Formerly the Riviera’s convention center. Soon to be, you know, a convention center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere’s also the matter of serious opposition to the convention center expansion but a heavy hitter in Las Vegas, Sheldon Adelson. The bajillionaire’s resorts, Venetian and Palazzo, contribute a lot of money to the LVCVA (it’s funded by a room tax), and Adelson is vehemently opposed to LVCVA funds being used for a convention center expansion because it’s in direct competition with his Sands Expo and Convention Center.<\/p>\n
Ah, the circularity of the universe.<\/p>\n
Suffice to say, it’s complicated.<\/p>\n
There’s also another aspect to the Riviera demolition timing that isn’t being widely reported: The Riv’s hotel towers contain a metric ass-ton of asbestos.<\/p>\n
While demolition crews are doing what they can to manage the asbestos (there are conflicting reports about that, actually, but we are a Las Vegas blog, not an OSHA), when the towers come down, there’s likely to be a cloud of god-knows-what, and a smaller crowd in attendance means less risk and liability on the part of the demolition company and the LVCVA.<\/p>\n
Still, die-hard Vegas fans will want to find a way to be in the vicinity when The Riv is imploded on June 14. That’s late in the evening on June 13, in case you’re as time-challenged as we are.<\/p>\n
The implosion of The Riv marks the end of a colorful chapter in Las Vegas history. The resort opened on April 20, 1955.<\/p>\n
Even if you’re not around for the demolition of the Riviera, you can see it featured in the upcoming “Jason Bourne” movie, which we also sort of chronicled obsessively. Because Las Vegas. And Jason Bourne. Don’t judge.<\/p>\n
Here’s our exclusive video of the sequence where Jason Bourne’s car, atop a SWAT vehicle, crashes into the front of the Riviera.<\/p>\n