Share this post

When the Tropicana Hotel opened on the Las Vegas strip on April 4, 1957, it wasn’t located at the grand intersection of massive theme-park-style hotels that it is now. No MGM Grand, New York New York or Excalibur hotels were at that intersection. Las Vegas was still the home of casinos, supper clubs and nightclub performers, not roller coasters.

Now, the Tropicana Las Vegas is undergoing a transformation into a Miami South Beach hot spot, the first and second phase of which is running at a cool $165 million and is nearly completed. 

“It definitely has an updated crisp, clean look with a South Beach vibe,” notes Arik Knowles, vice president of hotel operations. “This corner is very valuable in terms of real estate and foot traffic.”

The new owner of the Tropicana Las Vegas – which is not connected to any other property named Tropicana – since 2009 is a Canadian company named Onyx, which bought the property out of the bankruptcy of Tropicana Entertainment. The Tropicana’s CEO is Alex Yemenidjian, who managed the MGM Grand Hotel and MGM Studio with Kirk Kerkorian for many years and was on the hotel’s board of directors. “He has quite a history, and he’s very seasoned in the gaming world,” Knowles says.

Knowles is enthused about resurrecting the hotel. “There’s been nowhere in Vegas where a property that used to be called the ‘Tiffany of the Strip’ and fell down has come back like this,” he points out. Usually, old Vegas hotels are demolished in poetic, slow-motion explosive detonations and completely new properties – usually upscale ones like Bellagio, CityCenter or the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel – are built in their place.

“Taking an existing product and changing the culture is the thing I’m most proud of,” Knowles explains, adding that he is aiming for a Triple A, Four-Diamond rating for the restored hotel. “We didn’t start from scratch – we changed a culture here. The physical plant was the easiest part to change.”

Although Knowles thinks physical changes may be easier than cultural ones, remodeling a casino and 1,800 rooms into 1,658 and adding a day-club pool franchise while the hotel remains open is not all that easy. Mason Building Co. Inc. (MBCI) – headed by CEO Tanya Behm – is managing 300 contracts for the remodeling. “There’s many projects going on at the same time, and that’s testament to their ability to manage it,” Knowles says of MBCI. “Keeping a property open and remodeling at the same time has its challenges, and having a good partner and contractor is key to our success.”

Just determining the best time to do construction in a business where customers are being served 24/7 is difficult. “You can’t do it too early, because people are sleeping after long nights out,” Knowles points out. “You have to be smart about your zoning and timing, and when do you do double shifts and when you do not. It’s all about planning with all the team and not just on the high level, but also at the superintendent level with the construction people and getting people like the director of slots involved. 

You need to get people involved in the trenches, on the casino floor, in the pits or at the front desk.”

Mid-market Maven

The Tropicana is seeking a wide range of demographics. “We’re looking for somebody who is looking for a great value proposition – the city is oversaturated with luxury products,” Knowles says. “Our goal is to exceed expectations, not only with a fantastic resort but with service and great guest experiences that are affordable and accessible.” 

Knowles does not think he is the youngest vice president of hotel operations in Las Vegas, but concedes, “Being in my 30s, I think I have a unique perspective.” He always intended to go into the hospitality industry and came to Las Vegas from Oregon. Knowles worked his way through college studying hospitality while simultaneously taking industry-related jobs to pay for his education. 

He worked his way up in the 1990s from airport hotels to the Monte Carlo, the Venetian and Mandalay Bay. As part of a new company, he lived in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel for a year while it underwent renovations.

“My philosophy is lead by example,” Knowles says. “You have to know what each of your departments do. I’ve done a good job of immersing myself in details from the front desk to housecleaning to public areas. 

“I’ve coupled that with my ability to manage through relationships and be more of a guide than a coach,” he adds.  “I say to my team, ‘I work with you – you don’t work for me.’”