Las Vegas Blew Up Its Own Casino… and Made It a Show #lasvegas #history #documentary

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An Old Fashioned, some red lipstick and a black dress…sigh, there’s just something undeniable about a good ol’ classic. The beloved Vegas showgirl may be an endangered species these days (insert tear), but “VEGAS! THE SHOW” preserved those feather-clad beauties and the likes of an era when everything was flashier and dripping with sophistication. What’s that you ask? Can a show filled with gorgeous and talented women a la Rat Pack era really exist in the here and now? Oh yes my friend, it sure can and all we have to say is raise that curtain and let the good times roll. With a little song, a lot of dance and that certain sultry allure that only old timey Vegas could pull off, this is a trip down memory lane and, well, it’s pretty legit. The costumes are fun, funky, sexy and so real. Ok, well maybe not the candy-themed costumes but hell, their Sammy Davis Jr. sure had us pining for an autograph. For a city that was built on pure, raw talent and obviously dolla dolla bills, this show celebrates iconic moments from the city's rich entertainment history through the decades that made the Vegas we know and love today. And we’ll tip our top hats to that.

RockSinCity

Published Oct 24, 2026

In 1993, Las Vegas blew up one of its own casinos — and turned it into a show.

The Dunes opened in 1955 and was a legend of the Strip for almost 40 years. Its 181-foot onion-dome neon sign was the tallest free-standing sign in the world when it was switched on in 1964.

On October 27, 1993, about 200,000 people gathered on the Strip. Steve Wynn staged the demolition as a launch party for his new Treasure Island: after a fireworks show, a pirate ship fired its cannons, and at around 10:10 p.m. the Dunes' north tower came down in a wall of fire, filmed for a TV special. The show cost about $1.5 million.

It started an implosion craze: the Sands (1996), the Hacienda on New Year's Eve 1996, the Stardust (2007), the Riviera (2016). And on the land of the Dunes, Wynn built the Bellagio (1998) — its lake and dancing fountains cover the place where the casino once stood.

???? Sources
- Wikipedia: Dunes (hotel and casino)
- The Neon Museum: "The Dunes' Dramatic Demolition" and "History of the Demolished Hotels in Las Vegas"
- Las Vegas Advisor: Vegas implosions

???? How it was made: every shot is a 3D reconstruction built and rendered in code — the Strip, the neon, the implosion, the fountains. No stock footage, no AI video generators. Music and sound effects are synthesized. Buildings other than the Dunes, the crowds and the pirate ship are simplified reconstructions.

#LasVegas #Vegas #LasVegasStrip #Implosion #Casino #History #Bellagio #HistoryShorts #SinCity #Shorts