Tropicana’s Mob Attraction to reopen its interactive displays March 1

Andrew De Maio listens to virtual guide James Caan during a preview of the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana Tuesday, March 1, 2011.

Click to enlarge photo

The Las Vegas Mob Experience VIP grand opening at the Tropicana on March 29, 2011.

Mob Attraction Las Vegas at the Tropicana resort, formerly called the Las Vegas Mob Experience, says its interactive portion will reopen on March 1.

The interactive component was shut down in September and its actors were laid off when its audiovisual equipment was repossessed amid the financial woes of the attraction’s former owner, the bankrupt Murder Inc.

These changes led to the closure of about 15,000 of the attraction’s 26,000 square feet and led to daily attendance falling from about 400 to about 130-150, court records show.

The Mob Attraction said Tuesday the audiovisual equipment has been replaced and upgraded with enhanced special effects, and 25 acting positions have been or will be refilled.

“Since acquiring the attraction we set a goal of being open by March 1,’’ said Andrew DeMaio, president of JVLV New Holdings, parent company of Mob Attraction Las Vegas. “We’ve worked very hard to meet this goal, and with the fine-tuning and enhancements made to the attraction, we are very confident we will exceed our guest’s expectations.”

New pricing and hours were also announced to coincide with the relaunch of the interactive portion of the attraction. Beginning March 1, it will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. General admission is $25, $22 for locals, seniors and military and $15 for children ages 6-11. Children 5 years of age and under are free.

The Mob Attraction says it uses authentic artifacts, technology and storytelling to tell the stories of such mobsters as Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, Meyer Lansky and Tony Spilotro.

Separately, a state judge has yet to decide a lawsuit dispute over whether a collection of Mob Attraction artifacts belongs to Murder Inc. creditors or to Jay Bloom, who developed the attraction but then left the company last year amid its financial challenges.

The Mob Attraction is unrelated to the city’s new Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas.

Business

Share