Stratosphere and Vegas World by acquiring shares in Stupak's Stratosphere Corporation. Grand Casinos, owned by Stupak's poker friend Lyle Berman, ultimately purchased a 43% stake in the resort.

As construction continued in April 1994, the tower was over tall. That month, Stupak announced that he was considering an extension of the tower's height, which would bring it to , beating the CN Tower by and making the Stratosphere the tallest structure in the world.