Frontier’s Farewell
A good weekend is never complete without some good film, a.k.a. DVD marathon. I didn’t have anything new so I settled for a re-run of Dream Girls. The musical was loosely-based on the story of the most successful female musical group of all time, The Supremes. The film ends with the final performance of the group. In real life, the farewell of The Supremes took place at The New Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
I was able to watch how The New Frontier was torn down in 2007 on a National Geographic feature titled “Blowdown: Vegas Casino”. It shows how the demolition crew strategically and carefully planned the implosion, giving utmost importance to the strategic placement of explosive material and ultimately, the timing of detonation. It ensures that the building crumbles on itself within a few seconds thus greatly reducing damage to its surroundings.
After a spectacular fireworks display, a countdown, and a thunderous blast, The New Frontier collapsed on itself in about 5 seconds. After standing for 65 years, all that was left of this huge and historic Las Vegas landmark were debris and dust clouds. It was as sad as it was amazing. Afterall, it was where Elvis Presley staged his first Vegas appearance and where Dianna Ross and The Supremes said their goodbyes. And it won’t be the last old building that would be brought down. New Las Vegas hotels, casinos, and other buildings are constantly built that the old ones would just have to give way.
