Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The Walls Come Tumbling Down

It was the biggest implosion in Las Vegas since the Sands came down in 1996. The Stardust stood for 48 years and it came down in a matter of seconds Tuesday morning. It was supposed to be a low-key affair, but when has that ever been the case in Las Vegas?

First came four minutes of fireworks. Then a unique countdown began in lights on the side of the hotel, followed by the blast. The Stardust crumbled to earth in a cloud of dust.

When the Stardust opened on July 2, 1958, it was largest hotel in Las Vegas. The Stardust sports book set the lines on games and the book's uncanny pointspread accuracy resulted in huge profits. Six years in a row, the sports book never sustained a losing month. Yes, some people were no doubt happy to see the place come down.

You can see video coverage of the event at KLAS, including a report on the cleanup that includes video from cameras stationed inside the structure as it came down. And KVBC has a video report on the top 10 Las Vegas implosions available on its site. Replacing the Stardust will be the $4.4 billion Echelon Place, with construction scheduled to begin in June.

1 comment:

Michael Pigott said...

I watched a building get imploded in Norfolk. Implosions are a very taigating worthy event. Sure it only lasts 10 seconds but you'll always remember those 10.