Here is the Tropicana, one of the great survivors of the classic Las Vegas Strip era. When it opened in 1957, the Tropicana sat at what locals called the Four Corners — the intersection of the Strip and Tropicana Avenue where four major resort properties faced each other. The location made it a centerpiece of Las Vegas's midcentury geography, and its lush tropical landscaping and Cuban-themed entertainment positioned it as the most glamorous address on the Strip.
The Tropicana became famous above all for its showgirls. Les Folies Bergère, which ran from 1959 to 2009, was the longest-running production show in Las Vegas history — fifty years of feathered headdresses, elaborate costumes, and the particular theatrical tradition that made Las Vegas entertainment famous around the world. The showgirl was not merely a performer; she was an architectural element of the casino environment, a moving piece of decor designed to create an atmosphere of decadent possibility.
Behind the glamour was the familiar mob presence. The Tropicana's opening was financed with funds tied to organized crime, and its management had close relationships with several crime families for years. The FBI maintained surveillance on the property throughout the 1960s and 70s. When the mob was eventually forced out of Las Vegas in the 1980s by corporate ownership and aggressive federal prosecution, properties like the Tropicana were among the last to be cleaned up.