Sands Casino and Hotel Atlantic City Demolition

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. is now ready to start the building of its new multi-billion-dollar gambling resort after the spectacular demolition of the legendary Sands Casino Hotel. The nitroglycerin detonation of the former casino resort was the first ever casino-hotel implosion on the East Coast.

The famed Sands casino transformed over night into 100,000 tons of ruins. The 21-story hotel building is set to be pulled away in 5,000 truckloads for recycling into road construction material.

"The implosion is a highlight episode in the records of Atlantic City and of Pinnacle Entertainment," commented Daniel R. Lee, chairman and chief executive officer of Pinnacle Entertainment. "We can now carry on expanding a project that will help transform the Atlantic City gaming, hospitality and convention industry."

The event started with Ms. Townsend who introduced the governor and Mr. Lee for brief comments and after only 15 minutes spectators were delighted with a six-minute fireworks show by Grucci, the top name in fireworks entertainment. The high-tech show was the biggest rooftop fireworks display ever in New Jersey.

More than 700 guests of Pinnacle were present at the demolition countdown which began after the fireworks, closing with Mr. Lee and Gov. Corzine who pressed together a plunger for the 17-second implosion. The guest list included Gov. Jon S. Corzine and other important state and local public officials, members of the New Jersey and Atlantic City business, labor and civic communities, and members of the Pinnacle Entertainment corporate family.

Thousands of spectators viewed the demolition from the Atlantic City beach and Boardwalk, with hundreds of other spectators witnessing the implosion from the roofs and windows of nearby buildings.

The implosion of the casino was operated by Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) who set 550 charges on the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 10th and 15th floors of the Sands. During the months prior to the implosion the demolition team lead by R.E. Pierson Construction Co., and also including CDI and Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor (PS&S), undertook preparatory mechanical demolition, materials recycling and removal of debris.

The Sands Hotel and Casino was spread on around 6.5 acres of Pinnacle Atlantic City's current 20-acre location. The legendary gaming resort was first opened in 1980 as the Brighton Casino Hotel and then was among the smallest of the city's casino hotels. In November 2006 Pinnacle Entertainment bought the Sands Casino Hotel establishment, planning to “build a new-generation gaming resort that will add to the success, energy and excitement of Atlantic City” as Kim Townsend, Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Atlantic City said.