With more than 30 percent of the workforce in Clark County employed by the leisure and hospitality industries, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, that's obviously a significant audience worth wooing, so myriad bars, restaurants, casinos, shows, strip clubs, attractions, and so on either feature a specific weekly "Industry Night," with special discounts on cover charges, drinks, appetizers, etc., or else they offer an ongoing discount program for all locals, regardless of what industry they work in. For instance: Rí Rá at Mandalay Place offers locals 40 percent off lunch and dinner-menu items every Friday; Marquee nightclub at Cosmopolitan offers complimentary admission to to all locals on Monday and Thursday; and Blue Martini at Town Square offers industry workers 50 percent of all food and drinks nightly after 8 p.m.
Those are just three out of many such examples, but we're not aware of anyone having given love to industry workers as much as Ellis Island has over the years. For example, back in August 2002, the off-Strip casino began a promo for those employed in the industry, who were simply required to show valid I.D. in order to drink for free and enjoy half-price appetizers anytime, 24/7!
We're not sure for how long that promo ran with such generous terms, but the property was still serving free drinks to industry workers in 2004, a fact that was cited as one of the principal reasons why the new Tuscany Suites & Casino nearby had trouble breaking into the market, due to Ellis Island's popularity with locals. (A proposed merger of two properties that year ultimately broke down.)
At some point, the completely-complimentary policy was phased out, but today the casino bars at EI still offer industry workers $1 draft beers, $2 wine, and two complimentary well drinks from 3-7 p.m. daily, according to the staff members with whom we spoke (they had to ask around and verify, since the lady who answered the phone was hazy about the details, while her co-worker had no knowledge of the discount, but they spoke with the bar and this is what they were told).
