LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – As the Tropicana closed its doors, 67 years of history were left behind. It is history that will now be home to UNLV’s library.
“History is important, right, it’s the way we tell our story based on these pieces of evidence and having the records from the Tropicana itself enables historians and scholars. members of the community to understand the impact the Tropicana had in Las Vegas,” Sarah Quigley the director of special collections and Archives said.
Quigley showed FOX5 the many brochures and pamphlets that were saved from the decades of entertainment the Tropicana offered.
This is because before social media and the online buzz, having a pamphlet in your hand is how you knew about the showgirls and the latest news.
“From the perspective of the people who worked there from the perspective of people who ran the business potentially the guests who even stayed there,” Quigley said.
Though UNLV is just in the beginning stages of collecting things from the hotel, Quigley tells FOX5 it is important for the future general to know what Tropicana means to Las Vegas.
“It has seen tremendous changes in the city from that midcentury popular culture idea of what Las Vegas was in the 50s and 60s, to the growth of mega-resorts in the 80s and 90s to what the city is now to a sports capital and entertainment capitol,” Quigley said.
There are still many boxes of artifacts and items to go through, but Quigley said the library is waiting to sign an official deed for the hotel.
Anyone is welcome to go in and take a look at what they have collected.
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