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Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009 | 3:41 p.m.
Related stories
- Tropicana names new leadership amid rebranding (8-28-2009)
- Tropicana shows off new logo tied to redesign (8-6-2009)
- Tropicana Las Vegas emerges from bankruptcy (7-2-2009)
Tropicana Las Vegas announced today it has added two new restaurants in an effort to further revamp the property.
The Tropicana will open Italian restaurant Bacio Pasta and Vino on Wednesday night. Tropicana described the Bacio’s feel as an “intimate Italian bistro” with large murals and mounted wine racks.
Former Harrah’s, Rio and Las Vegas Hilton executive chef George Bargisen also will serve as executive chef at Bacio. Bargisen brings more than 20 years of resort experience to the new restaurant.
The property has been without an Italian dining option, a staple in Las Vegas casinos, since it closed its Tuscany Italian Café under the old Tropicana Las Vegas management last winter.
The second new restaurant is Havana GO GO, which has replaced Tropicana’s Java Java coffee shop. Like Java Java, Havana GO GO with serve quick eats like coffee, pastries, soups, paninis and pizzas. The restaurant opened last week.
Tropicana said the new and revamped restaurants are a glimpse into the South Beach feel the property is aiming for in its $125 million renovation and rebranding. The renovation will also include a revamped casino floor, hotel rooms, pool and spa facilities and a nightclub.
Other restaurant additions and renovations will follow, Tropicana Las Vegas spokeswoman Brittany Markarian said. The property closed its café last week for construction.
Tropicana Las Vegas emerged from bankruptcy as a stand-alone company under the leadership of Alex Yemenidjian in July.
The company announced a new leadership team last month, including the Stratosphere’s former food and beverage vice president, Jim Laughlin, who is now spearheading Tropicana’s new dining ventures.
The property also released an updated logo last month as the first step in the resort’s rebranding campaign.
Tropicana has remained virtually unchanged since its last renovation in 1985. The facelift is expected to be complete in 2010.
Renovating all of Restraunts, casino floor, hotel rooms, pool and spa facilities and a nightclub for $125M?
They had to hire former Stratosphere's former food and beverage vice president?
Couldn't they find someone more renowned?
Sounds all pretty cheap to me, but I will pay a visit since I've always like the Trop. Being stand-alone is rare gem now days. Good luck to them.
They probably couldn't find anyone more renowned than Jim Laughlin for what they can afford to pay. Mr. Laughlin, rumor has it, was let go from the Stratosphere for "undisclosed" reasons and was likely willing to work cheap!
i hope its better then thier coffee shop.the last meal i had there was inedible.havana go-go,itd b nice if they served some cuban dishes there,south beach and all
Jim Laughlin!!!!!!! Yeah I rember that day he "resigned" The director of security at Trop is the old director from the Strat in the ichan/Richard brown days. To jims credit he did create carnival court between IP and Harrahs. Do you think they will be having Budwieser at Trop?
Oh boy, Another casino restaurant!
Maybe the Trop should try the "Fabulous Vegas Resort vacations" that Bob Stupak sucessfully marketed in the Sunday papers across the nation back in the 1980's at the old Vegas World (Now Stratosphere), Before the tower cost took them out.
So the first thing you do to make the Tropicana new and cutting edge is to bring in the F&B manager from the Stratosphere? LOL Genius!
They are going to blow through the 125mil and the renovations won't be completed. In fact they won't have enough money to implode this POS. Also whats a facelift if the property is still full of those borderline homeless looking employees?
I heard that the restarant has bugs in the soup, like their beds
I heard that the Million Dollar Slot pull in front of the door outside on the side walk for the strolling tourists to drag them into the joint is nothing but a fake. Never ever actually won more than a free pack of plastic cards or a t-shirt. Even the cows here in the mountains are laughing about this joke :)
From Switzerland
Jim Laughlin only knows how to fire people! what a big skill to be proud of. Lay off employees to work part time so they have an opportunity to get fired so they cant get unemployment. No hours means no insurance. Why are the Bartenders all the same age group? That is weird. A bunch of ghetto people who don't know how to use email...lol. Instead of playing political games, Laughlin should just close it all and let everyone go and make the Steady extras reapply to be REHIRED! ignoring the other apps of people who should retire!. The Union is in Bed with Trop. duh! In end they will go Non Union and all the old timers will get a buy out retirement. Anyone under 6o years of age! is screwed. It is all strategically arranged by Tropicanas master mind Attorney. Legally there is nothing anyone can do