Anyone visiting Las Vegas on a budget probably has a go-to spot on the strip that has seen better days (unless we re talking about the Excalibur; pretty sure that s always been a shithole). The carpets, once grand, are speckled with petrified gum, mystery stains and cigarette burns. The stock paintings in the hotel rooms were tacky three decades ago. But who cares? You won t be back in the building until 6 a.m. for the breakfast buffet.
The Tropicana was that spot for me on several occasions, but the 63-year-old casino s reputation has been revamped several times over, thanks to ownership changes and sometimes that s all you need for a makeover. And that rejuvenation was what I was hoping to experience when I finally tried out Tropicana Cookies, a fresher take on Tangie, a one-trick citrus pony.