There will soon be even fewer reasons (not that there are many left) to visit the Las Vegas Tropicana. Instead of having to navigate a defunct escalator to see Bodies … The Exhibition or Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, you'll be able to cross the street and see them at Luxor.
True, the moribund state of affairs at the Trop is aptly symbolized by a doomed ocean liner and a display of cadavers. Previous owner Aztar Corp. basically ignored the place and, following its reign of benign neglect, the malign neglect of Columbia Sussex seems bent on finishing the job. But visitors to Bodies ... and Titanic will now be spared the marathon trek to the far end of the Trop if they want to see these shows. (To be honest, I thought Bodies … would freak people out and be a disaster. Boy, was I ever wrong.)
Sadly, the move to Luxor means it's curtains for the Imax theater (so see those Imax movies while you still can; they're pretty damn cool). Ditto the arcade and the King Tut exhibit. In the latter instance, MGM Mirage may be accomplishing two things in one fell swoop: Bringing in a pair of revenue-generating exhibits and dispensing with what may soon become a money drain. After all, the Egyptian government has made it clear they'd like Luxor (the casino) to compensate them for displaying replicas of Luxor (the historical landmark).
This should almost complete the de-theming of Luxor. Except that it's still a pyramid. Not much that resort President (and certifiably cool guy) Felix Rappaport can do about that, short of resorting to dynamite.
Update: David Schwartz's take on this is better than mine. Yes, it's the world's first death-themed casino resort! I feel lucky already.
