's by Vanderpump, the Flamingo will add a Gordon Ramsay Burger on a similar timetable.
