Las Vegas said goodbye to another of its legendary casinos this week, the Clarion Hotel and Casino. Located near the Vegas Strip – Clarion Casino & Hotel was finally demolished. The casino had stood since 1970, and was originally called The Royal Inn but over time it was also known as The Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Hotel, The Greek Isles, The Paddle Wheel, and finally, The Clarion.
The Clarion never reached the heights of some other casinos in Vegas, instead having its heyday during the city’s darker period.
The demolition was videoed and has since gone viral across the internet, mainly via YouTube. Demolition experts are thought to have used 4,400 pounds in the blast, though it did not destroy the 45-year-old building. The elevator shaft did not budge. Cables attached to cranes were eventually used to bring the final structure in The Clarion to the ground.
The 13-hour demolition of the Clarion Hotel and Casino is the first casino to be demolished in Las Vegas since 2007. During its peak, it housed 200 rooms, and stood 12 stories high. The Clarion becomes the thirteenth casino to be demolished since 2004 when Las Vegas really started redeveloping and modernizing its image across the casino world with new structures.