Far on the outskirts of Sin City, the Kingdom of Make-Believe (aka Lake Las Vegas) is the newest and — in terms of acreage — biggest metaphor yet for the unrealistic expectations and sometimes insane assumptions which have laid our metropolis low. Heck, I can vividly remember the anxiety and gloom (mostly the latter) that hung over LVA HQ when it looked like Dubai World was going to walk out on CityCenter. That would have been such a crippling and painful blow — think battlefield double-amputation, followed by gangrene — to our economy and to civic morale that it might have taken 10 or 20 years to recover … especially coming on the heels of so many other failsinos (™ Chuck Monster).
That’s no “pub.” Nosiree, Bob. When tours were being given of Crystals, we were vaguely assured that Todd English was bringing “a new concept in pub food” and that’s as specific as it got. It could have been cannibalism for all one knew. Instead, it’s something worse. You see, Mr. English is not opening a mere, humble pub — as in your friendly, local “publican.” Bloody hell, he’s unveiling a “P.U.B.” Not being sufficiently with-it, I had to read an explanation that it is a “Public Urban Bar.” Hence the acronym. Because, crikey, don’t we all get tired of saying, “Let’s have a pint at the public urban bar, mates”?
Judging by its description, Todd English P.U.B. sounds pretentious as all get-out. Since I’m obliged to show the flag at a media event there tonight, I’ll soon know whether it’s as airy-fairy as PR Newswire makes it seem. (A “deconstructed sandwich,” I ask you?) Then again, what about CityCenter isn’t pretentious? Its prevailing sterility would make it the perfect setting for some dystopian science fiction, though. Too bad Will Smith already went and remade The Omega Man. However, as an S&G reader discerningly points out, “At least [CityCenter] residents will be spared the inconvenience of having to go to O’Sheas to play Beer Pong.” Touché.
“At night while you’re asleep/Into your tent I’ll [K]reep …”
MGM strikes back. The company isn’t taking recent attack ads — ostensibly aimed at Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) but more of slash-and-burn raid on MGM itself — lying down. The TV spots make some Dubai-ous (sorry folks, I couldn’t resist) and downright inaccurate claims with regard to the MGM/Dubai World relationship.
Me, I’m waiting for other shoe to drop and for Sheldon Adelson to be revealed as the aptly named Gary Kreep‘s puppetmaster. (It’s just a hunch, mind you.) Now that Adelson has thrown in his lot with another candidate, pro-Reid affiliates could certainly follow Kreep’s discreditable lead and drag Las Vegas Sands into the latrine, by dint of Adelson’s regulatory problems, his courtroom embarrassments and his sycophantic relationship toward the ChiComms, totalitarians who make Dubai’s dictator look like a squishy liberal.
A strange omission. The business practices of Archon Corp. Treasurer Sue Lowden (Adelson’s favored candidate) have been political fodder for a while now. So what’s missing from this Las Vegas Sun story? How about the name of her casino firm? Unless “archon” is an ancient Greek obscenity, I can’t account for the Sun‘s dainty tiptoeing around that moniker. This campaign has to be a boon to the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall. I swear Archon hasn’t gotten so much free ink in the last five years combined.
How bad is it out there? Here’s a heartbreaking story about people who are so bereft of job opportunities they’re lining up for $4.30/hour dealer gigs — many of them part-time — at Harrah’s Chester. Chalk it up as one more reason to be a “george” tipper and not a “stiff.”
I do believe that’s the going hourly rate at most casinos for dealer jobs, since they rely on tips. I know in AC the hourly rate is about that, according to a Borgata dealer friend.
I should know this, Mike, but … what’s the current minimum wage? And if $4.30 is sub-minimum, how do service industries circumvent it? (I know that the Wynn Resorts formula is minimum wage + tips and an MGM Mirage staffer claimed to me that their top dealers [read: Bellagio] were paid even more than that.)
The way around the federal minimun wage law is that states can circumvent the federal “Minimum Wage” by passing state laws that says that employees that get tips can be paid less as long as the “Minimum Wage” is met through the getting tips. It’s unfortunate but true.
Thanks for coming to my rescue, David H. Now that you mention it, I recall seeing language to that effect — although not so clearly stated as in your explanation — in the Golden Nugget’s employee handbook.
Of course, MGM Mirage isn’t taking these “Swift Boat” attacks lying down. Not only are they hitting Harry Reid, but they’re also throwing the same baseless crap against MGM. While Dubai obviously doesn’t have the best human rights track record, it’s quite a stretch to conclude that Harry Reid and MGM Mirage are “supporting slavery”. And yes, if they want to go down that road then the Republicans open themselves up to similarly ridiculous questions of them “supporting slavery” in China where Las Vegas Sands is doing so much of its business these days.
But then again, when are Republicans not being hypocrites these days? Oh, and I’m sure Jim Murren must be wondering at this point why he’s still registered as one if this the treatment he gets from them.
