We Are Beautiful, No Matter What The Trop Says
May 19, 2010
Even though I had transit difficulties on Monday, I was still able to make it to the Tropicana without too much trouble, and while I was there I decided to get some updated shots of their “new” pool.
Of course, Monday just happened to be the most overcast, windy day we had experienced in several weeks, but such is the dark cloud that ostensibly hovers over my head. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t love me, he’s just not big on public displays of affection when it comes to yours truly.
In any event, the “new and improved” Tropicana Pool has been open for much of this month, but as you can clearly see from the photographs, it is not yet finished. At this point, the pool does not look all that different from the “old” pool. Since I have always been a huge fan of the Tropicana swimming hole, this is certainly not a bad thing, but I guess I was expecting it to be completely redesigned.
Tropicana Pool
Tropicana Pool
Tropicana Pool
Tropicana Pool
Tropicana Pool
During the remake of the Trop, I’ve been somewhat hesitant of what to expect from the finished product. I know the place is undergoing a facelift, but I wasn’t sure what type of clientele the property would begin aiming for.
Last week, I got some insight when The Tropicana issued the following press release:
Tropicana Las Vegas today announced a partnership with Nikki Beach, the world’s leading lifestyle entertainment group, to launch the city’s hottest destination: Nikki Beach at Tropicana Las Vegas.
Nikki Beach will bring the best of their South Beach, Marbella and St. Tropez inspired designs to Tropicana Las Vegas, enabling guests to party all day and all night in style, with a sizzling blend of haute cuisine, exotic cocktails and sexy entertainment. The new Las Vegas location will be the largest Nikki Beach property in the world, and will combine one of the most stylish brands in the world with one of the most legendary hotels on The Strip.
“The creation of Nikki Beach Las Vegas marks a new era in Tropicana Las Vegas’ history,” said Alex Yemenidjian, Chairman and CEO of Tropicana Las Vegas, Inc. “Together we will deliver a truly exceptional experience, joining two of the world’s most iconic brands in a way that has not been done before in this city.”
“After many years of looking into Las Vegas for expansion, we have finally found the right partnership”, said Nikki Beach owner Jack Penrod. “The Tropicana Las Vegas is the perfect location for our global brand. With exclusive beach clubs in the world’s hottest vacation spots, we are thrilled to bring Nikki Beach to Tropicana Las Vegas. Alex’s vision for the new Tropicana Las Vegas makes the perfect home for Nikki Beach, who as quoted by the London Observer, is ‘The Sexiest Place on Earth.’ But please, tell only your best friends.”
Now, when I read this, I didn’t know what to think. It sounds kind of cool I suppose, but I don’t know who the “Nikki” people are, so I decided to do a quick search. One of the first results to be returned was the group’s Miami property whose description reads as follows:
“Nikki Beach Miami, often called “Paradise on Earth,” is the first of 14 locations world-wide where jet-setters and hip people come to embellish their senses and taste buds, look around and see who is there and where they are going.
It is here that you will find a unique blend of gorgeous people from all parts of the globe sharing languid afternoons under the warmth of an eternal sun.”
Doh!
This doesn’t sound good. Not good at all.
If ever there were a person who will not be welcomed at the new Tropicana pool, that person is I.
I don’t think you will find anyone on the planet who would describe me as either “hip” or “gorgeous”. To the contrary, it is entirely possible that I am the ugliest loser in this town. I stopped trying to fight it long ago. Sometimes you just have to accept who you are and play the cards you were dealt. I mean, look at Oscar Goodman. Being hideous never stopped him, and I doubt he was one of the cool kids in high school when he was growing up in the 1870’s … yet he went on to become the state’s most famous alcoholic.
Sometimes 7-3 offsuit plays.
The new “Nikki Beach”, however, just does not sound like a place where I can work my mojo.
I find this very disappointing because I have been hanging out at the Tropicana pool every summer for the past 10 years, and it looks like I will be alienated from it very soon.
