The long-dark Eastside Cannery is finally coming down, and it is happening while most of Las Vegas is asleep. Boyd Gaming plans to implode the shuttered 16-story hotel-casino in the pre-dawn hours of March 5 with crews expected to push the button at about 2 a.m. The company says the demolition will not be a public event and that there will be no official viewing areas for curious onlookers. The blast will clear the Boulder Highway site Boyd has kept closed since the start of the pandemic.
Implosion timing and access
According to KSNV, Boyd spokesman David Strow said crews are scheduled to bring down the building at 2 a.m. on Thursday, March 5, and stressed that "this will not be a public event," with no public viewing areas around the site. KSNV notes that the Eastside Cannery sits at the corner of Boulder Highway and Harmon Avenue and has been closed since early 2020.
Permit and contractor
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Boyd pulled a commercial demolition permit in October that lists Las Vegas Demolition as the contractor. The permit is valued at roughly $7.5 million. The outlet also noted that Boyd purchased the land beneath the property earlier this year, clearing regulatory and ownership hurdles ahead of a possible residential redevelopment of the site.
Boyd’s rationale
Boyd has told local outlets it no longer sees enough market demand to justify reopening the Eastside Cannery. A company spokesperson told KTNV that the operator is "finalizing plans to demolish the building" while it explores a sale of the land for housing. During the years-long closure, Boyd has steered customers to nearby Sam’s Town and maintained the Eastside Cannery gaming license while weighing its options.
Background and next steps for Boulder Highway
The Eastside Cannery opened in 2008 as a replacement for the Nevada Palace and shut its doors in March 2020 during the statewide coronavirus closures, according to coverage of the demolition plans and other local reporting. Tearing down the property fits into a broader wave of post-pandemic casino demolitions in Southern Nevada and signals a growing push toward housing development along the Boulder Strip.
