As Vegas Goes So Goes America

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Vegas has almost nothing to do with casinos. That's not why people under 40 go there.

OK, so what's the draw? And why do people under 40 go there?

Originally Posted by RWebb

casinos are for people who don't understand statistics

There are significant numbers of people who actually enjoy gambling, and consider their losses simply as the price of their entertainment. Winning is nice, but there's more to it than that.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by KC911

I know something that you will never, ever see in Vegas....

Me

^^^Yep, no desire to see the flashing lights, and crowds of drunk people either. Mardi Gras has no pull for me as well !

[Steve Viegas]

Originally Posted by tabs

You mean it actually worse than I represented it!!!

I know 1M homes at the Lakes are down to 270K. But in my area they are at post Great Recession highs and have been selling quickly..as inventory is low and interest rates correspond.

I would like to see one of these homes. I just looked on Zillow and it seems there are many homes for sale, but the price drops that I am seeing are along $1000.00 not $700K.

I would certainly entertain picking up a place with a 70%+ discount.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by rcooled

OK, so what's the draw? And why do people under 40 go there?
.

Sex.

[VillaRicaGA911]

And of course labor cost via the Service Employees Union International has absolutely no impact at all in any way, factor, spreadsheet, ROI, P&L, or any other metric vs labor cost outside the reach of the union had no impact on a business owner in a down business year with an uncertain return to normal date. Yeah I would just stay in Vegas too...

[fintstone]

I rather enjoyed living in Las Vegas...other than the really hot summers. The rest of the year, it is warm and dry. If you live out in the burbs in the northeast or in Henderson...it is much like any southwestern city, but it is a short drive to Vegas with world-class entertainment and restaurants which are largely funded by tourists (so you can use them cheaply and at a large discount). It is a pretty easy drive to CA, TX or NM. You van get a lot of friends and relatives to visit (if you like that sort of thing)...but can send them to the strip (Or take them) to keep from having to constantly entertain them yourself. If I could talk my wife into it, I would consider retiring there and spending the summers elsewhere.

[speeder]

My dad was a defense lawyer and he was very connected in Vegas back in the '70s and '80s because of his close friendship w Morris Shenker, (Jimmy Hoffa's lawyer who ran the Dunes casino), he also knew "Lucky" Rosenthal, who DeNiro's character in Casino was based on along with many other players. Oscar Goodman, another defense lawyer who became the mayor of LV, was his good friend.

To say that my dad could get a good hotel room comped in Vegas would have been an understatement. He never went, not even once. The only time he used his juice was to get his secretary and her husband tickets to see Elvis at the last minute for his comeback in Vegas. My dad thought it was "a schit hole" and I agree. I would add that the more they build it up and try to make it fancy, the more of a dump it is, to me. There is absolutely no enticement that could make me live there...none.

If it went out of business, it would be like America wiping its ass and flushing the paper.

[fintstone]

I visited Vegas once and hated it. Spent a couple days downtown. When I lived there, it was far from that area...and, like a lot of small city suburbs in the southwest, a lot like much of CA, just a lot cheaper and a lot cleaner. Just no beach, but less taxes and less restrictive laws.

[Crowbob]

My daughter worked in a shop in Ballagio and lasted six months.

She detested every single second of it. The tourists treated the help like dogs. The people were filthy, obnoxious and rude. Plus, her boyfriend found out he had a gambling problem and dumped her for a stripper on Industrial Drive or whatever it’s called.

For three days I spent a week there.

It was inspirational. It showed me how advanced humans are with regard to their ability to make other humans give them money.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by speeder

My dad was a defense lawyer and he was very connected in Vegas back in the '70s and '80s because of his close friendship w Morris Shenker, (Jimmy Hoffa's lawyer who ran the Dunes casino), he also knew "Lucky" Rosenthal, who DeNiro's character in Casino was based on along with many other players. Oscar Goodman, another defense lawyer who became the mayor of LV, was his good friend.

To say that my dad could get a good hotel room comped in Vegas would have been an understatement. He never went, not even once. The only time he used his juice was to get his secretary and her husband tickets to see Elvis at the last minute for his comeback in Vegas. My dad thought it was "a schit hole" and I agree. I would add that the more they build it up and try to make it fancy, the more of a dump it is, to me. There is absolutely no enticement that could make me live there...none.

If it went out of business, it would be like America wiping its ass and flushing the paper.

[jyl]

While it may sounds like something out of a sci fi novel, suppose we made every sort of vice legal but only in Las Vegas? Gambling, drugs, sexwork, whatever. And then suppose we took a part of Las Vegas, walled it off, and made absolutely anything legal? Like Caligula meets Escape From New York?

It would be entertaining to watch.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I think they tried something like that in Seattle recently. Didn’t work out too well.

[RWebb]

I hear there is some good rock climbing south of Vegas

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I hear there is some good rock climbing south of Vegas

There is a lot of really neat places within an hour drive of Vegas...Red Rock Canyon, Mt. Charleston, etc.

When I was heading Navy and Marine Corps UAS, I spent a lot of time at Creech AFB outside of Vegas in Indian Springs. Loved the area.

North of Vegas, we did UAS testing at Delamar Dry Lake and stayed in Caliente and Alamo. Some of the most intriguing landscape anywhere. Second time we rented ATV and had a hoot with the Park Service folks.

The desert is an acquired taste, one I have.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

There is a lot of really neat places within an hour drive of Vegas...Red Rock Canyon, Mt. Charleston, etc.

When I was heading Navy and Marine Corps UAS, I spent a lot of time at Creech AFB outside of Vegas in Indian Springs. Loved the area.

North of Vegas, we did UAS testing at Delamar Dry Lake and stayed in Caliente and Alamo. Some of the most intriguing landscape anywhere. Second time we rented ATV and had a hoot with the Park Service folks.

The desert is an acquired taste, one I have.

Agreed, nothing like the desert. Did you make it through the singular wonder that is Death Valley?

[Sooner or later]

I have been there 1 time. Two nights and had a great time. Played blackjack and did ok. We were on the way to Zion and most of the Utah NPs on the way back.

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

My daughter worked in a shop in Ballagio...She detested every single second of it. The people were filthy, obnoxious and rude.

Whenever I see a TV commercial for a casino, all the people are attractive, well-dressed, happy, and look like they're having the time of their lives. Same thing when a movie includes scenes that take place in a casino, or on a set that represents one.

But it's quite a different story when you actually go there. Many people in these places look more like poorly-dressed hayseeds who haven't showered in a week. Half-drunk tourists are wandering up & down the strip in the middle of the day, and sad-looking seniors are pumping their social security checks into the slots as the sun's coming up. Bad behavior abounds, and it's all quite a depressing scene. Maybe the high-rollers who are treated well and play the back rooms and private clubs see Vegas differently, but for the average visitor, it's a far cry from what's seen on TV or in films.

[stevej37]

Yeah....but what about the ayce buffets?
Are they able to stay open?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by astrochex

Agreed, nothing like the desert. Did you make it through the singular wonder that is Death Valley?

Many times. I did a lot of work in China Lake in those days and would fly into Vegas and drive to Ridgecrest, California through Death Valley. I made a point to find the smallest roads possible

[Black968]

Have been a half dozen times over twenty five years. Ran into Jesus C one day riding the Deuce on the strip, interesting to say the least. There are many people in Vegas with mental issues from what I saw. Wandering around fast food restaurants eating condiments and keeping cool looking for a "weak" tourist to jump or fleece. Can't imagine it can get much worse.

Tabs, "Le Buffet" is closed Monday to Thursday at the Wynn, what will you do?