Standing roughly a half-mile from where the concrete and steel structures of the former Tropicana hotel towers had been loaded with 1,700 pounds of explosives, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said he had never been this close to an implosion.

“In most places, building implosions don’t mean anything. We’re a little different,” said Hill, whose public-private agency promotes and advertises Las Vegas to a worldwide audience.

Roughly 75 minutes after Hill spoke, the 23-story Paradise and Club towers came crashing down following several loud explosions toward the conclusion of an eight-minute fireworks and aerial drone display.