The El Rancho hotel-casino from the Circus Circus parking garage before it was imploded on Oct. 3, 2000. View photo »

Henry Nichols, left, a partner in the El Rancho acquisition, and Turnberry Place developer Jeffrey Soffer, listen to instructions from Controlled Demolition Inc. president Mark Loizeaux (not pictured) as they prepare to symbolically press down a plunger to implode the 13-story hotel-casino early Tuesday morning, October 3, 2000. The building, which belongs to Florida-based Turnberry Associates and has been vacant since 1992, was imploded by Las Vegas-based LVI Environmental Services Inc. and Maryland-based CDI. Turnberry Associates is currently building Turnberry Place, a $600 million high-rise condominium project, adjacent to the doomed El Rancho, but no plans for the land where the hotel sat have been announced. View photo »

A crowd gathers on Circus Circus Drive across from the El Rancho hotel-casino before the building was imploded on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000. View photo »

The 13-story El Rancho hotel-casino tumbles to the ground early in the morning on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000. The building, which belongs to Florida based Turnberry Associates and has been vacant since 1992, was imploded by Las Vegas-based LVI Environmental Services Inc. View photo »

A side view of the El Rancho's Oct. 3, 2000 implosion. The building was demolished to make room for Turnberry Place, a set of high-rise luxury condominiums. View photo »

A cloud of dust billows around the El Rancho sign after the hotel-casino was imploded early Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000. Even though Turnberry Place now covers the original sign, the El Rancho is still clearly seen. View photo »