Re: your second point, since Steve Wynn has only been slightly less vocal than Murren, if wonder if someone’s going to deploy the “China card” against him. And if (I stress “IF”) Sheldon Adelson has anything to do with this, he’s playing a game that doesn’t have “house odds,” as you note. There’s going to be a lot of “collateral damage” to the casino industry before this is over, I fear.
Hee hee. Leftists are so cute. When are Republicans not being hypocrites? When they ask where all the money that the Denocrats are spending is supposed to come from. But of course, since Democrats are the party of peace, love, truth, social justice (not to be confused with actual justice), and free beer, they are NEVER hypocritical. Never ever. Nope.
And for what it’s worth, Dubai has, among many other interesting social institutions, debtor’s prisons. They also dent women the right to drive, hold jobs, or get more than an elementary education. In a country where goats and camels are more highly regarded than half of humanity, I would say slavery definitely does exist.
I also fail to see any connection between the Republican party and Las Vegas Sands, but oh well. I’m sure one could be constructed if one wanted to attack the Republicans on the basis of their “support” for that company that “does business” in China, which is obviously a bad thing–so it must be the fault of the Republicans! SEE?????
In any case, Harry Reid shouldn’t be blamed for destroying Nevada–his blame is much more extensive than that (the entire U.S. economy is what he’s trying to destroy).
Kevin, you’ll get no defense of Dubai from me. About the nicest thing that could be said on its behalf is that it’s arguably the least-backward country in the Persian Gulf, which ain’t sayin’ much.
As for the GOP/LVS connection, Sheldon Adelson has long exercised his First Amendment right to back a lengthy roster of Republican candidates, culminating with his televised endorsement of Sue Lowden. The latter makes him as legitmate or illegitimate a target as Jim Murren (I lean toward “illegitimate” but politics ain’t beanbag, as they saying goes). Live by the endorsement, die by the endorsement.
Personally, I think it’s a considerable and destructive stretch to make either MGM or [potentially] Sands a campaign issue. (Lowden is running partly on her record at Archon Corp., so that’s a different kettle of fish.)
This entire brouhaha is already inflicting gratuitous damage on the casino industry’s public image and we could live very well without more of that — something on which I hope we can all agree.
As for Dubai and its medieval system: Should it have been taken into account when Dubai World sought a gaming license? Discuss!
Here is a site with many large pictures of the P.U.B.:
http://www.vegasnews.com/20470/a-look-inside-the-todd-english-p-u-b-at-crystals-in-citycenter.html
“A Look Inside the Todd English P.U.B. at Crystals in CityCenter”
Not steal David’s thunder, but here is a review of the P.U.B.:
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2010/2/23/204631/407/vegas-travel/Todd_English_s_P_U_B_Hold_the_Pickles_and_It_Could_Be_Great
And here are some reviews by “regular folks”:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/18/221762/restaurant/The-Strip/Todd-English-P-U-B-Las-Vegas
Sorry, Todd, but I won’t be going there. There’s an English pub in my town that doesn’t have $7/glass wine or snooty waiters.
I suppose the connection is more or less there, but it doesn’t exist the way another poster implied: the GOP is not to blame for the politics, social conditions, etc. of a country (China) that one of its major contributors (LVS) chooses to invest in. Nor, for that matter, did Obama carefully vet for moral rectitude the millions of campaign contributors, large and small, that helped sweep him into office.
Nevada is (Hilarious Harry notwithstanding) naturally a GOP, conservative state, because its freewheeling, permissive, “frontier” mentality is antithetical to the nanny state. The only thing that Nevada has ever wanted from the gummint is Leave. Me. Alone.
The further destruction of the casino industry’s public image is actually a good thing in the long run, since a thoroughly negative perception of it is highly accurate. Their business decisions, taken collectively, have been ludicrous, delusional, and disastrous. Handed licenses to print money, they succumbed to greed, and on the Vegas Strip in particular, abandoned all pretense of offering decent value, and instead decided to treat the gambling public the way Catholic priests treat altar boys.
I personally believe we shouldn’t do business with China and Dubai for the same reasons we don’t do business with Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Cuba, and any other prison camp masquerading as a country and run by megalomaniacal nutjobs. (I would also say the same about Harrah’s if Harrah’s was a country, which it isn’t, even though Gutboy Barrelhouse (“there are times when you shouldn’t gamble”) has his own zip code, and Harrah’s debt exceeds that of many countries.)
There is no reason for anyone to worry about tainting MGM for dealing with Dubai or Wynn and Adelson for having a presence in China. If Obama and the left pass all of the legislation they are trying to push through, (this version of healthcare, cap and trade, windfall profits tax on investment income in 401K’s, for example) while they still have a super majority, the economy will tank so badly, and our national debt will be so high, such that it has never been seen before. Taxes will go up tremendously to cover spending and the debt. In the end, probably sooner than later, there will be no one left with any money to spend in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and all other casinos. There are not nearly enough wales to keep these places around. Nevada will become the new dust bowl. Besides, if these socialistic policies actually come to pass, then big government will probably enact legislation making gaming illegal for anyone who earns less than, say, 75K a year. That is of course, after taxes. By then, 75K before taxes will be the new poverty level. No where in the constitution does it say we have the right to healthcare, or that government had the right to make gaming illegal for anyone based upon their economic conditionl. But if they can get away with one, why not the other or other new ”
rules and rights”. It will never end.