While it’s a real bummer on a personal level, I suppose I can’t really blame the Trop. I mean, what else can they do? Carry on with business as usual?
I guess that’s not really an option. They have been catering to a very modest crowd for some time, and these folks just haven’t been bringing in the cash. I’m not sure if trying to woo the “hip, jet-set” crowd will work (I’m actually quite skeptical), but it appears that this is the decision that the Trop has made.
While I understand why they want to target a more moneyed crowd, what I don’t understand, is why the Tropicana does not just run the show themselves. I don’t really “get” the reason that all of the properties in Las Vegas feel compelled to hire outside party promoters. I’ve seen the work of these companies, and so far, I’m not a huge fan. Most of them seem like modern day P.T. Barnums who subscribe to the tenant that there is a sucker born every minute. They promote these pools like carnival barkers promoted the elephant man. It all seems kind of greedy and scammy.
Geez, now that I think about it, I understand exactly why casino owners are attracted to these guys.
Anyway, it looks like it will be the end of yet another era. A personal Las Vegas alt-favorite will be converted to a “hip” place for gorgeous people, leaving me to once again mourn the loss of something in this town that I once enjoyed.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go have a good cry standing in front of a mirror while listening to “Beautiful” by Christina Aguirella.
Words can’t bring me down.
At least that’s what I like to tell myself.
Written by Jinx on May 19, 2010 at 10:52 pm
I posted similar thoughts when news broke on one of the forums, your point that modest rollers aren’t working for them though, I disagree with a bit any ‘regular’ gambler to the city knows it’s been a shithole for some time now, so the crowd they were getting was 1 timers and pure tourists with a focus on the remodel and targeting the middle class to build their base I have to believe they could turn a profit. Especially considering the prop was bought out of bankruptcy and the remodel costs are modest. It’s a shame though they seem to be going ‘high end’
Written by tully on May 19, 2010 at 11:58 pm
What they want, and what they get may be two different things.
Nikki Beach sounds like a place that targets the same crowd as Wynncore, CP, Bellagio, etc. Will those visitors take a chance and try the Trop? I don’t think so—-while the remodel is a huge improvement, it doesn’t put the place on par with the aforementioned properties. Even the Trop execs know this, when they talk about being “best in class.”
They’re wanting the Luxor/Excal/Monte Carlo visitors—preferably the ones with a bit more cash for their trip. Maybe even some MGM folks, and PHo customers who don’t care for the new ownership.
My guess is, it will end up something along the lines of the Flamingo pool. Not as “cool” as Wet Republic or the MBay pool, but a lot better than Excal, MC, and Luxor pools.
Written by huddler on May 20, 2010 at 12:38 am
The monied, hip, jet setting, douchebags aint going to the Trop even if they are handing out Hookers and Coke with every bottle service. As a matter of fact, the folks that the Niki Beach website describes as their target customer, wouldnt be caught dead in the Trop. They will be at Encore, Palms, Bellagio, MB, etc. The Trop is decidedly Un-Hip. So, I am really unsure why they would target a demographic they clearly cannot compete for. Sense, this makes none.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on May 20, 2010 at 12:55 am
I saw the press releases on the new improved Trop. Nice article, Rex.
And like you, I’m holding out for the casino/hotel that starts a swimming pool and calls it “Douchebag Beach.”
I can see it now. The press release. “All those others try to attract the beautiful people. Forget them. We go for the losers, the politically incorrect, the ones who scratch their crotches in public and the BUFF ones. And BUFF doesn’t stand for what you think. It stands for “Big Ugly Fat Fuckers.”
Darn, Rex.
I need to stop right there. I keep going on with that idea, the LVCVA will see this and steal it faster than Godzilla can trample on high rises in downtown Tokyo.
