Of all the large-scale events in Las Vegas, few can compete for the drama of a casino implosion. Emmy-winning television reporter, documentarian, and multi-day Jeopardy! champion Steve Crupi—aka, “The Implosion Guy”—is the only person to have broadcast from within the secure blast zone of every major Las Vegas implosion.
At this year’s Duck Duck Shed, four days of events, tours, discussions and panels organized by the Neon Museum from April 24-27, Crupi will recall the (literally) explosive drama of 30 years inside the blast zone.
Crupi was the first researcher to work with the LVCVA Archive Collection when it opened to the public. He and archivist Kelli Luchs uncovered 600 never-before-seen still and film assets from the collection during their time together. Luchs recently sat down with Crupi to preview his Duck Duck Shed appearance.
Luchs: Why do implosions resonate with you so much?
Crupi: I think it’s because I’ve always loved magic shows, and there’s no disappearing act bigger and more entertaining than a Las Vegas implosion. My first memory of ever seeing a building implode was during a David Copperfield TV special in the late 80s, in which he escaped from an imploding hotel in North Carolina.
What is the most memorable implosion that you attended?
The Landmark (1995) is burned into my memory the most, because when the spaceship-like top of the hotel tower slammed down, the ground shook like an earthquake, knocking us around and then covering our cameras in dust.
How many implosions have you attended?
I have been inside the secure blast zone for 15 of the 21 Las Vegas implosions, missing only the minor ones.
Tell us about the Dunes implosion and the film that Steve Wynn sponsored.
This was the granddaddy of all LV implosions! The demolition of the Dunes in 1993 took place on opening night of the Treasure Island resort. It was a spectacular show, with huge fireworks, 300,000-plus spectators on the Strip, and a simulated cannon volley launched by Steve Wynn from Buccaneer Bay that initiated the implosion sequence. Simultaneously, a team of cinematographers were recording the implosion for use in a lavish infomercial that Wynn paid NBC $1m to air on a Sunday night in primetime. Most of that raw film footage remains lost!
Tell us about your coming event with the Neon Museum for Duck Duck Shed.
My talk is not for the faint of heart, as it features explosive (and noisy) moments from every implosion, including lots of video clips and photos never before seen by the public. Much of the material has sat in my garage for many years, and combined with new discoveries from the LVCVA’s photographic archive, the stories are ready to be re-told and preserved forever.
How have implosions defined (or redefined) the Las Vegas Strip?
Almost every big hotel on the Strip sits on land previously occupied by an older resort. More than any other city in America, Las Vegas is in a constant state of re-inventing itself. One of the questions people always ask me is “What hotel will be imploded next?” That shows an ongoing interest and curiosity in the process, and even though we get nostalgic for some of the old hotels, no one would seriously trade properties like the Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian, or Mandalay Bay for what stood there before.
We found 600 never-before-scanned images for this presentation. What discoveries were the most surprising?
With your the help in the archive, the best photos were not so much the implosions themselves, but the gorgeous shots taken just before and the poignant shots taken of the aftermath. Especially in the early implosions, saving iconic neon signs was not the high priority it is today. The photos of the Dunes neon marquee lying on its side in a pile of rubble is truly heartbreaking. That’s why the work of the Neon Museum is so important, so we don’t lose any more treasures like this.
You defeated a six-time champion on Jeopardy! Is there an implosions question that would stump you?
Hahaha! I’m sure there are many questions that would stump me. But the implosion questions that weigh most heavily on my mind have to do with discovering historical nuggets that might still be hiding in people’s offices or garages the way they were in mine. For the great implosions of the 1990s, there were no HD video cameras, or 48-megapixel photos being taken, and that makes finding quality historical material very difficult. My goal is to continue the search and help preserve anything that is still out there. Regardless, I’m having a blast, and looking forward to whatever implosion happens next!