[4] In April 2002, Phil Ruffin announced that he had partnered with Donald Trump to build Trump Tower Las Vegas, a $300 million 60-story condominium tower with 300 units and the possibility of a casino, to be constructed on Fashion Show Drive, near Ruffin's New Frontier Hotel and Casino.

Trump had initially approached Ruffin two years earlier about developing a property on or near the Las Vegas Strip.

[6][7] In July 2004, Ruffin said the project had been delayed up to that point because of other business ventures, including Trump's reality television show, The Apprentice.

"[10] Ruffin appeared in an October 2004 episode of The Apprentice to sign a $300 million deal with Trump regarding the project.

[11] The project was referenced again in the show's second-season finale, when winner Kelly Perdew was offered a job at the property.

News programs such as Access Hollywood and Extra provided coverage of the event, which was attended by approximately 300 state and local government representatives, as well as Carolyn Goodman, showgirls, Steve Wynn and his wife Elaine Wynn, and Miss USA 2005 winner Chelsea Cooley.

[21] After the completion of a 36,000-square-foot recreational deck in March 2006, an average of 800 workers constructed one new floor for the tower approximately every six days.

[21] The project was constructed at a cost of $500 million,[22][23] on 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land that was part of the rear parking lot for the New Frontier.

[24] By October 2008, only 21 percent of condo unit sales had closed, as potential buyers had trouble securing mortgages.

[12] This number was later reported to be $1.2 billion in February 2008, at which point the second tower was expected to begin construction at the end of the year.

On January 1, 2025, a rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded and caught fire in the valet area of the hotel resulting in the death of the driver, Matthew Livelsberger, and seven injuries.

Authorities believe fireworks, gasoline, and gas tanks were connected to a detonator operated by Livelsberger.

[35][36] The incident was investigated by Las Vegas police and the FBI as a potential terrorist attack, but was later confirmed as a suicide.