Written by james h on May 20, 2010 at 3:15 am
if they can make the trop somewhat decent (clean) and affordable (cheap) but cool, then they stand a chance of doing enough business to at least stay in business. when i go to vegas with the guys we stay at much cheaper places than when we go with our wives. there is no reason to stay at wynn (or similar) if you are with the guys. i bet alot of people probably do this. also i wonder how many frist time visitors arrive in vegas each day and stay at whatever hotel they liked on the internet…the trop has a better location than rio or palms or hard rock or downtown (if you want the strip trip). plenty of younger people would stay there, and plenty of cali regulars have no reason to stay big if they go to vegas every other weekeng or so….
price, location, updated decor, decent food and drink, thats about all thats needed for many more vegas tourist than you locals think…you have to think about all the different reasons people visit vegas, for plenty of people its just about going, its better than where they from, its affordable, its fun, there are as many reasons as people…take a minute to actually look at the people walking the strip, these are as far from A group as you can get, so i dont think they are going to really miss the coolest pool or must see celeb night club.
with a little luck the trop stands a good chance of making it, and rex, i bet you will still fit in at the pool, from what i see there are far more average people visiting vegas than beautiful babies…and thats money, rex!
Written by Max on May 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm
wow
Written by J. Louise on May 20, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I will greatly miss the old Vegas-style Trop. I loved, loved, loved it. After all these bright ideas fail, I wonder how many years it will take to renovate a couple of these casinos back into….Old Vegas style.
Written by Aaron on May 20, 2010 at 9:13 pm
This is a joke right? The Trop going after the hipsters and highrollers? And that is different than what every other strip property (besides X and CC) how??? And exactly how many even fit in this demo anymore?
This will be a failure, as far as producing the target demo. The Nikki people are going to be sorely dissapointed. I’m glad they are getting a facelift. They should have just marketed that new look to the solid middle-roller, upper-middle class tourist. My guess is thats where they’ll end up in a year or so anway.
Written by coolpacific on May 20, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Some of you are starting to sound paranoid. While these places (Nikki etc.) do attract the douchenozzles they tend to attract many more average folks with a bit of money to spend. The Trop could not continue on its previous trajectory and I give them credit for trying. Nikki beach clubs tend to be pretty classy and shouldn’t attract too much of the Rehab crowd in my opinion.
Written by FleaStiff on May 21, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Run the show themselves?
The casino doesn’t hire lifeguards as dealers, so why should the casino suddenly start promoting pool parties? A better notion would be to just leave the swimming pool as an amenity for hotel guests and not as some “in” spot or women to find good looking guys.
Written by Tom on May 21, 2010 at 7:17 pm
What is going to happen to the stained glass casino ceiling? Is another casino/ business going to buy it? Surely, it won’t just be destroyed!
Written by james h on May 22, 2010 at 4:46 am
i always thought that ceiling made the casino look old!
Written by ivanna s. pankin on May 26, 2010 at 12:57 am
Hey, Rex,
Can I bother you for permission to repost your photos? My jet-setting, hip roller derby playing friends and I are staying at the Trop & Hooters this summer for a derby convention and I would love to let them see what the new pool looks like and how close it is to Hooters (literally in the shadow of the Hoots hotel). Of course I’m sure we’re EXACTLY the demographic the New Trop is looking for – that is, most of us are arriving on jet planes, and hopefully they think aggressive girls are hip… we’re certainly going to be at the pool having cocktails, anyway, so hopefully we won’t disappoint!
Sorry for not contacting you directly, but – well, I admit it, I just didn’t look that hard for your info and it wasn’t anywhere obvious.
Written by ivanna s. pankin on May 26, 2010 at 12:59 am
PS did that other guy say they are handing out hookers and coke – like cocaine? Hot damn. Old Vegas lives after all.
Written by The Fonz on May 31, 2010 at 10:29 pm
the trop is nothing special. i’ve been there periodically over the years, even stayed there once. i liked the pool, i like that it’s not pretentious. i hope it survives. it’s one of the few old school properties left on the strip. if nothing else, i hope they resume taping let’s make a deal there in the fall.