Las Vegas Strip resort down to 1 bar for closing night
Tropicana’s down to its last night, and its last bar.
Word out of the hotel is Trago Lounge will be closed as the hotel marks its final night of operations Monday. Trago is the resort’s main cocktail haven, just off the main entrance.
Reportedly, the only bar open for Tropicana’s sendoff party is the Chill’m cocktail bar, a few somersaults from the casino floor. Yard-long margaritas are its specialty. That kiosk-styled tavern usually handles a dozen or so customers.
This is going to be unfortunate news for 60-80 members of the city’s entertainment and hospitality community attending a party being organized by Emmy-winning set designer Andy Walmsley. All of those folks have been directed to hang at Trago.
Also, Mark Shunock of The Space is bringing a group into Chill’m, after he hosts his venue’s Mondays Dark charity show.
A company official said Monday morning despite the expected mass of partiers, there is no chance of Trago Lounge being open Monday night. This is due to regulatory reasons related to the closing. The staff is gone. An internal audit has begun on all inventory on the property. Alcohol is being moved out.
As we say, you can’t “un-ring” the bell. As it stands, Chill’m is open until 1 a.m., Robert Irvine’s until 9:45 p.m.
It all adds up to a glut of Vegas scenesters attempting to commiserate the night before the hotel goes dark (and two days before its 67th anniversary). The hotel should be packed with guests either staying on property, or locals wading in for a last look.
Those who booked rooms at a $499 rate might need to hoof it to Oyo next door for a proper lounge experience on Trop’s last night.
“They should have mobile bars all over the property,” Walmsley said in a text late Sunday night. “They really haven’t thought this through.”
Many longtime hotel visitors, especially locals, decried the decision to wipe out Tropicana Lounge in favor of Trago in March 2019. But the club could handle a large group, as it did Saturday during a reunion of “Folies Bergere” cast members. Sadly, with a last chance to host a Vegas party, Trago is being benched.
This post has been updated to include information about the possible reopening of Trago Lounge tonight.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.