The Tropicana has been synonymous with old-world Las Vegas glamour for nearly seven decades – but the legendary landmark has now closed its doors to make way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium. As historians scramble to preserve the Tropicana’s colourful past, the site’s sporting future exemplifies the city’s ever-changing identity

Las Vegas’s famous Tropicana hotel is no more. Its guests were abruptly asked to leave earlier this month and its gold-domed casino closed – signaling the end of an icon of classic Sin City life where glamor, celebrity and crime seemed to go hand in hand.

Storytelling is the centerpiece of good entertainment, and our city has a lot of stories to tell. Las Vegas has been long obsessed with being ahead of the curve in all things entertainment, food and gaming. But with a reputation for building up new resorts as fast as it tears them down, Las Vegas is a city in constant flux. Often, important stories of our past are simply forgotten.

Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman performed there. Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton had residencies in its theatre. Magicians Siegfried & Roy made their Las Vegas debut there. And James Bond checked into room 831 after saying, “I hear that the Hotel Tropicana is quite comfortable” in the movie “Diamonds are Forever.”

The story of the Las Vegas Strip started more than 80 years ago this week on a ranch. More specifically, a Western-themed resort called El Rancho Vegas.

One of Las Vegas’ longest-standing Strip casinos is shuttering its doors for good. Tropicana Las Vegas is set to close Tuesday, just two days shy of its 67th anniversary. Once a crown jewel on the Strip, the aging property has struggled to stand out in recent decades amid a sea of megaresorts.

A legendary resort and casino has confirmed it will close permanently later this week. Guests at the Tropicana Las Vegas have only hours left to enjoy the property.

Las Vegas loses one of its classic casinos this week. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with UNLV historian Michael Green about the glamor, gambling, and one-time mob connections of the Tropicana.