The Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, face a lawsuit claiming its security officers have not been paid required overtime wages.

Las Vegas attorney Sharon Nelson filed the lawsuit against the Tropicana. She is trying to make it a Class Action Lawsuit.

“The lone plaintiff in the lawsuit, Antonio Barnes, and other officers have been required to attend off-the-clock security briefings 15 minutes before the start of their shifts. The officers were required to clock in after the briefings, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit says this alleged practice has been going on for at least two years and involves hundreds of current and former officers. The practice caused the officers to work more than 40 hours per week without receiving overtime payments in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the lawsuit charges.”(Lasvegas Sun)

There was/is no comment from the Tropicana’s Staff.

The Tropicana Resort and Casino is a place of Casino legend. It opened 50 years ago on April 4th 1957 and shortly after that a failed mob assassination. The Tropicana was mob owned for decades but for those who don’t know Vegas hasn’t been in bed with the Mob in Years, just ask the Mayor, Oscar B Goodman, who used to defend mobsters back in the day.

Today the Tropicana is owned by Columbia Sussex which is headquartered in Fort Mitchel, Kentucky. Columiba Sussex is planning to revamp and destroy most of the property. Luckily the motel to the side of the main casino will be gone and new towers will be erected in their place which will take the room count to 10,000 by the year 2010. Coinless slot machines will now be the norm in the Tropicana. The Folies Bergere show and the Tiffany Theatre will survive, at least they haven’t forgotten their past.

The bad thing is that the 4,000 square foot stained glass ceiling that extends the length of the casino will be gone. It was installed in 1979 and estimated to be worth over a Million dollars.

I am sure there is more to come about the upgrade and we will get to it when it comes.

As we stated in the past Tropicana’s new owners, Columbia Sussex are planning to demolish and remodel the 34-acre site, starting after they pay down their loan in two years.

They have submitted plans to the Clark County Planning Commission over-viewing what they would like to do and it has been approved.  Their plan includes keeping most of the Tropicana open while construction is going on.  They will start on the new projects first build those up and after they are built they will close the older side and then rebuild, remodel that side.

Columbia Sussex is planning on spending $2 billion over their $2.75 billion buyout on new towers, expanded gaming floor, new space for conventions and retail shopping.  The Tropicana will end up with over 10,220 hotel rooms, 85,000 sq ft of casino floor, 270,000 sq ft of retail shops and over 644,000 for conventions.

Our feeling, which is obvious, is they are trying to rid the stigma of a low roller casino to a more upscale resort.  From what we have heard Columbia Sussex is working hard to keep this project on track.

More Information about the Tropicana Casino go here: http://www.vegashipster.com/hotel/Tropicana

Tropicana’s new owners, Columbia Sussex Corporation are planning to invest $2billion in a makeover.  The upgrade will include new towers and give the old casino a full makeover.  This will give the hotel / casino another 8,000 rooms.  Construction is slated to start next year sometime