Rubble, rubble, toil and trouble: Riviera’s second set of towers comes down
It was the second implosion at at resort that hosted such performers as Sinatra and Streisand.
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With little fanfare — wait, is this really Las Vegas? — what remained of the fabled Riviera resort crumbled into the history books early Tuesday.
In just 15 seconds, as explosions echoed along the Strip, the Riv’s 17-story Monte Carlo Tower (not to be confused with the Monte Carlo resort) collapsed into clouds of dust.
A second, smaller building that housed the casino was also imploded.
The hotel’s 24-story Monaco Tower was demolished June 14 . The fanfare that day included showgirls and fireworks.
This time around, there were no dignitaries on hand. The buildings were, however, bathed in white light, their tops draped with banners advertising the demolition contractor.
Las Vegas media reported that a few hundred people gathered along nearby streets to watch the Riviera, the first high-rise hotel along Las Vegas Boulevard, disappear.
In its heyday, the hotel hosted big-name entertainers as diverse as Elvis Presley, Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.
Pianist Liberace cut the ribbon to open it on April 20, 1955.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which now owns the property, plans to use the land as additional outdoor meeting space. The prime real estate will welcome its first conventioneers in March.
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