First Choice Tree Service in Las Vegas succeeds in hotel-top tree removal

Getting a palm tree off the top of a casino/resort in Las Vegas sounds like no easy feat, but sometimes it has to be done.  This is exactly what First Choice Tree Service of Las Vegas did at Red Rock Casino & Hotel earlier this month.  Since the resort opened in 2006, a trio of palm trees graced the deck of the penthouse level suite of the Las Vegas resort.  When one of them, an 18-ft tall palm, perished, it required removal.

The difficulties were only huge due to the height - approximately 300-400 feet to the ground below - as well as the distance to the edge of the building.  The palm was situated in a vaulted planter just 5 feet from the edge.  Often during tree removals, adjoining trees surrounding the one to be removed act as additional sources of support.  The crew was not able to leverage the support of a nearby tree in this case.

“This job was not too different from any job we do day-to-day at residential and commercial properties,” says Gene Cimorelli, executive vice president/general manager of First Choice Tree Service.  “All our jobs are hazardous; but this one just took place a little higher than most." 

And, while there are many ways to remove trees from tops of buildings, like a helicopter or a crane, the property opted for neither and went with the option to cut the palm tree into small sections and bring them down through the property's interior passageways.

An experienced removal crew of three men and a safety director was on site to assess the work and ensure safety procedures were followed.  "While we are sensitive to the hotel guests and to the everyday operations of a busy property, such as this casino resort, ultimately, our goal was to remove the palm tree safely," says Leon Pera, First Choice Tree's safety director. Replacement of the palm may possibly take place next spring.