Dramatic moment famous hotel implodes in 22 seconds to make way for new £1.1bn stadium

Tropicana hotel implodes in Las Vegas spectacle

Dramatic video footage captured the moment the iconic Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel came crashing down to earth.

The hotel has been demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics team, which will cost a cool £1.1 billion.

The Tropicana opened its doors in 1957 and was a popular haunt for Hollywood stars, such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

It featured in both the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever and the 1972 blockbuster The Godfather.

The hotel comes crashing down after the explosives are detonated (Image: Fox5)

The demolition of the hotel was carried out just months after it closed, ending 67 years of history.

Onlookers were treated to a stunning show prior to the demolition, featuring 500 drones and a dazzling fireworks display.

Demolition crews had to use at least 2,000 pounds of explosives to bring down the world-famous hotel.

The Paradise Tower came down first, followed by the 23-story Club Tower. The whole event took just 22 seconds.

Tourists from all over the US flocked to Las Vegas to witness the historic event, some bringing gas masks and hazmat suits.

A dazzling fireworks' display preceded the demolition (Image: Getty)

"It's something we're all going to remember," Corey Brady told the ABC affiliate KTNV-TV.

The Tropicana was built for a cost of £11.4 billion and soon became a favourite hangout for the rich and famous.

Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton, known as Mr Las Vegas, used to have residencies at the hotel.

Despite its illustrious history, it owners decided to close the resort down in April 2024.

“Our team felt that this was the right time, post the peak season, to prepare to close the Trop,” the company chairman Soo Kim said at the time.

"It's been in the works for some time."

The Oakland Athletics team is expected to move into the new 33,000-capacity stadium ahead of the 2028 season.