LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Neon Museum is honoring the Tropicana Hotel & Casino a day after it closed.
They are relighting a retro 1978 Tropicana sign. The museum has had this sign since 2010, but with help from the Tropicana, they are able to now light this sign every night, along with other pieces of Las Vegas history.
Fred Doumani was the owner of the Tropicana Hotel & Casino form 1974 - 1979. He says the closure of the hotel has brought him back to the glory days of when the hotel was his.
"Do you still feel a connection with it? Oh, absolutely yes, I'm sorry to see it close and I'm sorry to see it gone," said Doumani.
Doumani visited the Tropicana Wednesday, a day after its 67-year run came to an end. He reminisced on all the memories he had there.
"Tropicana was like a gem on the strip, it was really beautiful, it was really well-furnished, and it was just a gorgeous hotel walking into," said Doumani.
Doumani claims he revolutionized it, changing the face of the strip.
"It was just a pleasure to own it. When we bought it there wasn't a high rise there, there was only 500 rooms… So we built the high rise, the closest one to the strip," said Doumani.
After the Tropicana closed and plans to tear it down for a new state of the art baseball stadium are commencing, he sees the ending as yet another massive change to Las Vegas.
"I'd say it's the end of an era," said Doumani.
An era honored Tuesday, by fellow hotels and crowds of people gathering to say goodbye to the 'Tiffany of the Strip.'
Marquees along the strip and in downtown payed homage to history on closing day.
"That was a very nice gesture that was done yesterday, I really appreciated that," said Doumani.
Doumani says it's great to see the museum also honoring the Tropicana and he can't wait to see everyone enjoying this piece of Las Vegas history.
