Gone In 60 Seconds - Imploding a Vegas Casino

SamNovak

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Gone In 60 Seconds - Imploding a Vegas Casino

After sixty years of history-making, Riviera Las Vegas was blown to bits...

In our retrospective look at the Riviera Hotel Casino, we've almost arrived at its implosion. If you're just joining us, you can catch up by heading here. When you return, we'll be continuing our exploration through the hallways of this once-great resort, that closed forever on 5/4/15.

World Fare Buffet -

As the popularity of high-priced gourmet buffets grew, the number of budget-priced offerings diminished. World Fare (later renamed R Buffet) was located on the second level of Riviera, accessible via an escalator near the reservations desk. It was shuttered sometime in 2013.

Staffing Areas -

Riviera Health Club -

Food Court -

Vintage Advertising -

An Unexpected Tragedy -

On May 23rd, 2015, I was exploring the 20th floor of Riviera during the liquidation sale. Exiting a suite into the corridor, I passed a lady trying to enter. I stepped aside and headed for the elevator. During my ride to the ground floor, the woman jumped off the balcony and committed suicide. Her body landed on the pool deck and the area was immediately cordoned off. She was later identified as 48-year-old Karla R. Ostrowsky.

Las Vegas is sometimes called the "Suicide Capitol of the Nation". Vital Vegas reported in 2015 that of the 1,100 visitor deaths that occurred the previous year, 15 percent were by suicide. The site also stated that "some of the most gruesome suicides happen off of hotel balconies and parking garages."

Implosions -

Petitions to save and preserve the historic Riviera Hotel Casino failed. Its 24-story Monaco tower was imploded on 6/14/2016. The rest came down on 8/16/2016, and I was there to witness and record the event with my photographer pal Greg C.

I secured a north-facing room with an open balcony at Royal Resort, which has since been closed. Located at 99 Convention Center Drive, the budget hotel was at the perfect angle and distance. Greg had already walked around the fenced-off Riv, capturing as many angles as possible (above and below).

Adjacent to the implosion site, the world-famous Peppermill Restaurant was required to take extra precautions. Windows were boarded, and trucks were parked along the building to block the blast. The kitchen was operating on a limited menu, as natural gas had temporarily been shut off.

Greg and I patiently waited with other photographers until 2:30 am, when multiple blasts leveled the entire resort. The shockwave shook our hotel as car alarms and cheers filled the street. When the dust cleared, the Riviera Hotel Casino was missing.

[embed]https://vimeo.com/948128017[/embed] The next morning, the air was filled with the sound of heavy machinery. Demolition crews were eager to remove any remaining evidence that Rivera ever existed. After sixty iconic years, the resort was gone forever.

8/16/2016

10/29/2016

The Riviera Hotel Casino site was paved over once the rubble was removed, and an empty lot remained behind for several years. An expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center took over the eastern end of the property in 2018. Ten acres remain undeveloped as of the publication of this article.