of the Stratosphere Tower began in 1992. A fire of unknown origin occurred on the tower in August 1993, during construction. Stupak then had difficulty acquiring funds to finish the tower. To complete the project, he partnered with Grand Casinos, owned by his poker friend Lyle Berman.

The tower was originally proposed with a height of 1012 ft. But in 1994, Stupak considered extending the height to 1825 ft, seeking the title of tallest free-standing structure in