Kind of a one word answer on this...
Yes!
Plasma technology hasn't sat still over the past few years (unlike say, DLP technology)... Plasma manufacturers have dwindled down some, but it has really left two cream of the crop companies in Samsung and Panasonic.
Plasma remains a fair bit heavier than LCD, but they have gone from being 4-6 inches thick down to under a couple of inches very similar to LCD panels.
They have added better screen masking surfaces and better glass which increases contrast. They have also added better electronics. This is a huge jump in the last few years as older displays did not really have very good upscaling or compatibility in their chips. Now the chips used, on all displays, do a better job with upconverting, cross conversions, and format acceptance. This is not limited to plasma, but for LCD as well.
If you have a good plasma, then the jump in quality will be minimal as the Pioneer Elite displays which were discontinued a few years ago are still often considered the absolute 'best' display ever manufacturered - bar none.
So, we aren't as good today, with the best displays (regardless of technology), as we were a few years ago with the $8000+ Pioneer Kuros. But, the decent plasmas, starting with the ST Panasonic series, is very close to that level in pure image quality.
Most of all, you get their 65" ST series for around $1,700 which is well under your budget...
Panasonic TC - P65ST30 - Plasma TV - 1080p (FullHD)
In comparison, the ES6500 65" LED/LCD from Samsung will run you about 50% more and will not provide the same wide viewing angle, or as good of black levels, and will have weaker motion handling (all inherent issues with LCD).
Samsung - UN65ES6500 - LED-backlit LCD TV - Smart TV - 1080p (FullHD)
So, you save money AND you get a better image. Win-win.