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Piece of AC History Coming Down Tonight

The Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City will be no more after tonight. The former hang out of the Rat Pack will be imploded at 9:30pm.

Typical of Atlantic City's ballyhoo style, the 18-second sequence of explosions will climax an evening of fireworks and other festivities that city officials hope will lure tourists.

In its place, Las Vegas company Pinnacle Entertainment will build a $1.5 billion "megacasino" resort to open by 2012.

Meanwhile, the Sands wasn't all that old to begin with. It originally opened in 1980 as the Brighton Hotel before its name change took place. When Sinatra and his rat pack buddies were in town performing at the hotel's Copa Room, this is the only place they would stay. We even met Sinatra's former waiter.

While we're sad to see a former Sinatra hang-out demolished, we think this is the start of good things to come for Atlantic City which has the opportunity to become the Vegas of the East.

Related Stories:
· Sands Casino Hotel to be imploded at 9:30 tonight [Philly Inquirer]