The Great Press Box Implosion (1999)
First it was the Dunes that came down. Then the Sands went. And the Aladdin eventually fell. Truly, the great era of Las Vegas Hotel Implosions was in full swing in the late-90s when UNLV got in the act and staged an implosion of its press box at Sam Boyd Stadium just a month after hiring a legendary head coach in John Robinson. Wood-handled hammers were handed out as souvenirs to the VIPs on hand bearing the slogan “Knocking Down the Past, Kicking Off the Future.”
Honestly, it was an overdue event as the widely detested press facility, which featured seating for only a dozen or so who sat at ancient folding tables with views obstructed by fans in the top rows of the stadium. The media was on hand and stadium director Pat Christenson welcomed up longtime Rebel beat writer Steve Carp for a ceremonial throwing of the hammer to help signify bringing the rickety structure down. Christenson pushed down the blasting plunger that did the deed. Well, not really, because the theatrics of the implosion were largely staged with pyrotechnics but the point was that the ancient press box was soon gone for good.
Just eight months later, a shining jewel of a media tower with club seats and luxury suites took its place and, two decades later, what is now known as the Findlay Toyota Tower is still considered home of one of the best press boxes in the nation even as it hosts its final events.
