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.

Throughout its nearly 67 years in business, the Tropicana's ownership has changed several times, and some of its early history even involved the mob. "It opened April 4th, 1957, and it was called the Tiffany of the Strip," said Michael Green, a history professor and chair of UNLV's history department.

A look back at Tropicana’s six decades of legacy on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Tropicana will be closing two days shy of when it would have marked 67 years of business on the Las Vegas Strip.

B-boy sensation JD Rainey goes from leg braces to the Vegas stage of Magic Mike Live. Then he takes us backstage to meet the Lady performers and get their take on the show's empowering message. Explore the Sahara Casino's history at the Neon Museum. Meet Chuck Frommer, owner of John Mulls Meats and Road Kill Grill, tracing his family legacy from the Hoover Dam to BBQ fame.

Despite being known for its gaming industry and casinos, Nevada is one of five states without a statewide lottery. That’s by design. A statewide lottery is banned in Nevada’s 159-year-old constitution. The constitution was written when lotteries were seen as corrupt and coincided with a series of national reforms, most famously abolition, that swept the United States in the 1800s.

Built in 1957, the Tropicana Hotel is a staple on the Las Vegas Strip, and guests are feeling nostalgic as the legendary resort will soon close its doors. “I think it’s pretty cool to be one of the last people to stay here,” tourist Dawn Baptist told Nexstar’s KLAS.

Regina and Las Vegas are drinking water from similar sources. "I've heard that Regina and Las Vegas are the only two major cities not built on a natural water source," said Regina's Kyle Halvorson. "I wanna know if there's any truth to that." Halvorson put his query to the new CBC podcast Good Question, Saskatchewan.