Longtime Tropicana Las Vegas performer reflects on how casino shaped his career

KTNV Las Vegas
 
Longtime Tropicana Las Vegas performer reflects on how casino shaped his career
Wild Casino

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino prepares to close its doors, one entertainer reflects on his journey with the casino that helped shape his career.

"Tropicana is one of those iconic hotels that shaped Las Vegas," said magician Murray Sawchuck.

For the past 12 years, Sawchuck has been dazzling audiences inside the Tropicana at the Laugh Factory with his magic tricks.

"My favorite memory about the Laugh Factory is seeing my parents sit in the audience and watch me perform. That's pretty wild! And being a part of the Laugh Factory and the history of Tropicana. I've been here 12 years now and time flies," he said.

"You don't realize how lucky you are to be performing on the Las Vegas strip until you're not. You work every day, you have a lot to do, and it's always busy, but you realize when a hotel disappears, it'll be gone forever. Like, this will be a baseball park in the next couple of years," Sawchuck said.

Sawchuck said the casino closing is a bittersweet moment.

"It's said that it's going because there are so many cool things about this hotel, but Las Vegas is known for change. You know, we always change Vegas; that's kind of its thing. That's how we stay so popular," he said.

Sawchuck's farewell performance is scheduled for March 27 at 4 p.m. at the Laugh Factory.