Pilot-
Funny how conservatives are talking about Constitutional rights these days… But had no problem with George Bush using the Constitution as TP when he was in office. Also, you make no sense.
Kevin-
“the GOP is not to blame for the politics, social conditions, etc. of a country (China) that one of its major contributors (LVS) chooses to invest in. ”
I didn’t imply this. I was just using this to illustrate how ridiculous it is to blame Harry Reid and MGM Mirage for all the social ills of the UAE.
“Nevada is (Hilarious Harry notwithstanding) naturally a GOP, conservative state”
So that’s why President Obama won Nevada by 12.5% in 2008? Interesting. Yes, our state has a libertarian streak, but it runs strong in both parties here and the “libertarian” argument can also be used to explain why Nevada is trending more Democratic these days (religious right isn’t popular here, people here prefer civil liberties over police state, most voters here are pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ rights).
“The further destruction of the casino industry’s public image is actually a good thing in the long run”
For whom? Certainly not Nevada! We need more tourists, not fewer.
Mr. McKee-
“There’s going to be a lot of “collateral damage” to the casino industry before this is over, I fear.”
I agree, and that’s why I doubt any of the big casinos are happy with Floyd Brown cranking up these anti-Reid, anti-MGM ads. This even looks too foolish for Sheldon Adelson to be involved in. Not only does it backfire in strengthening most of the casinos’ support for Reid, but it guarantees that they will do whatever they can to squash Floyd Brown’s outfit to protect their image.
atdleft,
I am not sure where Bush was trying to turn the constitution into TP. If you are talking about phone taps, wire taps, a little ethnic profiling (maybe there should be more, when it comes to national security), etc., in the quest of our national defense, that would be different than what is happening now, and a much better reason for pushing it. Using the constitution as TP in Bush’s case is nothing like what is happening now.
Please show me where I am wrong. Where does it say that you are entitled to and MUST pay for and have healthcare coverage. I can’t find it anywhere, and yes, I have read it, as I am sure you have. What about the privacy laws and equal protection sections of the constitution that are trashed for this bill. Besides which, no one even knows the totality of the bill, it is so huge.
As for it not making sense, of course it would not, to you. Just the fact that you use Bush as a defense for Obama and his socialistic policies that he and the left are pushing makes that point. If you want a socalist state, go to Europe. There economies are doing much, much, better, right? There socialized health care system works wonderfully, right. Wait, I forgot, when someone in Canada or Europe gets sick, and they have to wait 8 months for a cancer operation to save them from cancer that will kill them in 6 months, they all seem to come here, and end up getting their medical problems take care of at our tax payers expense. Thats you and me, right. And our taxes are going to go up to cover for the healthcare bill that will probably somehow be passed next weeek.
Just to let you know, I voted for Bush, but was not very happy with the way he ran the war, or even the fact that we got into it in Iraq. He should have concentrated on Bin Laden and the Taliban and dealt with Iraq differently.
Also, we absolutely need some kind of healthcare reform. I agree that the insurers are taking advantage of all of us, in any way they can to boost their bottom lines. I just don’t think this is the way to do it. This bill trashes so much of the constitution, and costs too much. 1/6th of our economy on something our taxes should not be paying for.
Pilot…
atdleft: I’m neither a conservative nor a liberal. I loathe socialism and religious dogma in equal measure, and those are the two signal ideologies of the respective American political parties.
Nevada will always be a cultural, political, and social backwater until it matures–maturation being, the repudiation of the one-trick-pony casino economy. Nothing is MADE in Nevada, except giant vacuum cleaners that suck money out of people’s pockets.
And of course, Nevada voted for Obama because it was blinded by the dazzling brilliance of The One. Temporarily. Like most other states, the economy was going down the toilet, everybody blamed Bush for everything, and so when Obama came along and sang “change change change change change”, everyone started dancing. That, and the hundreds of millions in campaign contributions that were spent on media control, helped seal the victory.
Nevada, like the rest of the country, is finding out what it voted for. Obama’s Great Leap Forward is bankrupting the country, and rather ironically, state socialism will leave us capitalists owing our butts to China.
What is both stupid and arrogant–a signal feature of Obama’s stupidity and arrogance–is that he could easily pass health INSURANCE reform, but instead (because of his stupidity and arrogance) he is going for the whole enchilada. Does he not comprehend SOMEWHERE between those huge, flappy ears that being FORCED to buy health insurance completely infuriates a LOT of people?? Does he REALLY fail to understand that Americans are enraged by their government coercing them to do something “for their own good”, or else be fined or jailed?