Castaways was imploded 13 years ago in Las Vegas — VIDEO
Castaways Implosion
The Castaways hotel and casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The remains of the Castaways hotel-casino is shown after the casino was imploded earlier in the day Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, in Las Vegas. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Water is shot onto the remains of the Castaways Hotel and Casino to knockdown some of the dust after the casino was imploded earlier in the day Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, in Las Vegas. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The hotel tower of the Castaways Hotel and Casino crashes to the ground as it is imploded on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, in Las Vegas. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways hotel and casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways hotel and casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino on Friday, October 1, 2004. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, October 1, 2004. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways hotel and casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday January 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino, January 29, 2004. (Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways hotel and casino is imploded in Las Vegas on Wednesday Jan. 11, 2006. (Isaac Brekken/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino on Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, two days before it was imploded. (Samantha Clemens/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino. (Ralph Fountain/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Castaways Hotel and Casino, out of business and fenced up on March 15, 2004. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The letters atop The Showboat are removed to make room for the hotel's new name "The Castaways" on March 20, 2001. The Showboat opened in 1954. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Castaways Hotel and Casino was imploded 13 years ago today on Jan. 11, 2006.
Castaways, formerly known as the Showboat, officially closed its doors on Jan. 29, 2004. The hotel was a landmark for years at the site east of downtown near where Boulder Highway turns into Fremont Street.
The Showboat’s signature attraction was its bowling alley, which hosted nationally televised Professional Bowling Association tournaments. When the alley expanded to 106 lanes in 1979, it became the nation’s third largest.
A look through our photo archive shows the before, during and after as the hotel is reduced to rubble.
